DOMINION PROBLEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20028, 18 August 1928, Page 13

DOMINION PROBLEMS.

DISCUSSION IN HOUSE.

RAILWAY MANAGER'S SALARY. PROTEST AT HOSPITAL LEVY. [ni* TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Friday. The debate on the Budget was continued in tlio House to-day.

Mr. W. L. Martin (Raglan) reproached (be Government with having no land policy and no vision to devise one. lie quoted what was being done in Western Australia, where vast areas were to be opened for settlement, and where settlers were to bo financed by an agricultural bank. Ho claimed the rural credit and intermediate credit schemes were inoperative, largely because of tho amount of "red tape" to bo encountered. Unless that was cut away they were not going to get anywhere. Ho saw no reason why tho Government could not have so managed tho Advances Department as to mako it meet all tho requirements of the country. Mr. Martin criticised tho appointment of tho new general manager of tho railways, who, ha said, was to rcceivo a salary of £3500 a year, an engagement for seven years,, and a retiring allowance of £2OOO a year if ho elected then to retire. That had been dotio without consultation with members of tho House. Unemployment Problem. Mr. E. Walter (Stratford) said tho Budget revealed that the country was in a very good way, notwithstanding the criticism of the Opposition. Tho Opposition had failed in many cases to give credit where credit was due. For instance, it had given tho Government no credit at all for tho thousands upon thousands of pounds saved to tho country by procuring Nauru phosphates for farmers. Ho feared there would be unemployment for many years. A great amount of labour was necessary to do tho work of tho country during the summer, but there was no work to keep thoso men engaged in winter, and tho Government would have to keep them going. It would pay the country to do so, because tho losses tho country would make if those men were not here to do summer work would be far greater than the cost of keeping them employed during the winter. He regretted tho Minister had not done more for the Advances Office, which should have £2,000.000 a year for five years, which could be used in the development of the country. \ State Advances Fund. Mr. R. W. Smith (Wairnarino) complained of tho hospital rate, which was becoming oppressive to country ratepayers. There had been far too liberal expenditure on hospitals, and he thought it was time the head of tho department took steps to stop this extravagance. In one county riding ho knew of, 3s 5d of the rates collected went in the hospital rate, and in another instance 2s 5d of the rates went to the same source.

Mr. J. A. Nash (Palmerston North) said the feature of (be lluJget that gave him concern was (he manner in which (lie State Advances Department was being starved. If the fund was increased by £5,000.000 or even £10,000,000, it would not amount (o very much compared with the assets offering. There was no danger of (his department becoming the- only lending institution in the Dominion, because there was ample room for all. If the Minister did not core to raise any further loans for the department- be might consider taking money on deposit. Many lending firms did (his, some at call and some for fised periods. Not so much money was required now for houses, as in many towns there was over-building, and (he Government would have to proceed there with the greatest care. In the country, however, there was great need of money, and tho sum with which the Minister was fortifying the Advances Office was not helping very much.

Mr. V. If. Potter (Ho ski 11) wanted to know what portion of tho national debt the Opposition objected to when they went about denouncing the incrcaso of the public debt. They should analyse il and clearly say what they would not vote for. The criticism of the Budget had been shown to be futile, and there had been no suggestions to show how the Government could giyo better social service.