SOCIALISTIC AIMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22400, 22 April 1936, Page 15

SOCIALISTIC AIMS

ATTITUDE OF LABOUR MR. THORN'S FIRST SPEECH CHANGING ECONOMIC SYSTEM [BY TELEGRAPH SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Tuesday Direct reference to the Socialistic aims of the Labour Party was made by Mr. J. Thorn (Government —Thames), who made his maiden speech in the House of Representatives during the second reading debate on the Employment Promotion Bill this afternoon. Mr. Thorn .was warmly applauded at the end of his speech. " The last Government converted a situation of some difficulty in 19:10 into a tragedy of impoverishment and despair in 1935," said Mr. Thorn. " The Labour Party has never declared that it would solve the unemployment problem immediately, but for years it has been claiming that unemployment is a result of the present economic system and that there can be no ultimate solution to the problem while that system continues. "We have been saying that the remedy depends on certain fundamental changes to the system and that until they have been worked out by Parliament and applied in industrial expansion there will never be an opportunity for all who are willing to give social service to enjoy the fruits of their labours." The Socialistic organisation of society aimed at a state where wealth would be produced primarily for the welfare of the people and not for the few. Mr. Thorn said one member of the Opposition had claimed that such a state was impracticable because of inherent weakness in human nature, because human nature could not be changed and was essentially selfish. But human nature responded differently to differing conditions. If men were placed in an acquisitive society where they were given 110 security and the law of competition and "the devil take the hindmost" was applied, it was not to be wondered if the selfishness in human nature was brought out, but place those men in a state of society where there was security and a just reward for those who wanted to do social service and they would work in the interests of their fellows and would be animated by public spiritedness.

Mr. Thorn quoted a long summary of the steps taken so far by the Government to help the unemployed and to rehabilitate industry. Two actions of the Government had improved the situation of the unemployed by £250.000, he said. Had the former Government been able to point to that 40 daily newspapers in the country would have sung its praisep and tried to tell the unemployed that they were standing at the gates of Paradise.

WATER FOR PAPER MILL WHAKATANE UNDERTAKING LEGISLATIVE RIGHT SOUGHT [BY TELEGRAPH SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Tuesday The right to take water from the Whakatane River is to be conferred on Whakatane Paper Mills, Limited, under a private bill introduced and read a first time in the House of Representatives to-day. The company, which owns certain lands on the bank of the river, proposes to erect a mill for the manufacture of woodpulp and products of woodpulp. The bill empowers it to take water at specified points and to construct drains and other nefcessary works.

Mr. C. H. Burnett (Government — Tauranga), who is in charge of the bill, explained thsit the company was spending a large sum of money on the mill and plant and desired legislative authority to take water from the river.

Mr. W. J. Poison (Opposition— Stratford) asked whether the water was to be taken across private property.

Mr. Burnett: Yes. The owners have given their consent. The Leader of the Opposition, Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes: In what way is the Crown affected? Mr. Burnett said the Crown was interested in the construction of pipes across roads. He could assure the House, however, that there was no objection to the granting of the proposed powers. Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (Opposition— Waitomo): Is there any question of generating power:' Mr. Burnett: There is a question of generating power, but it is not involved in this bill.

DISTRESS EXEMPTION AMENDMENT PROPOSED [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Tuesday , Ail absolute exemption of £SO worth of furniture and tools of trr.de against distress in all cases is provided for in the Distress and Replevin Amendment Bill, which the Attorney-General, Hon. H. G. R. Mason, intends to introduce in the House of Representatives. Formal notice of his intention to introduce the bill was given by Mr. Mason to-day. RIGHTS OF LITIGANTS JURIES FOR CIVIL CASES [BY TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Tuesday The richts of litigants to have civil cases heard bv juries are to bo restored by the Juries Amendment Bill, which the Attornev-Oeiicral. Hon. H. G. R. Mason, intends to introduce in the House of Representatives. Notice of introduction was given by Mr. Mason to-day. These rights were curtailed severely .some years ago. It is understood that the bill is similar to a measure introduced last session by Mr. F. W. Schramm (Government Auckland East), as a member of tlio Opposition.

A REGULATIONS BILL [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Tuesday Notice of his intention to introduce a Regulations 13ill was given by the Attorney-General, Hon. H. G. It Mason, in the House of Representatives to-day. The bill will provide for regulations* which have been made under Statutes being printed and sold in a l'onn more readily available than the present method of publication in the Gazette.