Ministerial Attacks on Opposition

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 159, 8 July 1938, Page 5

Ministerial Attacks on Opposition

MR. SEMPLE ON WHISPERING CAMPAIGN UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES DEFENDED Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. When the House resumed at 2.30 p.m. „hc Speaker caused some amusement by an explanation of tho interruption to the broadcast from the House during the Address-in-Reply debate on Wcdnesday evening. The Bell and the Mike. Hon. W. E. Barnard stated that when the member for Egmont, Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, was speaking, he (tho Speaker) had rung tho bell indicating that Mr. Wilkinson was within five minutes of ending his speech. The microphone on tho Speaker’s desk, which is adjacent to the bell, was “alive" at the time and the intensity of the sound of tho bell overloaded the transmitter at 2YA, putting it out of action. After some five minutes' delay the proceedings of the House were switched over to 2YG and tho broadcast continued from that station until tho fault was rectified at 2YA. Mr* Barnard added that precautions were being taken to prevent a recurrence of such interruptions in the future, a remark which was greeted with laughter by members. Shortage ot Nurses. Mr. S. G. Holland gave notice to ass: the Minister of Health wnether his attention had been directed to numerous statements iu nowsjjapers in various parts of New Zealand expressing alarm concerning the effects of tho recently Gazetted hours of work and regulations iu private hospitals, and the danger of private maternity hospitals having to close down because of difficulty in securing a sufficient number of trained nurses. Ho asked would the Minister issue instructions that where sufficient nurses were not available the regulations would not bo enforced. The Education Bill. Rev. C. L. Carr, on behalf of the Recess Education. Committee, reported that after careful consideration the committee had approved of the principles embodied iu the Education Bill introduced last session, and recommended that tho Bill should be reintroduced this session with such amendments and alterations aB had been suggested in the proceedings before tho committee. On Mr. Carr’s motion, the report of tho committee was laid on the table of tho House. Farmers and the Government. Continuing tne Address-m-Kepiy deoate, Mr. V. VV. Coleman said tue previous Government was concerned over the plight of farmers, 50 per cent, of whom, were unable to meet their commitments, but tho best that Government could do was lo put tho farmer on a budget and g*vo mm 25s a week to keep his wife and family. Farmers throughout New Zealand, lie belioved, >vero very well satisfied with tho treatment received from tne present Government. The guaranteed price scheme had given them security and stability. Tho Housing Question. Mr. T. H. McConios criticised statements made by tho leader of the Opposion throughout New Zealand during the last month or two. The Labour Government, through tho Slate Advances Ornce, nad assisted people to purchase the freehold of their own homes. Many people who rented houses did not wish to own homes because they were continually being shifted from one part of the Dominion to another and tney found the owning of houses in such circumstances a distinct disadvantage. Labour and Christianity. Mr. E. R. Petrie suggested that the Opposition speakers appeared to regard the prices quoted for New Zealand stocks on tbe London market as a test of good Government, but Labour applied the test of tho happiness and prosperity of the people. They should have security and not be agitated by the poverty scare which tho Opposition wero fond of resenting. He contended that the Government had endeavoured to apply Christian principles to economic problems and bring social justice to the people of New Zealand, becauso economic poverty was contrary to the principles of Christianity. Tho leeador of the Opposition might not understand ihat philosophy, but ho had no right to impute unworthy motives to tho Govern merit. Having been brought up in the austere atmosphere of the Middle Ages, Mr. Hamilton seemed to be annoyed by the idea of human happiness. Mr. W. J. Poison: That is a Christian thought. Mr. Petrie declared that Labour had thought out its policy and refused lo be tied to orthodox methods. It liai the courage to challenge tho old order of things and to improve peoples’ lives. South Island Main Trunk Mr. L. P. Meachcu said the Labour Government was bringing to the peoplo of New Zealand social justiee in a practical form for the first time iu tiio country’s history. The Opposition had criticised tho Labour Administration'a policy iu building railways, yet the Leader of the Opposition was pledgsd to complete the South Island Main, Trunk railway if his party were r - j turned to tho Treasury benches at tho! next election. Vet the Opposition had Btrenuously opposed tho completion of this line when Labour had proposed to do so. Mr. Meachen also stated that there was ample opportunity being provided by tho Government for everyone who wished tc do so to own their owu houses. He considered the Government was doing the correct thing in erecting State rental houses and congratulated the Under-Secretary for Housing (Mr. J. A. Lee) on the work ho was doing. Mr. Lee’s work had proved a triumph of organisation. Business and Government Mr. D. Barnes said the .justification for »Stato interference was Because private enterprise had failed to provide (

organisation for cheap and essential services. Tho Government only interfered when it was to the advantage of the people to do so. Members of the Opposition accused the Government of State interference, but previous Governments had taken more control of the economic life than the present Government had taken up to the present. Labour and Taxation Mr. W. T. Anderson stated that when previous leaders of tho Opposition moved no-confidence motions iu tin House they always submitted com. alternative policy, but tho presen. Leader of the Opposition had failed to do so. Mr. Anderton added that ho believed the present Opposition had no alternative policy to present, lio refuted the Opposition’s allegations that Labour had been responsible for increased taxation, stating that in 1935 taxation on actual income in New Zealand was 24. G per cent., in 193 G Jt was 21.3 per cent., and he estimated that in 1927 it would be something like 22.1 per cent. It could bo seen from this that Labour had not increased taxation at all. Referring to defence, he said the defences of this country were iu rt better state to-day iu relation to the needs of present times than they had ever been in the history of the country. He also considered that defence matters should be outside party politics. Private Enterprise—Private Grab Mr. D. McDougali said they had heard a lot about private enterprise. What was private enterprise, he asked, but a private grab? No one entered a company for tho good of the company I but for his owu good. It was really a private grab, but private enterprise was * only a fancy name which the Tories applied to it. The debate was interrupted by the adjournment at 5.30 p.m. Continuing his speech when the House resumed at 7.30, Mr. McDougali said the Leader o£ the Opposition, at a meeting at Hamilton, had been asked to explain the compensated price scheme for dairy produco and he had replied: “You would not understand it if I told you." Did tho Leader of the Opposition or any member of his party I understand it, asked Air. McDougali. It seemed to be a mystery. I Opposition and Social Security

Mr. I. O’Brien said in 1035 Mr. Forbes and other members of the National Party had issued a manifesto in which it was stated that a scheme of national superannuation would be investigated and introduced when finances permitted it, but now when the scheme had been put forward by the Government, Mr. Forbes had said il could not bo done. Ho said ho sure there was not a farmer who would give up the guaranteed price scheme for the compensated price scheme ad vocated by the Opposition.