NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION

Northern Advocate, 16 October 1931, Page 5

NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION

MOVED BY MR HOLLAND BUDGET CRITICISED. EMPLOYEES WITHOUT REDRESS, (Per Press Association.—Copyright.) WELLINGTON, This Day. A motion of no-eonfidence in the Government was moved by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr H. E. Holland, in the House of Representatives last evening. Mr Holland said he had previously refrained from discussing the Supplementary Budget in detail, because he had been awaiting details of the Government’s intentions regarding unemployment, as well as an announcement of its intentions concerning the election. He wished to repeat his endeavours to secure a! statement whether the Government would face the electors at the usual time.

Mr Holland then criticised the Supplementary Budget in detail. It seemed that Mr Stewart’s only solution of the interest problem was the extension of the provisions of the Mortgagors’ Relief Act. He criticised the proposal in the direction of granting rating relief in rural areas.

Mr Holland said it had been claimfed that the suggested amendments to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act were in accordance with the recommendation of the 1928 Industrial Conference. This he declared was Hot in accordance with the facts. If effect were given to the Government’s proposals, employers would hold full power to prevent any case from going to the Arbitration Court. Employees would consequently have no other redress than the strike, and at a period when there were tens of thousands unemployed that was no redress at all. New Problems Created. Dealing with the Unemployment Statement, Mr Holland said there was nothing in it that gave promise of better provision than at present. He could not find any portion that held out a glimmer of hope for the unemployed. While the Government was urging people to buy New Zealand goods, it was not following out that policy itself by buying New Zealand coal. While it was calling upon employers to ration work, it had not assisted the miners at Dobson in their attempt to ration work there. He'also protested against the failure of the Government to afford relief in cases of eviction of tenants.

The Government was proposing economies amounting to £1,000,000 in tho Public Service. Every batch of disjniswals , created- a fresh problem, and every time wages were reduced it helped to precipitate a crisis which the Government claimed it was trying to avoid. There could he no return to prosperity until the purchasing power of the people was increased by the restoration of wages to their former standard. The Prime Minister followed Mr Holland, and the debate was continued by Mr W. E. Parry (Labour — Auckland Central) and the Hon. D. Jones, Minister of Agriculture. The debate was interrupted by the hieing of the House until today. WILKINSON AMENDMENT. FAILURE ASSERTED. (From Our Parliamentary Special.) WELLINGTON, This Day. In the House of Representatives today, Mr W. A. Wilkinson (Independent, Egmont) moved an amendment to the no-confidence motion tabled by Hr H. E. Holland, Leader of the Opposition to the following effect: #< That the Government does not possess the confidence of the country, because of its failure to provide or indicate a reduction of interest on mortgages, chattel securities and overdraft; also that it has failed to reduce rents, and further, that no steps have been taken to provide an Open investigation into the banking and credit systems operating in London.”