MAIDEN SPEECH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22211, 11 September 1935, Page 15

MAIDEN SPEECH

r NEW LABOUR MEMBER r EDUCATION POLICY CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT r [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Tuesday A criticism of the Government's policy with regard to education formed the basis of tho maiden speech by Mr. T. H. McCombs' (Labour—Lyttelton) during the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives this afternoon. Mr. McCombs, who was a member of tins staff of the Seddon Memorial Technical College, Auckland, before his election to Parliament by the constituency which his father and mother represented before him, appeared as an advocate for more vocational training. Early in his speech he showed signs of nervousness, but it was not long before lie overcame that handicap. New Zealaiulers, said Mr. McCombs, had long been proud of their free education system, but it had been reduced to a shadow and no longer met tho country's needs. Children below the age of six could no longer get free instruction and some of those who wished to attend tho university found that the cost was more than they could afford. Mr. McCombs referred to school buildings which were "falling to pieces" and! equipment which could not meet the requirements of teachers and pupils. The Government's niggardly policy apparently put the onus on teachers to find the money for necessary equipment out of their own pockets*. The last Minister of Education had made two great mistakes—he had excluded the five-year-olds from tho schools in the faco of informed educational theory and he, had introduced the system of rationing teachers. J [embers of the House probably did not know that additional assistants in the schools had been forced to bear the greatest burden, continued Mr. McCovabs. Salaries which should have been paid to those teachers wero supplemented by the Unemployment Board and spread among all unemployed teachers through the rationing system. Mr. McCombs considered that more opportunities should be offered students <it the universities and that the bursary system should be restored in full. Many bright pupils from the secondary schools found it impossible to go on to the university and many of those who did matriculate could not face tho cost of taking degrees. It was not to be wondered that Rhodes Scholars and postgraduate scholars did not return to New Zealand to give the country the advantages of their knowledge. Emoluments for trained men were discouraging and as a result the Dominion lost its best brains.

HEAVY TAXATION lIURDEN ON COMMUNITY APPEAL FOR REDUCTION [by TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON. Tuesday " I venture to say that the people of New Zealand are without exception the most highly taxed community in tho wide woirld," said Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (Independent—Egmont) during the Ad-dress-iu-Reply debate in tho House of Representative!! to-day. " If we'look at the total taxes paid by the people of this small country," he said, " we find that in the twelve months up to March 31, 1935, the funeral Government collected £24,737,939, which is equal to £ls 18s 7d per head. On top of that, we have the local body taxation, which and is equal to about £3 15s per head. Those two amounts make a total of £l9 13s 7d." , , A .. n Mr. Wilkinson appealed to the government for an immediate scaling down of taxation. "We could reduce the duties 011 goodu coming into the country which have no bearing upon local industries," he added. " Many lines that come in are not manufactured in ISew Zealand, yet they are heavily taxed. Landing charges make the price of goods so high that people cannot buy them. This is largely brought about by the increased exchange rate and the heavy sales tax." ,

QUALITY OF BLANKET SUPPLY TO UNEMPLOYED ALLEGATIONS BY MR. SEMPLE [BY TKLEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Tuesday 1 blanket, said to be a sample of those issued to the unemployed, was produced by Mr. 11. Semple (LabourWellington Eaut) in the House of Representatives to-night during his speech in the Addressi-in-Reply debate. "Just take hold of that end, sir, said Mr. Semple to Mr. H. 1. Armstrong (Labour —Chriatchurch East) as he unfolded tihe blanket. It wou d make a good whitebait net. You could shoot peas through it. If you put a carpet cleaner over it, there would be nothing left. This is the sort of thing for which the. unemployed are forced to beg. If you went to Trentham you would not see a horse with a rag like that wrapped round it. It is a scandal. "Members can laugh, but it ought to brinir the crimson blush of shame to 2 faces," added Mr. Sample. _ The Speaker: The hon. gentleman is getting rather strong in his language. Later the Minister of Employment. Hon. S. G. Smith, asked Mr Semple if he would hand over the blanket in order that ho might have the matter investigated. Mr. Semple agreed to this.

THE HOUSING PROBLEM COMMISSION ADVOCATED [by telegraph— special, reporter] WELLINGTON, Tuesday The appointment of a commission to d„L with thß ho,,»mg ande|»ndcnt--EBmont) dress-in-Keply debate in the House or Tlnnresentatives to-day. Mr Wilkinson said there were no rpiular means whereby borrowers could obtain loans for the erection of houses. niLp onestion was all important, both to townspeople and countrydwelkrs^ 3as in m a k difficult n portion. Jhe, MortgSusMTmS to erection of now home?, but somouung more was required.