ALL-NIGHT SITTING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 6, 4 December 1937, Page 9

ALL-NIGHT SITTING

MARKETING AMENDMENT BILL. HOUSE PASSES MEASURE. DEFENDED BY MINISTER. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Dec. 4. Continuing' the discussion on the amendment moved by Mr H. S. S. Kyle to the second reading of the Primary Products Marketing Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives after 2 o’clock this, morning, the Minister of Finance (Hon. W. Nash) said they had had notinng but a tirade of abuse all night long from the members of the , Opposition, all of whom had, with perhaps the exception of their Leader (Hon. A. Hamilton), not referred to the provisions of the Bill at all. They had talked a- lot of unadulterated bunkum; they had mentioned private enterprise and capitalism—what splendid achievements these were—he said, but each contained in themselves disintegrating factors that would destroy them. Those disintegrating factors were at work to-day. There was not one word in the Bill that should cause other than increased production and more economic distribution of the things required by the community. The Minister proceeded to refer to the marketing of New Zealand butter in London, stating that they still had a slight margin over Australia as far as butter prices were concerned, but they would not have that margin long, because Australia was coming into line with better quality products. They welcomed the fact that Australia could do that.

Mr Nash outlined the prices which had been paid for la6t season’s New Zealand butter on the London market, stating that only a small percentage of it had brought the maximum prices ruling there because of the short supply, and stated that the new season’s butter was selling at, he believed, 113 s to 114 s per cwt. THE MARKETING ACCOUNT.

Referring to the Opposition’s criticism of the lack of details of the position of the Primary Products Marketing Account, Mr Nash said there had never been more complete information given to the House than that supplied by the Government in this connection. Every bit of information had been set out in full for everyone to see, and every figure regarding the purchase of Picot Bros.’ business had been • presented to the House before the honourable members opposite had asked, for it;

Speaking of the guaranteed price, he said the producer had got his share, and lie was then in a position to determine what his herd would be, what he could spend in fertilisers, ploughing, etc. Before the Government’s scheme had come into operation the farmer had' never known what liig return would be.

DESIRE FOR INFORMATION. The Leader of the Opposition (Hon. A. Hamilton) said Mr Nash had complained that there had not been much criticism of the actual Bill, but the Minister had himself to blame, because he had not conveyed to the House the full contents of the Bill.' Mr Nash : I thought I did. Mr Hamilton: No. You did not. Even at this late stage there are a lot of members’ in the House who do not know the exact interpretation of some clauses in the Bill. Mr Hamilton added that the Bill would enable the Government, to override economic laws altogether; that was causing fear in the minds of many people to-day. No one objected to progress, but it was desirable to preserve all that was good in the old order. The people who produced things should have some right in the disposal of them.

He contended that the Opposition was justified in holding up so serious a Bill. Those affected by the proposals in the Bill, at least, should have the opportunity of being heard:

CLOSURE APPLIED. When Mr Hamilton concluded, the Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) moved to apply the closure at 2.30 a.m., which was accepted by the Speaker, who said the debate. . had been a full one and the speakers to the amendment had not dealt to any extent with it.

The House divided on the closure amendment and the second reading. The motion for the closure was carried by 41 votes to 10, and the amendment was lost bv 39 votes to 12, Mr H. M. Itushworth, Mr R. A. Wright and Mr A. C, A. Sexton voting with the Opposition; the second reading was also carried by 39 votes to 12.

At 2.55 a.m. the House went into Committee on the Bill. The short title was passed without a division, and the first clause of the Bill was passed after being forced to a division by 36 votes to 11. A motion by Mr Wright that progress should he reported was defeated by 35 votes to 11. The closure was applied on clause 6 at 4.35 a.m. and carried by 35 votes to 10, and the clause was passed by 37 votes to 12. Mr J. Hargcst at 4.45 moved that progress be reported; this was lost by 37 votes to 12.

An amendment to clause 7 was moved by ,Mr Sexton to the effect that prices of foodstuffs be fixed by an independent honorary tribunal to enable the producer to pay competitive rates of wages, to obtain reasonable interest on the capital invested, to meet the increased costs, and to obtain an adequate financial return for his services. The amendment was lost hv 38 votes to 12 At 5.15 a.m. the Prime Minister moved the closure on the clause; this was carried by 38 votes to 11 and the clause was also passed by 38 votes to 11.

A Ministerial amendment to clause 9 to the effect that the operation of the Internal Marketing Account be retrosnective from September 16 intsend of Sontember 20 was passed without a division. INTEREST ON OVERDRAFT. Mr Rushworth moved an amendment to clause 11 in the direction of abolishing the payment of interest on the overdraft at the Reserve Bank. The amendment was iost on the voices, and the original clause was passed. Clause 13 was passed by 38 votes to 11 and clause 13 was passed by 37 votes to 12. The last clause of the Bill passed the committee stages by 6.5 .a.m. (the clauses not enumerated were passed without a division), the Bill was then read the,third time and passed, the House rising at 6.12 a.m. until 2.30 on Monday. . . Mr Savage, intimated m his motion

for the adjournment that the Petroleum Bill would be considered on Monday evening and the Supplementary Estimates would be introduced on Tuesday. , , , The debate on the Bill lasted sixteen hours continuous sitting from Friday morning. Mr Savage moved the closure on three occasions, and altogether fourteen divisions were taken. The proceedings in the House up till 2 a.m. are reported on page 11. Mr Kyle’s amendment was that the Bill should he referred back to the Government in order that it might be examined in detail by a special Select Committee with a view to considering how far the rights and liberties of citizens' were affected, with _ special reference to-the following points:— The unwarranted interference in the normal course of private trade; the restrictions to ho placed on producers, wholesalers and retailers through the fixation of prices and control of marketing of all commodities; the harmful effects of unrestricted bureaucracy on production and marketing;, the inevitable destruction of businesses of small retailers and distributors; the right of the consuming public to buy In the best possible market: the certainty that price fixation and marketing control can on>v result in i«crec«ied’’ price- and a further rise in the cost of living.