BUDGET DEBATE

Northern Advocate, 28 October 1932, Page 6

BUDGET DEBATE

EASTERN MARKETS STATE TRADING. • PRESENT-DAY PROBLEMS. (Per Presa Association. —Copyright.} WELLINGTON, This Day. The debate on the Budget was continued in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr J. Connolly (Government, Alid-

Canterbury) said he felt sure the time would come when people would look / back on the present difficulties as an experience and not as a catastrophe. Hei" suggested that the potentialities of China and Japan as markets should be investigated. If exporters of meat would give one per cent of their produce to the Meat Export Board to be - distributed in Eastern countries, it should be possible to create a demand which would lead to a development iu trade.

Mr W. E. Parry (Labour, Auckland Central) expressed the view that Britain was more interested in what she could supply to New Zealand than in what she could buy from New Zealand. He described the nations'of the Empire as comrades in competition, and declared that the Government should conduct its trade on the sound basis of. taking in imports from any one country the same amount as that country took of our exports. It should see that the balance w r as maintained, no, matter what country was concerned.

School Books And Pictures.

Mr H. M. Campbell (Government, Hawke’s Bay) said that State enterprise, interference and tinkering in business had-been responsible for a great deal of the present troubles. He suggested that a Commission be appointed .to inquire into the school books 'contract, and tho Order-in-Coixneii affecting .picture shows, in ordbr -to. allay, any uneasiness in the public jnind. ■Mr H, G. E. Mason (Labour, Auckland Suburbs) said the only indication of- a policy that could bo found in the Budget was the opinion that we should look abroad for the solution of our problems. He thought .that before doing this, New Zealand should at least ascertain that there w r as some prospect of finding a solution in this manner.; , “The idea is,” he said, “that there should be a world conference of gentlemen who are all equally lost) and it is going to bo a case of

tKe! blind leading the blind,” It was to; these people, he said, that the country- was'looking for the formulation of its monetary policy.

Mr E. A. Wright (Government, Wellington Suburbs) quoted figures to show that New Zealand had been getting behind to the extent of £2,000,000 a year in payments of her debt. There should be a thorough investigation of the proposal to amalgamate hospital districts, ’ -provided .this could be* earned out without interfering with, the welfare of patients. The cost of hospital administration had increased far too much in recent years. Hospitals and Exceptions. Mr J. A. Nash .(Government, Palmerston) said that hospital administration in Now Zealand had been reduced tc- a very fine art, and ho sincerely hoped that the Government would not adopt the recommendations of the NaI tional Expenditure Commission unless representatives of the , Hospital Boards’ Association were given an opportunity of placing their views before a iSeleet Committee, lie agreed that education boards could bo abolished. In of tho services which school committees were, called upon to perform,' ho believed they -wore entitled to'receive more consideration. The Hon. C, E. Macmillan, Minister of Agriculture, referred to the report of- the National Expenditure Commission. He said it had been neccs-

sary for the Government to forum

late its policy on certain questions prior to receiving the report from the commission. The Cabinet, in its wider survey of the position, had decided its attitude in regard to the destruction of rabbits, the fertiliser subsidy and the free carriage of lime. It regarded these operations as investments which should offer a good return to the State. The Government was quite satisfied ■that it would not be wise to give effect to the recommendations of the commission on these subjects, and consequently it would not do so. The debate was adjourned.