RENEWED VIGOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22435, 3 June 1936, Page 15

RENEWED VIGOUR

[HOUSE HARD AT WORK FAIR RENTS BILL APPEARS EDUCATION DISCUSSION r-.§ STATE LENDING POLICY [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] . WELLINGTON, Tuesday Fresh from their week-end recess and with the prospect of an adjournment of four or five weeks in the near future members of Parliament settled down to work with a will when the House of Representatives resumed to-day. The afternoon was given over to a consideration of the report by the Director of Education, Mr. N. T. Lambourne, 011 his recent tour overseas anil in the evening the committee stage of the State Advances Corporation Bill was commenced. The feature of the day's proceedings was the introduction during the afternoon of the Government's promised Fair Rents Bill. The measure is far more comprehensive than was expected and, although it is announced as a temporary expedient, it seems to have more than a suggestion of permanency about it. The bill provides for the fixing of. basic rents and gives both tenants and landlords the right to approach a magistrate for the determining of a fair rent for any dwelling. It is also stipulated that evictions cannot be made except with the authority of a magistrate. The bill, which is being handled by the Attorney-General, Hon. H. G. R. Mason, was read a first time. ' The discussion on the report of the Director of Education did not reach a particularly a high plane. Members were conteilt to niise general arguments and there were very few suggestions as to the detailed, workings of the Dominion's education system. Three former Ministers of Education; Mr. S. G. Smith (Opposition—New Plymouth), Mr. R. A t Wrighi; (Independent—"Wellington Suburbs), anil Mr. H. Atmore ■(lndependent—Nelson), took part in the debate, as wel 1 as the present Minister, Hon. P. Fiaser. Urgency was taken for the State Advances Corporation Bill when the committee stage was commenced after the dinner adjournment. The discussion on the short title was broadcast for two hours, but the majority of members seemed to be suffering from "microphone shynpiis" t,nd there was hardly the expected degree of true Parliamentary atmosphere. Subsequently the detailed consideration of the clauses wa.i started. Several amendments were put forward by the Opposition, but 23 clauses of the bill were passed before progress vas reported pnd the House rose.

THE EXCHANGE RATE NO EARLY REDUCTION AVOIDANCE OF DISLOCATION fBV TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] ' WELLINGTON, Tueiiday Although there have been persistent rumours in Wellington and elsewhere recently that the Government is contemplating: an early"" reduction "in, the exchange rate, such a step is not likely to be made in the immediate future, according to a statement made by the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, in an interview to-night. "The exchange is there," Mr. Savage said, "and although we do not agree with it/ and want to get rid of it as soon as possible, it is largely a question of ways and meims. By now a large section of' the pn'blic has become accustomed to the exchange, and has learned to arrange business on the present basis. Any sudden and arbitrary lowering of the rate would cause widespread dislocation, and naturally we have to take that into consideration. However, our ultimate aim is to abolish the high exchange rate and replace it with something which is of more real assistance to the producers."

w UNHOLY PAIR OF TWINS "

BANK AND CORPORATION

COMMENTS BY MR. SEXTON

[BT TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL REPORTER]

WELLINGTON, Tuesday

Reference to the Reserve Bank and the Mortgage .Corporation as. "an unholy pair rif twins" was made by Mr A. C. A. Sexton (Independent—Franklin) during the discussion on the State Advances Corporation Bill in the House of Representatives to-night. Mr. Sexton saiid the Reserve Bank had been established to control the credit and currency of the country, and that by so doing it could control the national life. The Mortgage Corporation was set up to control the investment business. Both institutions originally/ had been administered by inon of the same type, so that moneyed interests would prevail. Now the time had come when both would be answerable to the Government of the day, and ft great evil would bo removed in consequence. '' "There is one disappointing feature in the bill," Mr. Sexton said. "Clause 2o provides for nn extension of the borrowing powers of the corporation. Thousands of people throughout the country thought the Government was going to reform the monetary system and do away wi'ih the necessity for borrowing and paying interest. Now *e are going to continue borrowing and to ..increase further the national debt. Advances to settlers, the building of bouses, public works and the guaranteed ■ price scheme should nil be financed , through the creation of national credits by the Reserve Bank. If the Reserve Bank does not do that, the trading banks will do it for us and w e will have to pay interest. "People' talk about inflation," added Mr. Sexton. "The sky is not the limit in the system which I advocate. Ih p limit is the caparitv of the people of this country to produce."

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL |ff FACILITATING BUSINESS 'V /, [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION | WELLINGTON, Tuesday In the Legislative Council this afternoon, on the motion of the leader of the Council, Hon. M. Fagan, Standing Orders, were suspended to allow Government business in future to take precedence and Governments bills to °e_put through at one sitting. The Shops and Offices Amendment Bill was read a second time pro forma Wild referred to the Labour Bills Com-

nnttee. The Wellington City Reclanm- ' "«n and Em lowering Bill was passed. Two weeks' leave of absence was K r »nted to Sir 11. Heaton Rhodes (Canifrtjury) and soven days' leave to Sir William Hall-Jones (Wellington), both OH the ground of illness,