ECONOMIC SPREE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22860, 15 October 1937, Page 13

ECONOMIC SPREE

— LABOUR'S POLICY CHARGE BY MR. ENDEAN GAMBLING ON EXPORT PRICES [BY TELECRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON. Thursday "A gambling Government indulging in an economic spree," was the description applied to the Labour administration by Mr. W. P. Endean (Opposition —Parnell) during the financial debate in the Hou& of Representatives today- I "The Budget we are discussing is a gambling Budget," said Mr. Endean, "and the biggest gambler in the present Cabinet is the Minister of finance. He has gambled with dairy produets all the!: time and now he is gambling on (the fact that overseas prices for our production will remain indefinitely at their i>resent level.' Side by side with the crushing burden of taxation, New Zealand was labouring under the weight of mounting costs. "We have been told that everything can be excused as long as we have a high standard of living," Mr. Endean continued, "At the same time concern is expressed at our low birth rate and the smallness of our population. There is ample evidence that countries with a low standard of living have large and increasing populations.

"I may be unpopular for saying so, but a high standard of living can often meaii' too many, luxuries- and too many opportunities for pleasure. In an atmosphere such as that people will not rear large families, and it means the beginning of a decline." The Government's experiments in housing were far from proving successful, Mr. Endean continued. The number of houses being built annually was 2000 short of the estimated needs of the country, and at the same time costs of construction had risen to such an extent that the rents to bo charged were definitely uneconomic. As Mr. Endean\was nearing the expiry of his time Mr. A. G. Osborne (Government —Manukau) rose to move an extension, but' Mr. D. McDougall (Independent- —Mataura) immediately voiced an objection. "We want to do some work," he said. Mr. Endean concluded by discussing the Government's defence scheme.