LIVELY DISCUSSION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 3, 1 December 1944, Page 4

LIVELY DISCUSSION

WASTE OF TIME ALLEGED BUSINESS ~OF HOUSE (Press Assn.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 30 An allegation'by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Holland), during the debate on the Eeli.shihtation Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives tonight, that the Government was prolonging the debate in order to delay the presentation of the report by the special committee inquiring into the burning of the soldiers' ballot papers gave rise to a lively discussion on a point of order. Mr W- M. Denham (Lab., Invercargill). who was the ninth Government speaker in succession, askod why the Opposition had dropped out of the debate. Had they run out of ideas Y An Opposition member: We want to get ou wijih the business of the country. ' . Mr Denham said no business was ot more importance than rehabilitation. i\lr Holland rose when Mr Denham concluded and said Mr Denham had gone out of his way to try to convey to the country the impression that Opposition members had no ideas about rehabilitation and had not contributed anything to the debate. That was grossly unfair. There was no dissension on the Bill, which would, be put through unanimously. For two days and nights Opposition members had taken their part in the debate and hau made some valuable contributions, which he summarised. It was not necessary for all the Opposition members to speak, as it would have been a waste oi time to reiterate the views that had been put forward. They wanted to get on to the committee stage, where they could consider improvements to the Bill, but obviously the Government was determined to continue talking, although today's speeches had not contributed anything new. i\ot a word had been said by the Government to indicate its policy in regard to the rehabilitation of women. Parliament had been in session five weeks ago, but the members- had been sent homo so that the Labour Party could hold its cotiferenco and receive its instructions about the Bank of New Zealand. Now it was obvious that the debate was being continued for the purpose of denying the elected representatives of the people an opportunity to discuss important matters which would be smothered by the rush of business at the end of the session. The Opposition wanted to discuss the report of the committee which was inquiring into the burning of the soldiers' ballot papers. REMARKS QUESTIONED.

The Minister of Finance (Mr Nash) rose to a point of order and submitted to Mr R. McKeen, who was in the clmir, that Mr Holland - was not in order in referring to a matter* which was Uelore a committee.

Mr W. A. Bodkin (Nat,, Central Otago) said Mr Holland had not releirutv to tlie proceedings of the committee and was iu order.

Hon. YV. E. Parry said Mr Holland had referred to the burning of ballot papers, and that was a matter before a committee,

Mr A. G. Osborne (Lab., Onehunga) : A dirty, filthy trick. Mr C. G. Harker (Nat., Waipawa) rose and asked if such an interjection was in order, and Mr McKeen asked Mr Osborne to withdraw. He did so. ' The Speaker (Mr Schramm) returned to tlje chair and asked Mr Holland to repeat what he had said. When he had done so the Speaker said the remark was merely a passing reierence and was in order. Mr Holland said it was more obvious than ever that the Government wanted to keep the discussion going. Another matter that the Opposition wanted to get to was the report of the committee which was considering the AuditorGeneral's report, but if the present tactics were followed they would have no opportunity to do so. Mr Nash, answering Mr Holland's claim that the Government was attempting to avoid a full discussion of important legislation, said nothing was more important than the present measure concerning rehabilitation, and none could deny that many Government speakers had made useful contributions on various phases, particularly housing and land usage. On the other hand, many of the Opposition's criticisms were valueless. LAND SETTLEMENT.

Earlier in the debate Mr J. Hodgens (Lab., Palmerston North), discussing land settlement, had said there was no need So put a man off a farm to put a returned serviceman on, as servicemen could be put on land that could not be fully farmed by the present owners because they were holding too much land. Mr M. Williams (Lab., Kaiapoi) said that as first-class land was occupied they would have to take areas to avoid putting servicemen on marginal lands which would not support them. Mr P. Carr (Lab., Auckland West) said New Zealand must plan things in such a. way that returned men of this war would never have to go through the experiences of many of the returned men of the last war.

Mr A. S. Richards (Lab., Roskill) said rehabilitation, if carried out properly, would mako such demands on the country that, if financed by taxation, they would break the backs of taxpayers. The people would not be able to bear the burden under the system of private enterprise. He said he hoped the Government would take the job in hand, clean up the banking system, reduce the interest rat© and thereby decrease the burden which had been built up during 100 years of Conservatism and which was bearing heavily upon returned men and the civilian population generally.

The Minister for Rehabilitation (Mr Skinner), replying to the debate, denied he had ever said ho would not take advice from anybody. In fact, no one had laid himself more open to advice than he had in the Ministry of Rehabilitation, for it was a job without a precedent. He would like to place on record that members of the national executive of the R.S.A., who had been conferring with him that day had themselves said the Government had accepted 90 per cent, of their suggestions concerning rehabilitation. Major Skinner said the Rehabilitation Board was nob dominated by departmental officers. .

Referring to claims that rehabilitation should be decentralised, he said it had been realised from the start that- it would have to be decentralised, but there was an important reason why decentralisation had not been undertaken until now. Tho men who were to do the work had to get experience' in what was required, so that there would be uniformity of policy throughout the country. Because it was estimated only about 6000 of the men would go on the land, industry would have to absorb the 1 bulk of the men. One million acres would bo required for land settlement, and tile Government wanted to purchase that land in the usual way, but, if it could not do so, it would certainly acquire it compulsorily. They were doing tho best they possibly could under the circumstances.

Replying to Mr Holland's referenco about the rehabilitation of women, Mr Skinner said every provision was made for the rehabilitation of women who were in the Forces, and nurses and V.A.D.'s were being looked after by the nurses' organisation and the St. John Ambulance Association respectively. The Minister was interrupted by the adjournment at 10.30.