Address in Reply

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 5 July 1939, Page 8

Address in Reply

DEBATE INITIATED MAIDEN SPEECHES IN THE HOUSE WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS COVERED I From Our Own Parliamentai'y Reporter] WELLINGTON, This Day. Initiating the debate on the question, "That a respectful address be presented to His Excellency the Governor-General in reply to His Excellency’s speech.” Mr R. M. Macfarlane (Government, Christchurch South), the mover of the motion, and Mr C. W. Boswell (Government. Bay of Islands), the seconder, covered a wide range of topics in the course of their speeches in the House of Representatives last night. Both members were making their maiden speeches in the House, and they received the usual applause for their efforts, which altogether occupied nearly two and a half hours.

Mr Macfarlane referred to the visit of the King and Queen to Canada and the United States The cabled accounts of the tour made by their Majesties had been followed with deep interest by all rhe people of New Zealand, and it had been made plain that the bonds uniting Canada and Great Britain were now more strongly tied than ever. From that point of view the royal tour had been of the greatest importance to the British Empire. The visit of the King ond Queen to tie United States had made history. Mr Macfarelanc added. President Roosevelt was a firm believer in the principles of democracy and in bringing two of the world’s greatest democracies. closer together Their Majesties had achieved much that was beneficial to the interests of the world in general. Mr Macfarlane also referred to the approaching departure of the GovernorGeneral (Lord Galway) and Lady Galway. It was with regret that he noted that the present Governor-General's term of office was concluding. While they had been in New Zealand Lord and Lady Galway had earned the re-; spect of all sections of the community and Mr Macfarlane believed they would carry away with them to England many happy memories of their stay in New Zealand. He also believed that New Zealand held the goodwill of Great Britain and that the Dominion had been fortunate in the choice of men who had been sent here as the representative of the King through the years that had gone bv

MAJORITY VOTE ‘ Since the last Parliament the Labour Government has been returned to power with a majority vote.” went on Mr Macfarlane. "Two parties contested the election and on a clear cut issue. Hie tactics ot the Opposition were to create a psychology of fear and to endeavour to damage the credit of New Zealand. But. despite that I am able to affirm that the Labour Government was returned and given a clear mandate by an electorate which fully understood the issues and the policy that was placcd before it.’

Mr Macfarlane then referred to the ' visit ot the Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash) to London. Much of the criticism that was being heard to-day was being directed against the New Zealand Government for political reasons. Tliis criticism was not heard when Turkey, Greece, and many other countries had approached Britain to borrow money. It could be pointed out that the loan which the Labour Government was now endeavouring to negotiate was to meet a debt created by its predecessors, yet a howl ot criticism was being directed at the Government. There were people who for political reasons did not want to see New Zealand receive the same favourable consideration as other countries The newspapers of England had been much fairer to the New Zealand Government than had been the newspapers of the Dominion. Mr Macfarlane said he stood (irmly by the principles of liberty of speech and free and fair criticism. but the type of criticism being indulged in this country to-day was aimed to damage New Zealand's position as well as that of the Government. The newspapers seized upon statements made by visitors from overseas and used them against the country's interests Many of these were of a derogatory nature and were sometimes made before the critic had even set his feet on New Zealand soil. The newspapers talked as though there was a great deal of discontent in the factor,es and in the workshops This was being done for a purpose but they would have the greatest difficulty in convincing the workers and many business men. whose trade had improved under the Labour Government, that there was any real discontent in New Zealand. The reverse was the case INDUSTRIAL strikes deferring to industrial strikes Mr Macfarlane said that when an industrial organisation took proceedings under the 1C an< * a. Act it did so “with its eyes open" and should abide by the decision reached There was no one in the Labour movement who would take away the right of anyone to strike if a strike were absolutely necessary but while the 1 C. and A. Act was in operation strikes were not necessary The Opposition claimed that New Zealand was seething with discontent, but did they remember what had happened in the main centres during the depression years? There had been more I peace and tranquillity in New Zealand j since the Labour Government took office than for many years previously Tht Opposition also talked about the Communistic menace but the Opposition when in power had done more to make Communists than anyone else The claim was also made that the world was prosperous to-day. but the majority of the people in Great Britain were far from arosperous and if their standard of living was raised to where it should be there would be no talk of quotas on New Zealand products. The same applied to the United States of America a'though the president of that country was doing his best to increase the purchasing powers of the people Australia was also held up as an example of prosperity but people who came out of Australia did not say that and it was doubtful if the people would either when they had a general election. The great task confronting the world fo-day was the building up of real prosperity to the stage where the great ~lass of people would have no fear for the future. HOUSING NEEDED

Mr Macfarlane spoke of the need for proper housing, and pointed to the importance of the Government’s efforts,

both from the point of view of meeting the needs of the people and its value to the building and allied trade. "People used to say that the Labour Party was an enemy of the home, that it would break it up 1 say that the Labour Party has fulfilled a Christian duty in this country, and is not an enemy of the home.” he declared.

Touching on the question of the cost of living, the speaker referred to Opposition criticism, and challenged the Opposition to give them some specific examples of how it had gone up. He pointed to the increase in the radio licences and the totalisator investments as an indication of the fact that the cost of living was not bearing too heavily on the people. The people were iust as solidly behind the Labour Party as they were in the past and were determined that never again would they have a party that adopted the policy that reduced them to the plight they experienced during the depression years.