DEBATE IN THE HOUSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20303, 10 July 1929, Page 13

DEBATE IN THE HOUSE.

SETTLEMENT OF. LAND,;

GREATER ACTIVITY URGED.

DEVELOPMENT OK MARKETS.

[rsv telegraph.—press association.]

WELLINGTON. Tuesday. Tho Address in-Reply debate was con tinned! in (ho Houso to-dav.

Mr. A. W. Hall (Ifauraki), referring (o compelition between motors and railways, said tlio railways should bo supported as far as possible, because of their work in aiding development. They carried many heavy agricultural loads that could not bo transported economically by motors. I>,y stopping tho Taupo railway work tho Government had dealt a serious blow (p land settlement. Tho cost of the transport of fertilisers bv railway would liavo been considerably cheaper than by motor. Ho recommended spending less money on relief work in cities and more money 011 such works dovoted to opening up land in country districts.

Mr. !•'. Lyo (Waikato) said ho considered want of confidcnco in (ho late Administration had been largely responsible for tho present stagnation in industry, and this stato of feeling had been initiated with tho failuro of tho Dairy Produce Board, which, instead of benefiting the trade, had antagonised its best friends in the Old Country. Other causes of tho stagnation in industry were tho failure to reduce the bank rale and the cxcessivo stamp duty and exchange charges on cheques. Overhead charges of business wcro too heavy.

Financing Settlers.

Mr. Lye urged (licit (lie Slain Advances Department should undertake lo assist in financing settlers endeavouring to develop pumico laud, and as a further step in land development lie suggested tlio Government should provide legislation to assist men wishing to develop unused Crown and native lauds. Ho had little confidence in tho Lands Departmcnt as far as tho departmental heads wcro concerned. Tho wholo system of land settlement should not bo held up because of mistakes in the past. He recommended that the Government should appoint two trado commissioners for Canada and two for the United States. Tho tendency in tho past had been to leavo the development of our markets to private enterprise, but that was not suflicicnt. There was plenty of money in America and the Government should tako steps to stimulate the demand for New Zealand goods and to increase tho tourist traffic.

Tho Leader of the Labour Party, Mr. H. E. Holland, criticised borrowing from London when tliero wcro millions of idle money in the Dominion, and in this respect he said there was a case of cause and effect in idlo money and idle men. He asserted there were many men in this country who received annual incomes ranging from £SOOO to £IO,OOO, and sometimes £50,000, who were not paying a penny in income, tax. Certainly tliev were paying laud tax, but they still had theso largo incomes and should be called on to pay income tax, which would only constitute a fair share. ' '1 he average small farmer would be glad to be in a position to be called on lo pay both taxes.

United Party Members: Hear, hear Education Changes.

Mr. Holland next, referred to education, which ho said should bo designed to fit the child for the occupation which he or she intended to adopt. If the Minister of Education framed his legislation on those lines ho could rely on the support of tho Labour Party.

Mr. T. W. McDonald (Wairanipa) said the policy of tho Reform Government had been to tax the small farmer and relieve tho large landholders. It was the former who had turned them out. The present Government intended to solve the problem nf land settlement, and as big landholders would not dispose of their holdings at reasonable prices it behoved the Government to introduce legislation to compel them to do so.

Mr. 0. E. Macniiilan (Tauranga) said it was quite wrong to say the Reform Party had had no land policy. Ho detailed steps it had taken in that direction, and ho suggested that in some respects that policy should be pursued by the new Government, especially in relation to the drain ago of laud settled. Ho advocated more intensive, development of land adjoining existing railways in preference to opening up land requiring tho construction of new railways. He did not think the South Island Main Trunk railway would pay. The debato was adjourned until tomorrow.

TRADINO BY I'OST

ABOLITION OF SYSTEM

[RV TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.] W ELLIN GTO N. Tu cad ay.

In connection with the abolition of (he. cash-ondelivery system for parcels sent by post from Great Britain to New Zealand, the Postmaster-General, the Hon. J. R. Donald, announced to-day that it had been arranged with tho Rrifi.sh Post. Office for such parcels not to be accepted after i (ctober 31.