Their Maiden Speeches

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27433, 5 July 1950, Page 6

Their Maiden Speeches

to work to the maximum capacity, With the result that the cost of their output became higher. This shortage was due to the low birth rate of the depression age, to the raising of the school-leaving age to 15 years, an excellent thing in itself, to the number of workers leaving industry on reaching the retiring age because there was no inducement to them to continue working, and to the unchecked growth of secondary industries. There were today between 22,000 and 30,000 vacancies m industry, and immigration must be stimulated on the lines of Australia’s inspiring example. Under-population Problem Mr Tennent said that if we were to survive as a nation we must have more immigrants. As was emphasised by the events of the last few days, political changes in South-east Asia—the Near North rather than the Far East—presented a greater danger to New Zealand than hitherto. Our population was 18 to the square mile, and Java’s was 1800. How long would that situation be allowed to continue? Immigration was esssential not only for security reasons but economically. It would help to build the labour force and restore purchasing power to our inflated currency. There could be no real argument against immigration today. We must fill this country or lose it. Discussing the problems of youth, Mr Tennent said he had great faith in the modem young people. Referring to criticisms of New Zealand’s education system, Mr Tennent said this country, like many others, could no longer be content merely to meet the demands for literacy. Perhaps the pendulum had swung too far away from the fundamentals, but there was a need for continued experimenting with modem methods which would further develop our education system. As much effort was required of modern school children as of those in any previous generation. Mr Tennent said that present-day teaching methods were in advance on those of former years in the encouragement of character development. Teachers were doing a good job in competition with the radio, comics, movies and cheap magazines. Mr Tennent stressed the need for a religious background to education and voiced the hope that the Minister of Education, before his term of office was up, would consider providing an opportunity for religious education specialists to make a contribution to the work of our schools, just as specialists in art and handwork and other subjects now shared in the education of children. Symbol Of Co-operation Mr T. L. Hayman said the many messages of good wishes he had re-

ernment would turn its attention to the question of incentive payments. “To maintain the standards we have, we will have to increase our productive effort and ways and means will have to be devised to produce to a greater degree and to do that cheerfully,” he said. ' He understood that unions did not agree with the incentive payment system, but the Government wanted sound unionism to continue, and there was no suggestion that any introduction of the incentive payment system would be designed to undermine unionism. One of the reasons why incentive payments should be introduced was because it would be one way to stem Communism effectively. "You cannot push Communism down the throats of happy and contented people,” said Mr Hayman. “If we give effect to the Incentive system we shall see democracy survive.” Mr Hayman said he believed the National Government was best able to preserve a fearless balance between the various sectional interests. He thought the danger of inflation lay not only in decreased purchasing power, but also in the fact that too many people came to believe—the idea was still prevalent in New Zealand—that if money could be manufactured by the printing press they should receive their share without too much effort. One of the fundamental criticisms which could always be levelled against the former Socialist regime was that it printed too much money in times when the country’s economy was at the height of prosperity. The new Government had taken office in difficult circumstances after an historic election in which Socialism had been tried and found wanting at the end of 14 years’ administration. The responsibilities of members of the present Government, as they sought to restore the country’s affairs to stability, were as great as had fallen on any previous Government. Mr Hayman spoke for three-quar-ters of an hour, and Mr Tennent took almost an hour. Both were warmly congratulated by many members as the House adjourned at 9.15 p.m. until 7.30 tomorrow.