Budget Dehate Sees Further Views Aired

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6626, 13 August 1931, Page 7

Budget Dehate Sees Further Views Aired

Expenditure on Education Defended

Competition of American Subsidised Shipping

Per Press Association.

WELLINGTON, Last Night. When tho House of Representatives met at 2.30, Rev. Clyde Carr (Timaru) asked the Postmaster-General whether it was in accordance with the Government’s policy to permit party political propaganda to bo broadcast, as ho alleged had been dono by Mr. A. C. Cameron, retiring president of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, from 4YA on Monday. If so, would he give an opportunity to broadcast a reply from tho same station?

and the Government was preferring the easier course of taxing that section of the community least able to look after itself. Mr. Rusbworth declared that ho was definitely and permanently opposed to taxing tho necessities of life. Secondary Education Policy

Hon. J. B. Donald replied to the first part of tho question in tho nogativo and added that, that being' tho case, there was no need to reply to the latter part. Mr. J. S. Fletcher (Grey Lynn) asked whether instructions had been issued to tho Unemployment Board that its expenditure must bo limited to £50,000 a week. Hon. G. W. Forbes replied that no such instruction had been issued. Tho board, kowover, was required to live within its income. Unemployment Board’s Funds Mr. W. Nash (Hutt) asked whether sufficient funds would bo provided to enable the Unemployment Board . to make allocations to local authorities sufficient to pay for the usual period of work under the- No. 5 scheme, Mr. Forbes said the board was allocating up to the limits of its funds. It was hoped to provide more work on public works during the next few months. Mr. K, S. Williams (Bay of Plenty) said ho wished to impress on tho Government the necessity for developing tho flax industry with a view to utilising not only tho first grade product, but also second and third grade flax. Commenting on tho proposal to ect up a commission to deal with the question of local body rating, Mr. Williams urged that a thorough investigation should be made regarding native rates, as many counties were seriously affected. and a big burden was placed on farmers through the inability of natives to contribute. Fewer Parliamentarians? Mr. Williams remarked that if the Budget proposals were put through the country would be in tho position of not being able to carry any further taxation, and any steps that could be taken to cut down overhead costs in local and national government would be justified. He thought it would be fair to taxpayers to investigate whether it was possible to have fewer members in Parliament. Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Christchurch East) said ho would like to remind Mr. Williams that there had been 80 members of Parliament, as at present, when tho population of the Dominion had been one-third or less of the present population. There had recently been a suggestion that there should bo no interference with country representation in Parliament, but that the number of city members should bo reduced. He pointed out that the city members represented human beings, and he sincerely hoped, whether representation was increased or not, that it would be ■based on men, women and children, and not on sheep and cattle. Expenditure on Education Mr. Armstrong defended expenditure on education and said' New Zealand was not spending money in this quarter out of proportion to tho increase in population. Education was ono of the last things on which there should be an attempt to economise. Mr. Armstrong declared that a more unjust tax than t-hat on sugar and tea could not be imagined. Wealthy people received exemptions from income tax, but the more children a poor man had, tho more he had to pay • in indirect taxation. Mr. H. M. Rush worth (Bay of Islands) asked if tho Prime Minister had claimed historical interest for tho Budget because it was the first move in tho Nicmcyer plan. After discussing the general position of the country ho said that very many economics could still be effected; for instance, there might be economics in the High Commissionicr’s office in London. There was also scope for saving in the direction of Mr. C. A. Wilkinson’s scheme regarding silver and copper coinage, and again in the direction of Mr. Fletcher’s proposal for petrol plants in tho Dominion. These suggestions, however, had been ignored, and ono was left with the uneasy feeling that in these quarters there were powerful interests,

After tho adjournment the Minister of Education (Hon. H, Atmorc), replying to the criticism by Mr. H. M, Campbell (Hawke’s Bay) of the previous evening on the Government’s attitude concerning roliof in Hawke’s Bay, contended that the Government’s sympathy had been of a very material kind. Ho then went on to deal with educational matters, stating that he was rather surprised at Mr. W. J. Poison's suggestion of economies in education. With reference to secondary education, the Minister said Mr. Poison should know that no pupil entered a secondary school freo of charge* .unless he passed a test. He disagreed vVh the contention that secondary education was not necessary for the worker; it was becoming more and more necessary to the workman, and the need for education was becoming increasingly important, particularly in country districts. The increase in educational expenditure. of late years had been largely due to tho effort to introduce educational facilities in country districts. He pointed out that whereas the capital cost of educating a child in a largo citv school was £5, in tho country it was £5 15/. Moreover, requests were being received from farmers for an increase of tho facilities for the transportation of children to schools. Mr. Atmorc contended that it was little use talking of land development if there were no educational facilities handy; people would not take their children to places where they could not enjoy the benefits of education facilities. Mr. R. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs) held that w r hat members were complaining of concerning secondary education was that children were receiving it who had no aptitude for it. Children were attending secondary schools for a year, or perhaps two years only, and this was useless; they should bo compelled to stay longer than that if tho education was to be of any use to them. American Subsidised Ships He went on to refer to what he termed a menace to the shipping of tho Dominion. This comprised the subsidisation of steamers by tho United States Government to competo with our own shipping in the Pacific. Members had been circularised, he said, showing them what a menace sucli action could prove to be. Wo could defend ourselves from it by moans of legislation, and should do so. It was unfair competition for tho United States to subsidise steamers to compote with our own shipping here, and the Government should adopt means to combat it. Reciprocity With Canada Hon. A. J. Murdoch (Marsdcn) said tho Prime Minister had taken the only stand he could in the Budget, in view of the position of things to-day, but ho felt sure wc were turning tho corner and that with careful management we should win out. Some members had raised the question of our trado with Canada and had alleged that tho Prime Minister had adopted the use of the mailed fist in this direction. Such was not the case; wo wore ready at any time to trade with Canada, provided she would do tho fair thing by us. If Canada continued to impose heavy tariffs on us wo must do tho same to her. We could work in unison with her, but she. must give us a full return. Customs Duties and Cost of Living Mr. J. O’Brien (Westland) attacked tho now Customs schedule and quoted the Prime Minister’s promise to reduce the cost of living. The opposite would bo tho effect if the new duties were put into force. More promises had been broken by the Government in the past two years than by any Government in the history of the Dominion. Ho suggested that a high tax on American crude oil would help the budgetary position. He suggested that unemployment funds should bo expended on more productive works than was at present the case, and was also of the opinion that the money for such work could be raised by conscription. We had conscripted men for war purposes; could not wealth be conscripted to save some of our people? The House adjourned at 10.25 p.m.