Address-In-Repiy Debate To Be Ended Tonight

Northern Advocate, 20 July 1949, Page 2

Address-In-Repiy Debate To Be Ended Tonight

WELLINGTON, Wed. (P.A.). —Four members of the Cabinet were among the 12 speakers who took part in’the Acklress-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives yesterday.

The debate has been carried on for nine days and will formally end tonight.

Members who have not spoken are the Minister of Justice iMr Mason), who returned yesterday from a holiday in Fiji, Mr G. B. Ormond-Wilson (G —Palmerston North), who has been away ill, and Mr M. Ratana (G —Western Maori), who is still recovering from injuries suffered in a motor accident.

Discussing direct action which might be taken against Communism. Mr J. R. Marshall <o—Mt Victoria' said the dilemma was that by defending the right of free speech the Communists were permitted to advance their campaign. which, if successful. would mean the end of free speech. The problem was to draw the line between the right of individuals lo express their opinions, and between subversive utterances.

£7O a head and was the chiel cause ul the high costs.

Mr McLagau, Minister j!' Labour, said it should not be forgotten, in speaking of tax reductions, that the Government's action last year in giving a £lO rebate on income tax had removed 12.0.000 persons from the list of taxpayers. PETROL Mr K. W. Doidge i O—-Taurangai said the National Party would see that pensions were paid in "money that really means something." inflation was still increasing, and the claim made recently by Mr Nash that the cost of living had increased by only 24 per cent since the Government took office was preposterous in the light of the Minister’s own experience. Mr Doidge said he thought Britain would have to repudiate Article 9 oi the Anglo-American loan agreement relating to trade discrimination against tiie United States.

The Jaw already made some attempt to draw that distinction, but the law might have to be altered to cover more clearly the kind of. Communist activity which had recently disrupted Australia. FREE SPEECH The law might have to be extended to cover attempts to destroy the right of free speech, which most New Zealanders were ready to defend. If these alterations of the law were made, trial by judge and jury would still 'ensure justice to any person charged. Western civilisation's best answer to Communism must be a preparedness to outlive it, to out-think it. and. if necessary, to outdie it.

This would be one outcome of the dollar crisis with which Britain was faced. The Dominion had spent £2.000.000 last year on American petrol. New Zealand did not need American petrol, nor did BHtain need $200,000,000 worth of American petrol, which she had bought last year. The output of oil from Britain's own oilfield at Abadan far exceeded Britain's own petrol needs, and New Zealand ciicl not need to spend a dollar in purchasing America's petrol. Government voices: What rot. •HOWL’’ FROM U.S. Mr Doidge said the answer was that Britain could not use sterling petrol because American oil'companies would raise u howl of discrimination. Under Article 9 of the Anglo-Amer-ican agreement Britain could not take less petrol from the dollar areas and more from the sterling areas. Mr P. G. Connolly 'G—Dunedin Central): Would you repudiate the agreement? Mr Doidge: I think Britain will have to do so.

Mr Jones, Minister of Defence, said he would - not like to sec (he law amended to limit the rights of trade unions to use their funds for political purposes.

Trade unions were quite competent (o spend their own money, and the Opposition, before suggesting otherwise, might well look at some organisations which subscribed funds to the National Party. Mr Cullen, Minister of Agriculture, said capitalism was the founder of Communism, because it bred poverty, and the share, of capitalism in introducing Communism was far greater than any accusation which could be levelled against Socialism. Referring to criticisVn of the comparative prices of Australian and New Zealand wool, the Minister said the most recent Australian average for the majority of tine woo! was 52d. The average count in Australia was in -fine wool, and Australia had a proportion which was rriiich higher than that of New Zealand.

Mr W. A. Bodkin <o—Central Otago) said the real danger to New Zealand was not from the Communists "in the discredited group> under Galbraith, Stanley and co," but those in ambush in the ranks of the Labour Party—some of them in high places. The Communists had helped to keep Labour in office since 1935, and the Communists, who were out to destroy Christian democracy, were supporting Labour's bid to retain power this year. The Government could retain office only with Communist support. Mr Nordmeyer, Minister of Industries and Commerce, said the Communists would bitterly oppose the Labour Party.

In spite of that, last season specially fine average greasy Merino lieecc averaged 52d in New Zealand, which met the average Australian price. HIGH TAXATION Mr K. J. Holyoake <o—Pahiatua) said the greatest problem facing New Zealand was high living costs or the low value of money. The Opposition did not advocate do.flation, but thought the printing press should be shut down instead of being used to issue more currency. Excessive taxation could be cut without reducing social security benefits." There were, as the Minister of Health had admitted, some abuses of the social security system. A young doctor had received £3999 in 18 months while employed by another doctor in Dunedin, and that was an excessive amount for one young man to draw from the Social Security Fund. It was time the Government learned from the example of the Australian and Canadian Governments and made worthwhile tax reductions as the best means of reducing the cost of living, said Mr Holyoake.

Labour would sooner see the Communists help the National Party to power thanijetaiiT office with‘tho Corn-' munists’ support. BANK CONTROL

Mr VV. A. Sheat (O—Patea) said the chief obstacle to maximum production was the pin-pricking of so-called industrial leaders. It had been alleged that the Opposition would like to hand the Bank of New Zealand back to the shareholders, but the bank had never been entirely in the hands of shareholders, as four of the six directors had been appointed by the Government, which held only coie-third of the shares. All the same, he thought that the bank find functioned better under the old system.

Taxation in this country averaged