HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21640, 10 May 1932, Page 8

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

THE FINANCE BILL. When the House of Representatives met this morning Mr P. Fraser (Wellington Central) asked whether the Prime Minister (Mr G. W. Forbes) would consider arranging for inserting in the Finance Bill before it passed the Legislative Council a clause extending the term of the existing Rent Restriction Act, which expires in August. He pointed out that the measure contained a number of provisions which are not included in the recent rent legislation. If an extension were granted the matter could be fully discussed next session. v Mr Forbes undertook to look into the matter.

The House went into committee on the- Finance Bill.

An amendment moved by Mr F. W. Schramm- (Auckland East) seeking to make provision for right of appeal in connection with the clause dealing with dismissal for disloyalty in the public service was rejected by 39 votes to 20, and the clause was passed by 40 votes to 19.

Messrs Atmore, Stallworthy and Wright joined the Labour members in voting for Mr Schramm’s amendment, and Messrs Atmore and Wright voted against the clause, Mr Stallworthy being absent from the Chamber.

Discussing the amendment introduced on Saturday in connection with the Maim Highways Board funds, Mr F. Langstone (Waimarino) said the Government was simply playing up to the Highways Board in granting the concession that the minimum requirements of the board should have priority over the claims of the Consolidated Fund. He alleged that there had been wilful and irresponsible waste of public money by the Highways Board in the past. Mr A. D. M'Leod (Wairarapa) expressed satisfaction with the amendment, adding that probably no electorate had benefited more than Waimarino from the board’s expenditure in the past. He considered that Mr Langstone was “very thankless indeed on behalf of the electors he professed to represent.” Mr Langstone contended that the centre of the .North Island had not had the amount expended on it that had been required. Mr J. G. Coates: There has been more expenditure in the centre of the North Island than anywhere else. Mr W. J. Poison (Stratford) said ho believed the amendment would be satisfactory both to motor associations and to local bodies. Mr A. E. Ansell (Chalmers) also expressed appreciation of the Government’s action in introducing the amendment. He said that, if the attitude advocated by Mr Langstone were adopted, it would be damaging to the electorates, because the Consolidated Fund did not make provision for one penny for the main highways. Mr D. M'Dougall (Mataura) supported Mr Langstone, declaring that the backblock roads had not had a fair share of the expenditure. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr H. E. Holland) said the amendment meant nothing at all, because it still left the Minister of Finance in supreme control. Mr Holland said he was not in favour of any raids being made on the highways account, because it was important to the economic welfare of the Dominion that there should be an adequate roading system, which would facilitate the efficient marketing of tfie primary and secondary industries. He made a plea for greater attention to backblock roads. The clause, even as amended, gave the Minister too much power, and there was danger that the highways would be neglected for the purpose of relieving the wealthier section of the community from extra taxation. Mr Coates said there had been a difference of opinion between one department and another as to the extent of the shrinkage of revenue to be received this year from the petrol tax. One had fixed the falling off at 12J per cent., and the other estimate supported a contention that it would be less than that. Both the Main Highways Board and the Public Works Department had agreed that £650,000 would be sufficient for the bare maintenance this year of 10,000 miles of road, which worked out at £65 a mile. That would not provide first-class maintenance, but it would be sufficient to meet the requirements for the next 12 months. Mr Coates said that once the roads were allowed to go back it would cost, not £65 a mile for maintenance, but £6OO. “ I am satisfied that the arrangement that has been made between the departments, the Treasury, and the Ministers concerned for the £650,000 to be made available will be carried out in any ease, but the amendment which has been inserted as the result of members making representations makes the position absolutely clear, although, in my personal opinion, it would not matter if the amendment were not incorporated.” The Leader of the Opposition moved an amendment to ensure that the amount of petrol tax revenue retained in the Consolidated Fund should be used to improve the roading system of the backblocks districts of the Dominion. Something of a surprise was created when Mr A. Stuart (Rangitikei) moved that the closure be applied, this being the first occasion on which a private member has submitted such a motion in connection with a Government Bill. The motion was accepted by the chair and adopted by 42 votes to 19. The Government amendment was carried on the voices, and a division was then taken on Mr Holland’s amendment, which was defeated bv 40 votes to 21. The clause as amended was adopted on the voices. The postponed clause . relating to the maternity bonus was withdrawn. The Minister of Finance (Mr W. D. Stewart) explained that, in view of the arguments presented on Saturday by the members of the Opposition, he had then agreed to hold the matter over. He had not had the opportunity to go fully into the position, but had been sufficiently impressed by the points raised to satisfy himself that further investigation was required to ensure that nothing improper was done. He was not now in a position -to state what would be the full effects .of the clause, because of the complications created by its bearing on the National Provident Fund and friendly societies. He would conduct further inquiries between now and the next session. A now clause was moved by the Minister of Labour (Mr A. Hamilton) extending the duration of the law ns to nmt restriction until October 31, 1932. The Leader of the Opposition, on behalf of Mr Fraser, thanked the Minister for granting the request. The clause was passed, and the House adjourned at 1 pun. with the committee stage still incomplete.

afternoon session

The House of Representatives resumed at 2 p.m. The committee stage of the Finance Bill ended at 2.10 p.m.. when the measure was reported to the House, with amendm Mr S W. E. Parrv (Auckland Central) thereupon moved that the Bill be rccom- . rnitted on the ground “ of the ill-considered ! nature of the measure in its entirety. | He said the Government’s legislation would be ruinous to the country. The policy 1 adopted in respect of education had earned the condemnation of educationalists throughout the country. No Government had passed a more despotic or autocratic clause than that which provided for summary dismissal from the public service. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr H. E. Holland) seconded the motion, and placed on record the attitude that had been taken towards the various clauses while the House was in Referring to the clause extending the life of

the present Parliament, Mr Holland said that the last of the matter had not been heard. It would have to be carried further in order that the rights of the people might be preserved. Mr Forbes said the Leader of the Opposition had not made a single contribution to assist the Government. In reducing expenditure there were two courses open to the Government—to cut expenditure or reduce the number of public servants. The Government was doing everything it could to avoid dismissals, but some were unavoidable. Replying to the criticism of the power taken for the dismissal of public servants in the event of disloyalty, Mr Forbes said the clause would apply only to the gravest of acts. The gravity of an act would determine what punishment should be imposed. The clause simply put the Government in the position of a private employer in dealing with acts of a serious nature. The motion was rejected by 36 votes to 21. THE BOROUGH OF THAMES. The third reading speeches were then commenced, but were interrupted to enable the introduction by GovernorGeneral's Message of the Thames Borough Commissioner Bill, which makes provision for the appointment of a commissioner to have temporary administration of the borough of Thames in accordance with an agreement made between the Thames Borough Council and its debentureholders. The Bill was put through all stages and passed. The House adjourned at 5.45 p.m. EVENING SESSION The House of Representatives resumed at 7.30 p.m. NATIONAL EXPENDITURE ADJUSTMENT. The amendments made-by "the Legislative Council in the National Expenditure Adjustment Bill were agreed to. THE FINANCE BILL. The third reading speeches on the Finance Bill were then continued, and were still in progress at midnight. (Left sitting, 2 a.m.)