Budget Debate Continued

Northern Advocate, 27 July 1938, Page 8

Budget Debate Continued

1 Per Press Association. Copyright .] j WELLINGTON. This Day. Cn the House resuming in the even- ; ing, Mr W. J. Poison (Oppsn.. Stratford) 1 characterised the Budget as an attempt i to catch the unthinking. It was subtle to the point of furtiveness, and fabulous to the point of fantasy. He criticised the Government's expenditure on Public Works, wherein money was being expended with the utmost lav- j irhness, and without regard to the I need for works which were being undertaken. Continuing. Mr Poison ccntendcc that New Zealand's public debt, instead of being decreased, had actually increased by some £3,000,000. In addition to this, they had been advised that the debt was to bo increased shortly by a sum of £14,263,000. This rum was not going to be raised overseas. according to the Minister of Finance. Where is Money to be Obtained? Where, then, asked Mr Poison, was it to corpe from? It was to be borrowed internally, but from whom? Was it to be borrowed? Was it to be a compulsory loan or capital levy, or was it to be raised as a continuation of the Government’s present policy of inflation? That was the point on which Government members had been singularly quret lately; Mr Poison criticised the Government for its failure to remove the sales tax and exchange, and also to reduce taxation. Reduction of taxation, he said, was one sure way of reducing the cost of living. | Socialism by Stealth, 1 The Budget carried on a policy of i socialism by stealth, and the Government had failed to keep every major promise made by the Prime Minister prior to the election. Every effort, said Mr Poison, had been made by the Government to ridicule the compensated price for the dairy farmer, but now, with an election just round the corner, the Minister of Finance seemed to agree that some compensation for the j dairy farmer was advisable. The Government had contended,- said Mr Poison, that the dairy farmers had expressed their willingness to allow the Government to fix the price of dairy produce. This was quite incorrect, he added, and dairy farmers demanded that their voices should be heard in the fixation of such a price. Speaking on the question of defence, Mr Poison stated that, in 1935, when the party now in Opposition _ had brought down a Sanctions Bill, the then Labour Opposition had insisted on ,an amendment to the Bill providing that the Bill wo.uld not entail any New Zealanders leaving the Dominion on active service. Mr Poison added that he was not prepared to place his trust in a party which ignored its obligation to. assist the Empire in times of danger. Purchases of Land. The Minister of Lands, the Hon. F. Langstone, contended that better conditions were being enjoyed by many sections of the community under the present administration, and quoted > figures to support a statement that the I Government was not opposed to people } having titles to their land. The Minj ister proceeded to deal with the purI chases of lands by past Governments, j stating that prices paid in many cases were oxhorbitant. One of the reasons why the Minister of Finance could not i reduce taxation to-day was the groat burden of debt which remained as a result of these stupid land purchases. Mr Langstone also outlined the writ-ing-down in value of a number of estates which had been effected by mortj gage adjustment commissions, and i went on to deal with the small farms development scheme, under which, he said, the Government was taking up rough marginal lands which no one else could develop economically. The Government was literally saving thousands of pounds in the develj opment or this scheme, he said. 1 Public Works Policy Defended.

Mr C. L. Hunter (Govt., Manawatu) said they had a Budget which showed that New Zealand had reduced its overseas debt, also that there was a surplus, and this despite criticism that the Government was spending its money all over the place, without heed to return from it. Mr Hunter defended the Government’s Public Works policy and said Labour was not only endeavouring to improve the main arterial roads system of the Dominion, but also providing goorl roads for backblock settlers. The debate was interrupted by the adjournment at 10.30. when the House rose. Increasing- Men’s Club Membership Endeavours are to be made by the Young Men’s Business Club to increase its membership. At last night’s fortnightly meeting—the sixth held by the club—committees were set up with the object of bringing more interest to the club's activities. The membership stands at 57. but it is hoped before long to have this number doubled