LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Northern Advocate, 9 April 1931, Page 7

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

DEBATE ON FINANCE

PROPOSALS OPPOSED.

(Per Press Association. —-Oopyrliirlit.l WELLINGTON, Thip Day. The Legislative Council met yesterday afternoon. The Leader, iSir Thomas Sidey, moved the second reading of the Finance Bill. Sir Francis Bell (Wellington) said there was no relation between conditions existing in 1922 and today. In 1922 the Government of the day had merely taken away the cost of living bonus, and there had been no attack on the wages of the workers. It was claimed by the Government that cuts would not result in hardship, but there was no excuse for a tax on a special class. The Government was reluctant to put the reductions into operation, but the only cause of the reluctance could be that they were unfair and unjust. The lion. M. Fagan (Westland) expressed regret that the Council had no power to amend the Bill, as he believed the Council could have devised other means of balancing the Budget. There were many workers on lowersalary levels who could not possibly reduce their overhead costs, and that would mean their dependents would have to go without the necessities of life. The Hon. G. J. Garland (Auckland) said they should not be so concerned about reducing the standard of living as reducing the standard of luxury. He attacked the attitude of the Labour Party, which he said knew no flag, no king and no country, and it was time they took off the gloves to deal with it.

The Hon. W. it Mclntyre (Nelson) said he could not support the Bill unices a serious effort was made by the Government to reduce the cost of living, especially rents. He thought the Arbitration Court should be permitted to make' more than a 10 per cent, reduction. The debate was adjourned until today.