PARLIAMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21579, 26 February 1932, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

YESTERDAY’S PROCEEDINGS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (Peb United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, February 25. Tlia Legislative Council met at 2.30 B.m. After a tribute had been paid to the memory of Mr W. Earnshaw, the Council rose at 2.40 p.m. until Tuesday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. GAMING AMENDMENT BILL. Mr H. T. Armstrong (Christchurch East) gave notice of his intention to introduce a Gaming Amendment Bill. UNEMPLOYED WORKERS. Mr C. L, Carr (Timaru) asked whether provision would be made for the representation of unemployed workers’ organisations on local unemployment commitThe Minister in Charge of Unemplyment (Mr J. G. Coates) replied that_ it was not proposed to make any alteration at the present time. QUESTION OF RATES. Mr J. A. Nash (Palmerston), in association with Messrs W. J. Broadfoot (Waitomo), W. J. Poison (Stratford), and A, E. Ansell (Chalmers), asked whether legislation would be introduced to make it possible for all ratepayers, to have the 12-J per cent, voted last session towards rates credited to them by county councils. Mr Nash said that those unable to pay their rates in the specified time not only lost the advantage of this redaction but were also liable for the 10 per cent, penalty, Mr Coates said the matter had been under consideration. He was unable to suggest a method of meeting the position. It might be possible for the local authorities under their own legislation to afford relief to some extent. COMMISSIONS’ REPORTS. Replying to Mr W. Nash (Hutt), the Prime Minister (Mr G. W. Forbes) said the reports of the Economy Commission and th§ Economists’ Committee, when received, would be made available to members at the earliest possible moment. UNEMPLOYED EX-SOLDIERS. Mr J. Hargest asked the Minister in Charge of Unemployment if he was aware that unemployed returned soldiers throughout the country who were in receipt of pensions amounting to as low as 10s per week were deprived of one day’s work per week. Would the Minister make provision that the pension paid to an exsoldier as compensation for injury to his health should have no bearing upon his earnings? Mr Hargest added that, even admitting that an* ex-soldier’s pension should be balanced, against his earnings, a pensioner in receipt of 10s a week was worse off than bis fellow-workers with no war service. Mr Coates said the matter was under immediate consideration. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Mr Taite Te Tomo (two days) and Mr M. J. Savage (four days) were granted leave of absence on account of illness, BILLS INTRODUCED. The State Lotteries Bill (Mr G. C. Black), and the Silver and Copper Coinage Bill (Mr C. A. Wilkinson) were, introduced and read a first time. The Prime Minister intimated that it was not intended to go on with private members’ Bills during the present session. DECEASED LEGISLATORS. The House passed the customary motion recording appreciation of the services to the Dominion and expressing sympathy with the relatives of the following deceased legislators;—Messrs E. P. Lee, a former Minister of the Crown and member for Oamaru, 1911-22 and 1925-28; Sir J. P. Luke, member Wellington Suburbs, 1906-11, and Wellington North, 1918-28; W. Earnshaw, member for the Peninsula, and later Dunedin City, 1890-96, and Legislative Councillor from 1913 till the time of his death; E. Walter, member for Stratford, 1925-28; J. H. Witheford, member for Auckland City, 1900-05; Charles Wilson, member for Wellington Suburbs, 1887-99, and former chief librarian of the General Assembly. After tributes had been paid by a number of members the House adjourned at 4.7 p.m, till 7.30 p.m. as a mark of respect. ;■ ARBITRATION BILL. Mr Forbes intimated, that the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill would be introduced to-morrow. EVENING SESSION ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. When the House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr A. J. Murdoch (Marsden) moved the formal Address-in-Reply motion. He characterised New Zealand’s financial situation as a reflex of the situation in the Motherland. The Dominion’s income was so largely dependent on the sale in the Old Country of the products of our soil that when Great Britain was undergoing a period of depression it followed that New Zealand’s finances must also suffer. Britain, having so long stood alone among her competitors as a Freetrade country, had become a general dumping ground, and it had been found there had been a general drifting from prosperity. It had consequently become necessary for Britain ,to impose tariffs, and he believed that this .step would ameliorate the conditions in the Old Country. This would be followed by improved conditions in New Zealand. Mr Murdoch expressed confidence that the Ottawa Economic Conference would result in increased Empire trade. It would be necessary for our delegates to go to the conference prepared to meet their colleagues in a spirit of reciprocity. Mr -Murdoch also expressed the hope that the conference on the subject of war debts and reparations would produce concrete results. An opportunity would be afforded if there was a genera] agreement on a reduction, for the world’s nations to make a fresh start in an atmosphere of great hope. In the meantime New Zealand would have to do her part, and he urged concentration on greater production from the soil and the maintenance of high quality produce. Referring to unemployment, Mr Murdoch said it was hoped that as a result of the new programme to be launched by the Minister in charge that more men would be placed on the land. It was also proposed to add more monev to the funds available for the Mines Department for subsidising prospecting for gold. Amendments to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act would be introduced. It was not intended to abolish the court as had been alleged, but the Act which was passed in 1894 would have to be examined to ascertain how far it affected the present unemployment problem and whether by making its provisions more elastic it would be possible to relieve the position. The motion was seconded, by Mr J. Bitchener (Waitaki), who said it was to be regretted that Parliament had had to meet, because if the economic condition of the country had been improving the session would not have been necessary. One of the country’s greatest problems was the low price of primary products. Farmers were endeavouring to go on producing. but a great area of land that was being farmed was not paying, and he did not think there were more than 23,000.000 acres showing a profit. That meant that 23.000. acres were bearing what 43.000. acres had previously borne. He did not think that if the 20,000,000 acres which were not showing a profit were offered rent free to anyone with a knowledge of farming he -would take it up, because the costs of farming had so greatly increased in recent years that it was the duty of Parliament and the country to devise some means of making those 20.000. acres pav their way. Labour and costs were still nearly 50 per cent, above the 1914 level, while the export prices were 23 per cent, below. Farmers could not survive unless the prices were adjusted. The towns and the cities did rot realise the position farmers -were in. He considered a free exchange system f-hnnld be adopted. No body of farmers lad said the exchange should be “ pegged st 25 per cent., but they felt they should be treated fairly. Continuing, Mr Bitchener said he trusted New Zealand would be ably represented at the Economic Conference. He felt sure the Dominion’s case would be capably pre-

sented, and there was no reason why it should not be realised that what would be beneficial for one part of the Empire would be good for the Empire as a whole. Mr Bitchener declared that the amendments which it was proposed to make to the Arbitration and Apprentices. Acts would be welcomed by thousands of people in tlie Dominion. He believed New Zealand would soon be on the way to recovery from the depression. The debate was adjourned on the motion of the Leader of the Opposition (Mr H. E. Holland), and the House rose at 8.35 p.m. till 10.30 to-morrow morning.