BUDGET DEBATED

Northern Advocate, 21 August 1929, Page 6

BUDGET DEBATED

, , FpTjHER SPEECHES

MAIN THEME; TAXATION., • ATTACKED AND DEFENDED. /I (‘From Our Parliamentary Special.) WELLINGTON, This Day, The Financial Debate was resumed at yesterday's sitting of the House ot Representatives. ' The first speaker was Mr R, W. Hawke (Kaiapoi), who concluded his . speech, commenced on Friday. He described the primage duty increase as a makeshift and as avtemporary expedient,, and said he would not support it i* if it was proposed to make it permanent.. He agreed with the policy of breaking up good quality land for closer settlement, ' •-JjE* R. McKeen (Wellington South) said it was not fair to say that the United Government had added to the ; . National Debt to the extent of £50,000 <; . a Uay. The Uniteds had done in respect of State Advances what Reform shoiild have done two years ago. The -• . Government was on its trial so far as land settlement was concerned and it •; could rest assured of Labour members' ■h support. The most unfortunate feature of the Budget was the primage duty - increase and United members had done their best to explain that away. The ' setting up of a State Bank and the nationalisation of -the coal mines would have achieved the same end by economics. He believed the motor would replace the railway over short distances and advised the Government .to devote its attention to improving the "roads as it would have to take over the motor services which were running in opposition to the railways. • Mr W. A. Bodkin (Central Otago) refuted the suggestion that the taxation proposals would ruin the farming Z' 1 • community and said, that only 2200 14 . farmers would be' affected. The Uniteds were trying to legislate for all classes. " Eajjmers who were said to be on the ■ v i verge of bankruptcy would have to put their houses in order, as at present they'were a danger to the community. It was .absurd to suggest that the new taxation would mean a reduction in the number of men employed on the lafid; the opposite would be the case, fpr the farmer see the need for 'incrased production. Any farmer who hit by extra taxation could solve Kip own problem by selling either the ;' whole or portion of his land. He referred to the Budget proposals as an indication that at last there was a "master hand” at the helm of the "Ship of State.” ...’ U.Mr R. Semple (Wellington East) drew attention to the mighty task necessary in meeting unemployment. He quoted the import statistics to show a wrong balance pf imports from the United States of America with our exsports to America, and suggested that we should take steps to place the same imports against the United States of America as they did against New Zealand. He contended that a. free trade policy would be suicidal, especially •wh<!n we considered labour costs in India, -China and Japan. He advocated trying to reach an agreement with the great civilised nations on a reciprocal trade basis.

Mr H. B. B. Kyle (Ricearton) considered it wrong to persecute farmers through' medium of the taxation proposals 'vvhieh would have an unfortunate effect oh the Dominion. The 'State Advances Office was now nothing more tham a land agency and the position should bo gone into by the Government before it embarked on its land settlement policy, which, ho predicted, would be another glorified soldier settlement policy. He urged the Minister of Education to . enunciate his policy in respect of Junior High Schools. The Uhiteds, he said, were sitting in office at the dictation of Labour, Had they expounded during the election the proposals they were now trying to get through the House, they would never have been in office. The Prime Minister washout to raid everything he could get his hands on.