ADDRESS-IN-REPLY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 30 September 1933, Page 8

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY

DEBATE PROCEEDS

MORE OPINIONS ON HIGH

EXCHANGE

ECHOES Of BY-ELECTION

(From “The Mail’s” Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON, 29th September

The Address-in-Peply debate was ’continued in the Mouse of Keprosentcilives this morning. . .Mr H. T. Armstrong (Labour, Uinstcliurcli East) said that the carrying of the Opposition’s amendment- did not mean that the Leader of the Opposition would become Prime Miuistoi. yir Veiteh: “I think he would take it

“Tim leader of the Opposition is too manly to ‘fork’ himself into the Prime .Ministership under those conditions,” said Mr Armstrong. ‘He will he Prime Minister of this country before long, and the people of this country will endorse the Laboui Party's policy.” He said that the movers of the second amendment wanted an opportunity to run with the hares and hunt with the hounds. They wished to satisfy a few business men who had been hit by the exchange rate. Mr Vciteli: “Come and have lunch with us.” Mr Armstrong: “No, I am not very fond of porridge.” He said that Mr H. Holland (Government, Christchurch North) had been the only Coalition candidate in the Canterbury district to take part in the Lyttelton by-elec-tion. The others had not been game to face up to the electors, and the Government had to get speakers from Waitomo and Central Otago. Mr Bioadfoot (Government, Waitomo) had opened his campaign with a women’s meeting at which live women, a policeman. and a dog were present. At the conclusion of his address the meeting passed a vote of thanks to the speakei and a vote of' confidence in Mrs McCombs. Air Broadfoot left the electorate soon afterwards. Mr S. G. Smith (Government, New Plymouth): “Tell the House about your visit to New Plymouth.” Mr Armstrong: “it was the end of the holt, gentleman when I did. He had a three years’ holiday from Parliament.” (Loud laughter). Air Armstrong said that the pegging of the exchange was a eiusmy way of assisting one section of the primary producers of the country. Ifowc\ei, Mr Wright's amendment, which ignored monetary reform,, was not accomplishing anything that would benefit the people of the Dominion. Those who controlled the banking system controlled the lifeblood of the Dominion, and if the standard of life was to be raised for the people the hanking system should he taken over by the representatives of the people and run in the interests of the country as a whole. They were not suffering from over-production, hut under-consumption and if purchasing power was restored there would he no surplus of commodities.

BENEFIT FROM EXCHANGE

Mr A. Stuart (Government Rangitikei) said it was contrary to fact that only a few farmers were receiving benefit from the exchange; all sections of the farming community were benefiting from the high rate of exchange, farmers in the back country loaded up with special rates needed assistance. It was no use giving relief in one way Und penalising the farmer in another. It was said that the farmer paid very little in the way of wages, but it had to be remembered that it cost more to send meat Home now than it had ever done. He did not think that the increased exchange had had anything to do with quotas, ft was unwise to put on the land people who had no money or experience.

“LYING DOWN IN THE RTNG”

Mr J. A. Lee (Labour, Grey Lynn) charged the Government speakers with lying down in the ring. “They know they are wrong and beaten,” lie said. Mr Lee said that the Coalition Party was living in the past. Everyone knew that there had been an industrial revolution and that the country could •not get back to pre-war conditions. Nobody objected to a high exchange that was real, but everyone objected to an exchange that was artificial. The Hon. C. E. McMillan disputed the contention that high exchange had brought no more money into New Zealand. The Government had set out to assist the section of the community ■v.-hich most required assistance and had succeeded in doing so. Continuing the Minister said there was a great .deal of talk about starvation in the midst of plenty but figures showed; that the people’in New Zealand were j consuming just as much as they had done ten vears ago. Mr I). 'g. Sullivan (Labour, Avon) asked whether the Minister of Agriculture was so isolated in his office that he was unaware of what was happen-! iug in the 'country. The Minister had set out to show there was no starvation and want in the Dominion. Mr Sullivan quoted from reports of an interview with the Minister of Emploment by the Southland Housewives’ Union in which complaints had been made of serious privation. Mr Tl. G. Dickie (Government, Patea) expressed the opinion that the state in Britain had made a mistake in imposing retaliatory measures against Australia when the Commonwealth raised the exchange rate. New Zealand had been forced to do likewise to obviate unfair comeptition from Australia. He considered it would be unwise for New Zealand to take the exchange rate oil' in one action. If it were taken oil' it should be done gradually. Mr D. AY. Coleman (Labour, Gisborne) said it was a pitiful state of all'airs that people should be driven to charitable aid for assistance. It was a poor prospect for the country when boys were growing up to be relief workers, and girls to be the wives of relief workers. The debate was interrupted by the rising of the House at 5.110 p.m. till 2..‘!0 p.m. on Tuesday. Housewives Protected.—ln buying GREGG’S Quality Products, housewives are protected by an independent analysis which guarantees quality and purity. GREGG’S products save money because the value is better and they go further. Some popular linns are Club Coffee, Eagle Coffee Essence, “Red (]” Flavour* ing Essences, Fruit Extract for Summer Drinks, etc. lie sure to get GREGG’S.