Dull Speeches By 6 Speakers Last Night

Northern Advocate, 9 July 1947, Page 4

Dull Speeches By 6 Speakers Last Night

PARLIAMENT

( P A ) WELLINGTON, This Day. THERE were six speakers in the House of Representatives last night, four making their maiden speeches. Less- than half the members have spoken in the Address-in-Rcoly and there was little spirit in the discussion yesterday. Mr G. F. Sim (O-Waikato. supportod Mr W. A. Hudson s request foi P lhe L jb era l s Relieved in the rights every possible assistance lor war am- ownership ior a p persons, and nutees. mere Was no country where this ideal

Mr Sim praised the work done for these men by the Blind Institute and by the War Amputees' Association. 'He suggested that the Government should import for the use of double amputees, especially those who had lost a leg. a specially-designed motor car which was available in England. Mr Sim said the handicap of not being' able to move about freely placed a great strain on double amputees, thereby shortening their lives considerably. Cars of the special type to which he referred would give these men greater mobility. Mr Sim said 50 per cent of the strikes in this country had been in the coal mines and were therefore tantamount to being of national impoitance.

could be better achieved than in New Zealand. Mr Marshall said none would deny that the party which had governed this country since 1935 had humanitarian ideals, but it had no monopoly of these ideals, and as the methods and aims of Socialism became clearer more and more people were realising the gulf between the supporters of Liberalism and those of Socialism. He was on the side of Liberalism, and the National Party offered scope for the expression and championing of those liberal ideals to which he subscribed.

TOO BUREAUCRATIC

The Press had done its job in reporting them. . Mr E. B. K. Gordon (O—Rangitikei) said the member for Wanganui should either prove or withdraw his allegation that the National Party had given liquor to Maori voters on the Wanganui River during the- election. NOT SELLING LAND He said there were six reasons why farmers wanting to sell their land would not do so at present: (1) They must sell at 1942 values and be paid in inflated currency. (2) There were no remunerative investments for the money if a sale was made.

Mr G. H. Ormond Wilson (G — Falmerston North) said the time had come when New Zealand must do some StocktakingNew Zealand was in a backwater so far as the rest ol' the world \Vas concerned, but there were revolutionary changes taking place which would affect the Dominion.

(3) If investments were made the investors were subject to a penal tax rate on their interest.

Feople were understanding that Socialism had come to stay, and all had fundamentally accepted the philosophy of Socialism. Democracy, however, had to be carried further than politically. There had been too much bureaucracy in New Zealand and he believed there was too much today. (Opposition members: Hear! Hear!) Unless successful democratic Socialism was brought about, the whole world would be swept by Communism.

(4) In many cases stock was still at a low valuation, and the state would get the benefit. (5) The selling farmer was denied the right to buy another place unless he took rough country. (6) If a farmer wanted to sell and come to town he could not get a house. These difficulties should be adjusted if the Government wanted to obtain more farms for ex-servicemen. The Minister of Rehabilitation (Mr Skinner): Anyone who sells to an exserviceman can buy another place.

The war had created a revolution which was not yet appreciated in New Zealand. Only a Socialist radical democratic Government would be capable of dealing with the problems that were going to face us for years to come.

EXPLOIT CAPITATION Mr W. S. Goosman (O —Piako) said that capitalism, which had brought the country in 100 years from nothing to where it was today, was now being exploited by the Labour Government, which was taking the Dominion into a gigantic experiment, doomed to failure.

Mr J. A. Hanan (o—lnvercargill) said the stifling of free enterprise by the Government had contributed in no small degree to the shortages being experienced. The answer to the problem of shortages was free enterprise, which was also the alternative to Socialism and its consequences.

Mr J. K. McAlpine (O—Selwyn) asked for toleration in the House. He said persons in the House consciously or unconsciously were trying to drive a wedge between sections of the community.

This Government had never done anything else but give in to the watersiders and had paid subsidies to the shipping companies to placate threats of strikes.

He had heard a most embittered speech by the Minister of Labour, who apparently had no tolerance cr consideration for employers.

The people of the country did not know this. but he knew of cases where shipping companies were prepared to resist the demands of the watersiders, but were not allowed the opportunity to do so. Mr M. Moohan (G—Petone) said the Leader of the Opposition had delved as deeply as he could into the political garbage tin trying to find something for which he could blame the Labour Government.

UNHAPPY HISTORY Mr McAlpine said the watersiders’ history had not been a happy one.

Their work had hitherto been too casual, and naturally over the years they had developed ways of prolonging such employment as was available to them. t He did not blame them for that, as it had been forced on them. A guaranteed wage was not the right solution; it merely encouraged people to get something for nothing, and he did not believe the watersiders really wanted it.

Mr Moohan said the present shortages were due entirely to the war and to blame the Government for them was just sheer nonsense.

Since the Government had been in power there "had been no poverty, no unemployment and no huge doctor’s bills.

The Prime Minister had told the plan, unvarnished truth when he said that if the National Party came into power social security and other benefits would vanish. (Opposition laughter.) THE “OLD GANG” Mr Moohan said the old gang still had complete control of the National Party. The Labour Government, with its housing programme and social security legislation and other achievements, had never been equalled in this country. Mr J. R. Marshall (O—Mt Victoria) discussed the principles of liberalism to which he said he subscribed. Pie declared the country’s need today was for cooperation, not class warfare. Discussing planning, ho said individuals were but as puppets doing what the planner thought was best for them. The Liberals believed in property

The only way to obtain certainty that work would proceed was to make the waterfront industry a national one, with the watersiders state employees like those of the Works and Railways Departments. Watersiders could be civil servants, used as required on the wharves and otherwise on handy works. This would raise the status cf the watersiders, and they v/ould have the same rights and privileges as other civil servants.

He believed the watersiders would appreciate such a change and do a good job. Mr F. Langstone (G—Roskill) was speaking when the House adjourned.