TRADES HALL RULE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23882, 9 August 1939, Page 10

TRADES HALL RULE

PROBLEMS OF THE FARMER MR W. J. POLSON'S CRITICISM " MOST EXTRAVAGANT BUDGET " (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Aug. 8. The view that London had agreed to lend money to the Minister of Finance (Mr W. Nash) but had plainly told New Zealand that if more capital was wanted the Dominion must set its house in order forthwith, was expressed by Mr W. J. Poison (Opposition, Stratford) when speaking in the debate on the Financial Statement in the House of Representatives this evening, Mr Poison said the Budget was the most extravagant Budget that had ever come before the country. If it had preceded the mission of the Minister of Finance to London he would have got nothing there. " A Government member: That would have pleased you. Mr Poison: No, it would not, but there has been misrepresentation to our creditor which in the long run will cost us dear. Just on £24,000,000 is to be expended on public works this year. Dealing with the problems of the primary producer, Mr Poison said the farmer produced all the exchange. The country knew that but the Trades Hall had issued an order "to hell with the farmer." So the Government to-day was engaged in the operation of cutting off its nose to spite its face. The farmer had been sold into bondage at the bidding of the Trades Hall. When the farmer saw the industrialists striking and evading the law could he be blamed if he thought of striking too? Mr Poison asked. No Government could ruin or starve a section of the people without paying the penalty. Mr Poison contended that the manufacturers were beginning to wake up to the position as evidenced by a recent statement by the president of the Wellington Manufacturers' Association. The Government had aimed a blow at the manufacturers' costs of production just as it had done with the farmers. The farmers had common cause with the manufacturers.