MANY SPEAKERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22225, 27 September 1935, Page 13

MANY SPEAKERS

BECOKD FOK SESSION f " BREAKS IN MONOTONY MR. FORBES' FIR3T SPEECH BUDGET DEBATE ENDS TO-DAY [BV TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] " WELLINGTON, Thursday The monotony of the financial debate in tho House of Representatives to-day was relieved in several directions. There was the greatest number of speakers for any single day in either the Addrcss-in-Reply or tho financial debate and another point of interest was that the Prime Minister, Mr. Forbes, made his first speech of the session. Except for-a few minutes of formal business at tho opening of the sitting the whole day was given over to the financial debate, but after yesterday's respite on replies to questions and the Imprest Supply Bill members on both sides of tho House seemed to be in much better form. There was an amusing contribution from Mr. J. A. Lee (Labour —Grey Lynn), while Mr. A. Harris (Government —Waitemata) was responsible for a studied speech in which he praised the Government for its efforts during the depression, but chided the Minister of Finance, Mr. Coates, for his lack of boldness with regard to taxation reductions.

Mr. Forbes spoke to fairly full galleries after the tea adjournment and, in addition to replying to Labour criticism regarding the Government's policy,answered a statement made in Dunedin last Monday by the Hon. TV. Downie Stewart regarding the raising of the exchange rate. The Prime Minister defended the actions of both himself and the Government in this respect. Later Mr. Stewart replied in the shortest speech of the debate. It is generally expected that the debate will finish to-morrow. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. M. J. Savage, has still to s{>eak, and Mr. G'oates will have the right of reply. However, as there has been very little real criticism of definite points in the Budget, his task should be comparatively easy.

The House adjourned at 11.50 p.m. until 10.30 to-morrow morning. ASSEMBLY OF MOTOR-CARS THE AMENDED TARIFF STATEMENT BY MINISTER [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER"| WELLINGTON. Thursday A reply to Mr. E. J. Howard '(Labour—Christchurch South), who asked in the House of Representatives whether the Minister of Finance, Mr. Coates, would review the position created through the alteration of the tariff by Order-in-Council recently in connection with spring seating and upholstery in motor-cars, was made bv Mr. Coates. He said he presumed the question had reference to the amended determinations he had made on August 29 and published in the Gazette on that date under the provisions of section 16 of the Customs Acts Amendment Act, 1934, respecting the conditions under which unassembled or completely knocked-down motor vehicles may be admitted into the Dominion for the purposes of assembly and completion here. "Those determinations," said the Minister, "were made after intensive discussions with manufacturers in the United Kingdom, with a view to encouraging the assembly and completion in New Zealand of motor vehicles which have hitherto been imported complete. It will, I think, be realised that if this result is achieved an avenue will have been provided for the absorption of much New Zealand labour and possibly materials also. It is not proposed to vary the determinations in the meantime."

A BRIGHT INTERLUDE POLITICS AND MANNEQUINS LABOUR MEMBER'S COMMENTS [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Thursday " The .theme song of the Government i» 'Happy Days Are Here Again'," said Mr. J. A. Lee (Labour —Grey Lynn) during his speech in the financial debate in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr. Lee's frank declaration of envy at the experience of the Prime Minister, Mr. Forbes, in witnessing a mannequin parade in London was greeted with good humoured laughter from both sides of the House. " Some who enter this House," Mr. Leo continued, " look forward to the magic office of Prime Minister. I have never envied the Prime Minister until recently when I saw a delightful photograph of him solving the calf problem. Here is the picture of him solving the mannequin calf problem. It is better to spend £SOOO on sending him away to see * mannequin parade than to spend foOOO on sending him away to bring back a new ruinous policy." Mr. Lee referred to the position of the Hon. W. Downie Stewart (Government—Dunedin West), saying that the latter was now asking the Government to kill the fatted calf against his return. In their extremity it appeared that members of the Government would welcome him with open arms. Mr. A. S. Richards (Labour —RoskilU: Negotiations are noiv proceeding. Mr. Richards pointed to Mr. Stewart and the Minister of Finance, Mr. pontes, who at that mo nent, ignoring Mr. Lee's speech, were engaged in earnest conversation.

deceased estates 'administration anomaly amendment of the act [by TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON. Thursday An anomaly in relation to tho distribution of property which is not mentioned in the will of a deceased person Y be removed by the Administration Amendment Bill, which was introduced jn the House of Bepresentatives by J'ernor-General's Message, and read a nrst time. Tho bill provides that tor its passage real 1 estate not disposed of by the will of a deceased por6on is to 1) edistributed as if it wero wdf 0 es tate not disposed of by tho (.Hher clauses are designed to extend to British protectorates and mandated the present provisions of tho Administration Act providing for the resealing in New Zealand of probates ana letters of administration granted in tm the Empire. This will «* ai rec 'P P eal provisions to be made ,n "lose countries.