A NEW OUTLOOK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22867, 23 October 1937, Page 13

A NEW OUTLOOK

FARMING COMMUNITY MR. COULTER'S ASSERTIONS GLOOM REPLACED BY OPTIMISM | BY TKl.i:<;itAl'H —Sl'Kt lAL RKPOKTKIt] ' WELLINGTON, Friday I !'<' conviction that iindor the Labour Govorimiont tlk? gloom and doubts of the fanning community had given place to a spirit of hope and optimism was expressed by .Mr. H. Coulter (Government —W aikato) during the Budget debate in tlie House of Representatives to-day. Mr. Coulter said the country looked forward to guaranteed security and stability, a iact which the farmers greatly appreciated. One of their main difficulties had been the shortage of iarin labour, but thanks to the Labour Government the problem had been tackled in a way never previously attempted.

Ihe Coalition Government, for reasons best known to itself, had left the problem alone. Mr. Coulter continued. Labour had taken steps to ensure that all those engaged in rural occupations received a fair and just reward. He hoped it would be possible lor . the Government to go even further, but at all events the farm labourer had been given the right to a proper standard of living, which he had been denied in the past.

"A great deal lias been made of the fact that there is a dearth of farm labour," said Mr. Coulter, "but the cause lias been conveniently overlooked. In past years everything was done to drive agricultural workers from the country districts into the towns. AVe are trying to rectify the position. Men in the country received a very raw deal under the old regime. For some reason or other the previous Government denied them the same measure of assistance as the relief workers in the cities, with the result that many of them ended up in doss houses. "There is confidence and cheerfulness throughout the country," Mr. Coulter added, "and one has to come into this chamber to find the few Jeremiahs who are left in the Dominion."

TRADE WITH GERMANY PRODUCE FROM DOMINION QUESTION OF RESELLING [HV TELEGRAM —SPECIAL HEPOKTEII] WELLINGTON, Friday Information as to.whether any action was being taken to prevent Germany reselling New Zealand produce, taken in exchange for German manufactured goods tinder the recent trade agreement between the two countries was sought by Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (Opposition—Waitomo) in notice of a question addressed to the Minister of Customs, the Hon. W. Nash, in the House of Representatives to-day. "It is quite possible," said Mr. Broadfoot, "that Germany, by barter, may secure, say, 1000 tons of butter f.o.b. Auckland, for direct delivery to Hamburg, divert the boat to Glasgow or Liverpool, and sell the butter or other produce on the English market or elsewhere." AUSTRALIAN BANKS OPERATIONS IN DOMINION CRITICISM BY MR. CHRISTIE [liV TKLKGHAPH —SPECIAL IlEPOltTEll] WELLINGTON, Friday Australian trading banks operating in New Zealand were criticised by Mr. H. M. Christie (Government —Waipawa) during the financial debate in the House of Representatives to-day. These banks, he said had operated solely in their own interests and he did not wish to see New Zealand dominated by them as it had been in the past. "During the depression," said Mr. Christie, "the Australian banks operating in New Zealand used the profits they made here to exppnd credits in Australia. I hope to see the day when the. banks in New Zealand are giving real service to our own country. In the past these banks have used New Zealand to suit themselves. We should not have this country dominated by Iwo pie whose Stead otliccs are outside the Dominion, and only when the Government has the courage to tackle this problem will we be in a reasonable posit ion."

BETTER BUSINESS CIRCULATION OF MONEY CLAIMS FOR GOVERNMENT L«V Tl'.Llit. HA I'll SI'KCIAI. UEPOKTKUj WELLINGTON, Friday The c-ia iiu that business people generally were in a much better position as a result, of tho Government's policy was made by Mr. H. M. Christie (Government -Waipawa)- during the financial debate in the House of Representatives to-day. .Many people seemed to assume that money collected in taxation went out of existence, said Mr. Christie. That was not so, although he was quite prepared to admit that the payment of taxation was often irritating. The money collected went into circulation again and, in fact, circulated faster than before—so much so that it improved the position of everv business vuan in New Zealand. Business men had no bad debts to-day, and were able to collect payment in cash for the goods they supplied. People dealing with the farming community admitted that their sales had increased enormously, added Mr. Christie, and that they were having no difficulty in obtaining payment.