PARLIAMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 24 June 1926, Page 6

PARLIAMENT

ADDRESS-IN-REFLY debate OPENED Mil TAPLEY MR JONES SECONDS MOTION (From n«r Parliamentary Correspondent) •WELLINGTON, This Day. The Acldress-in-Replydebate was opened last night by Mr Tajdev, who expressed pleasure at accepting the leadership of Mr Coates, who, he said, had fairly won his spurs in the political arena. Referring to the Imperial Conference he said he was sure the majority of the House approved of Mr Cdid.es' attitude, to questions of Imperial concern. The Prime Minister could be trusted to worthily represent New Zealand at the conference, and as whatever was done there had to he ratified by Parliament, they need not fear giving the Prime Minister a blank cheque. He criticised the handicap the South Island suffered ns regards shipping facilities and agreed with Sir Joseph Ward that the Government might well subsidise the Union Company’s present service. The country’s credit stood high at Home and nothing must be done to impair it. ; Prudence had been exercised by the Government in public finances and milch had been done in overcoming the Tibusing shortage by advances made by the Government. He defended the Government’s action in raising the rates,of interest for State Advances., because it could not he expected that money could be lent out at a lower rate than that at which it had been borrowed. The Government was wise in sounding a , warning note regard public expenditure, jn view of the adverse trading position. He appealed to the people to give preference to New Zealand manufactures and thereafter to Britain and other Em. ■pire countries. He would like to see a •scheme produced for reducing the NaItional Debt, and in that connection was •a strong believer in sinking funds, but he-tcntended.*tliat New Zealand’s expenditure and public indebtedness compai'ed more than favourably with those Of the Commonwealth and State Governmeiits. On the subject of immigration andy Unemployment, he thought exaggerated statements had been made. It

w4s absurd to say the country could not absorb more immigrants. They were '.urgently needed. By accepting them we were helping the. Mother Country. ..The Government was doing its 'best to cope yfith unemployment. ; . v > --Regarding an Agricultural College, Mr Tapley. sajd he thought it would be a pity if the claims of Lincoln College ran; a risk of being overlooked. The impoi'tihce of closer settlement was urged by. Mr Tapley, who suggested that some .Grown Lands should be leased out with*#iit' rental for a period of five or ten .'years, as a means of bringing them into •rshccessful production, it*. The motion was seconded by Mr AToneS. Referring to the coming Imperial, Conference, he said there could pot ,be a better representative of ;the Dominion' thJn the Prime .Minister. .‘He wis glad to know too, that the Do- . minion was being represented at the -(League {of. Nations Assembly by so - worthy a man as Sir Francis Bell. Turning tto farmers’ finance, Mr >Jones>declared that the Short-dated loan was the curse of the eouhtry. There was nothing very stable about short-dated • loans and the Bank of New Zealand’s 'long term 'proposal would mean at any fafe, a little improvement. .Scientific research in agriculture was absolutely necessary for the welfare of the farming /industry. Dairy farmers should be as-, sisted as far as possible a‘ncf.h'6' asked the Minister of Agriculture and the Government whether anything could be dope to provide cheaper fertilisers, which was a very important thing to the farthers. He' hoped the Minister’s hopes of Being able to do something in that- direction would be Realised. The Public Works Department should push tin "With the reading of the back blocks, opening up available lands for profitable •use. , , He commended the Highways schemas He bespoke greater attention s'the; needs of backblpcks schools. . Greater, inducements should be held out for~ttiaehtirs to go to the. blackblocks. ... piscUshin’g preference, he appealed to ihe . Government to see. - if semiething tihuld,;be dbhg. to encourage the introductiph' of ’•British made motor cars. Financially there was nothing wrong with Ntiw Zealand. We had unemployment,- but he saw no reason why it should/not soon fade away. .. ;..®re.vadjournment of the debate was moved by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Holland) and the House rcise at a.T3p,m. (