SURE SHIELD

Northern Advocate, 30 July 1924, Page 5

SURE SHIELD

AGAINST COMMUNISM.

JBEFORM PARTY PRINCIPLES

ENUNCIATE!) BY MR PARR

-~ to' "Northern Advocate.") |, WELLINGTON, This Day.

The financial debate was opened last •night by Mr T. M. Wilford, Opposition lieader, who dubbed the Massey Budget {unreliable, inaccurate and constantly •contradicted by the Auditor-General's The, Budget he alleged also -contradicted itself. The finances revealed a condition that would surprise ■Hie public when the significance of 'things was realised. The country was Tiot being governed by the Reform Party, but by commissions to enable tt.e Government to evade its responsibility. Mr Wilford then went into masses of figures to prove Ms assertions and spoke in support of an agricultural bank.

"The public debt of this country efcands at £550,000,000, carried by a population of 1,250,000 people," said the Hon. C. J. Parr, his figures including borrowing by local bodies, who he urged should pursue a far more prudent policy in this respect, confining their borrowing -principally to drainage, waterworks and perhaps tramway extensions.

The Minister criticised Mr Wilford's Agricultural Bank proposal. The money for the bank would have to bo xaised at 5i per cent. This -would mean that the bank would have to get 6 per cent, or 6J per cent, and how could it compete with the State Advances Office on those terms? Mr Wilford's criticism was petty and had not attacked the big things of the Budget. His discrepancies were illusory. Reductions of £541,064 had been made in the capital value of discharged farms and £289,263 in mortgages, in addition to liberal concessions in rent.' The Government had kept expenditure down and saved £i; 500,000 on the estimated expenditure. The national debt had been considerably reduced, the war debt alone by £4,500,000. New Zealand's credit totday stood higher than ever, and its financial position was sound. The income tax would be reduced to about half what it was three years ago.

"The great issue in this country, ,, the Minister continued, "and the issue around which this country will rally its forces is that of Socialism and non-Socialism. The Reform Party has a claim to public support on the ground that it is the only serious bulwark against the advance of Socialism in this country. ,.

'Mr Holland: "A very slender xiaim." ;

The Minister: "I think the "honourable gentleman will be some years before he comes up this way. The Reform Party is the opponent of Socialism and Communism. It is out against Socialism, which has for its object .th« overthrow of the present economic system. What we are really out against is the Socialism of Karl Marx."

Mr Savage: "Do you know what it is?"

• "Why the Reform Party wil] ask 'for support," said Mr Parr, "is that it i 3 the sure shield and defence against the machinations of Socialism •ha. this country."

Mr Sullivan: "If you are the only defence, God help it."

Mr Parr said that the Reform Party would oppose as long as it could the socialisation of every industry and communal ownership of every acre of land in the country.

A Labour Member.- "You won't have to wait 10ng. ,.

Mr Parr: "This is a clear issue between ourselves and the Labour Party. I would like to see the honourable gentlemen opposite (the Liberals) come over tb our flag and fight for it. (Liberal laughter). There are gentlemen over there who think the same as we do."

Mr McKeen: "The whole lot of them."

• Mr Parr: "They ought to be here t<) resist the advances of Socialism." Mr Sullivan: "Do you recognise them as brothei-s?"

"Oh, certainly," replied Mr Parr amidst laughter, "and I think the honourable gentleman does so, too."