UNEXPECTED TURN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22544, 8 October 1936, Page 13

UNEXPECTED TURN

THE INDUSTRIES BILL RECONSTRUCTION SOUGHT MOVE BY OPPOSITION REFERRING MEASURE BACK [by telegraph—special reporter] \VELLINGTO.N', Wedncsday The second reading debate on the Industrinl Efficiency J3iJl took an unexpected turn in the House of Representatives to-night when the Leader of the Opposition, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, moved an amendment to refer the bill back to the Government for reconstruction. He expressed the view that the country was not sufficiently acquainted with the full implications of the bill and that more time should be permitted individual manufacturers, apart from the manufacturers' associations, to study the legislation. Mr. Forbes said he was convinced that the country did not fully understand the proposals embodied in the measure. From the political viewpoint alone the Minister would be wise to allow more time for consideration of the principles propounded in the bill. It might be true that the manufacturers' associations had been consulted, but Mr. Forbes felt sure from conversations he had had with various industrialists that individual manufacturers had not been in a position to study the legislation Socialistic Objective It was clear, he added, that the objective of the Government was the conversion of New Zealand as rapidly as possible into a Socialist State. The bill before the House was designed to carry that policy a step further. A Government Member: Cheer up. Mr. Forbes: Oh, 1 am not downhearted, because I know the people of New Zealand will not stand for it. Referring to the Bureau of Industries, Mr. Forbes condemned the Minister's proposal that it should comprise civil servants with a majority voice. No body of public servants could be expected to have the details of many industries at their finger-tips. They were conservative in their outlook and the bill conferred powers on them that were too sweeping. If the Minister wished to make the bill workable he should set out {o secure the co-operation and advice of men qualified to judge an industry or a prospective industry by their actual experience of its ramifications.

The proposed personnel of the bureau was the greatest weakness of the bill. So far from encouraging new industries and stimulating those already in existence, the bill would discourage the investment of overseas capital in industrial enterprise in New Zealand and would tend to create monopolies in commercial undertakings now in operation. The effect on the unemployment situation would be the reverse of what the Minister expected. A Collection o! Hurdles The array of conditions on which a new industry must satisfy the bureau represented the most extraordinary collection of hurdles that could have been erected against enterprise. On the other hand it was understandable that industries already operating desired that no outside concern should bo given a chance to enter the field of production. Mr. Forbes moved as an amendment: " That the bill be referred back to the Government for the purpose of reconstruction on the lines of dealing only with a particular industry after a majority of those controlling such industry or industries concerned had expressed their desire to come under the provisions of the bill." "In my long experience in this House." said Mr. Forbes, " I cannot recall an instance where a bill of such magnitude has been taken direct into the second reading stage without a preliminary examination by a cominittco of the House."

DAIRY MARKETING STATEMENTS AT MEETINGS QUESTION IN HOUSE [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Wednesday Statements reported to have been made by the chairman and secretary of the Dairy Board, Mr. A. J. Murdoch and Mr. P. C. Brash, in their addresses to dairy company meetings at Whakatane and Gisborne were referred to by Mr. A. G. Hultquist (Government — Bay of Plenty), in notice of a question to the Minister of Marketing, the Hon. W. Nash, in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr. Hultquist asked the Minister if his attention had been drawn to a statement by Mr. Murdoch that the farmers generally expected Is lid a pound as the guaranteed price, whereas it had worked out at 12 9-16 d a pound. He also inquired whether there was any truth in Mr. Brash's statement at Gisborne on October 5 when lie was reported as having said: "It will probably be 1938 before it would be known whether there would be a surplus or not —that is election year so you have a good fighting chance of getting it in cash." Mr. Hultquist pointed out that at the meetings addressed by Messrs. Murdoch and Brash in the Bay of Plenty and Gisborne districts, resolutions were carried critical of tlie Government's policy in respect of the dairy industry in spite of the fact that the dairy companies in those districts had previously expressed the opinion that they would await the full implementation of that policy before deciding whether it was satisfactory or otherwise.