LONG DEBATE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22243, 18 October 1935, Page 13

LONG DEBATE

THE FINANCE BILL RESTORING THE CUTS MANY LABOUR SPEECHES GRUDGING APPRECIATION [BY TEL EG It APH SPECIAL R EPORTER ] WELLINGTON. Thursday There was another fairly dtdl day in the House of Representatives to-day, given over almost entirely to a seemingly interminable discussion on the first Financo Bill of the session. The provisions of tho bill—mainly restorations in civil service salaries and in pensions—were simple enough, and generally acceptable to all parties, but Opposition members could not ignore tho golden opportunity to sn.v " I told you so." As a result, electioneering speeches were much in evidence. The general trend of Labour comment was that if the Government had been well advised cuts in wages and pension rates' would never have occurred. As it was the restorations proposed in the bill were welcome as far as they went, but they did not go far enough. Opposition members emphasised the fact that they had pleaded for full restorations ever since the cuts had first been imposed, but they forbore to mention that in most of the intervening years there had been budgetary deficits. There wero occasional comments, such as that made by Mr. R. Semplo (Labour —Wellington East), who described tho bill as " an attempt to paint the political lily," but generally tho lino taken was one of grudging appreciation without reference to past circumstances. Before tho Minister of Finance, Mr. Coatos, opened tho debate on the second reading tho House spent some time in discussing a report from tho Public Petitions Committeo regarding cruelty to birds. Two or three members appeared most surprisingly as ornithologists of rare enthusiasm. _ In spite of the expressed desire of Mr. Coates that the Finance Bill should be passed to-day, the second reading debate proved,unexpectedly protracted, and was still proceeding at midnight. Prior to that Mr. Coates, by leave of tho House, had obtained urgency for the bill. He said it was important that tho bill should bo put through, as there were always objections when payments Vere made without authority.