ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16773, 4 July 1925, Page 12

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE.

CRITICISM AND SUGGESTIONS. (Per Press Association,) WELLINGTON, last night. When the House resumed at 7.39, .Mr. ,1. C. Rolleslon resumed the Aadrcss-in-Reply debate. Ho dealt with the report of the committee which investigated the deteriorated lands of (lie North island. The term really was of reversion to its original condition. The report was a valuable one, bill lie was afraid the publicity given the report and (hi' recommendations had led to a large proportion of tlm land mentioned gaining undeserved condemnation. Much of it could be profitably used if farmed in a proper maimer, but the rest was really useless, and should lie abandoned, or turned over to forcedry purposes. The correct application of manures would prove effective in rehabilitating a considerable portion of tile first-mentioned lands. He advocated experiments in sending meat Home chilled instead of frozen, so its to compete with Argentine meat. Financial assistance, should be given to settlers on such areas as investigation: proves worth working. A re-valuation of land was imperative. The inquiry had only related to Crown lands, but- any scheme of assistance should also apply to lands held under the freehold and native lands, many occupifers of which were working under great handicaps. Roading was urgently needed and local bodies should receive a subsidy of £2 to £1 to enable them to provide facilities for access to lands settled. Mem Went on the. land on the understanding that proper loading would be provided, and in many cases this promise had not been fulfilled. Mr. Rolleston complained that counties were not getting sufficient assistance under the main highways 'scheme to keep the roads in order under the abnormal traffic burden imposed by motor fraction, which was now so destructive to road surfaces. Tn (lie Waitomo County, for instance, portion of the To KuitiNow Plymouth road carried heavy motor traffic, whereof a much larger proportion did not contribute to the local revenue. The Highways Board’s contribution of ono-tliird the cost, of maintenance was not nearly adequate. The difference in cost between that involved in meeting settlers’ requirements and in providing the road surfaces desired by motorists should be borne by the Highways Board. Touching on herd testing, he commended the group system adopted in.the Wai* kato, but Hie Government should protect innocent farmers by requiring that “dud” cows giving poor tests be branded to indicate their uselessness as dairy stock. He also commended that agricultural instruction should be given to school children.

f Mr. W. Parry referring to the Franklin by-election, said Labor had nothing to regret in having contested that election. He referred to the Prime Minister’s participation in the campaign, and animadverted on granting holidays to school children. He declared that the time had arrived when the House should set its face against utilising schools for political log-rolling. Years ago the Reformers had contended that there was no rcfjuirerrient for an Opposition to disclose its policy. Labor, therefore, had a precedent for withholding its policy now. He proceeded to denounce the Reform Government for not reforming or abolishing the Upper House in conformity with their intention, as expressed in the years before they gained office. They had certainly passed a Bill fo deal with the Upper House, but it had never been put into, operation. Labor's opponents quoted happenings in other parts of the world in their efforts to damage tho Labor party in this country. Labor contended it had nothing to do with those) happenings,' but the party was bound and stood by tbo plaiiks of, its announced platform and nothing more or less than this. Mr. Barry condemned the Government’s borrowing policy, which he described as reckless. He denounced tho spending of 2A millions of public money on hinds for soldiers’ settlements that, was worthless for this purpose, He charged the Government with neglecting the farmers’ interests and with exhnUsing the patience of the London money-lenders. They had been told to go elsewhere if they wanted money. This was because higher intefest could be obtained in foreign countries. “That is Imperial preference for you,” he declared. When Victoria wanted eight millions in London, only £BOO,OOO had been forthcoming, while at the silifie. time fhUrfci was a rush of applications for a. forty millions loan dosired by a country not long ago ;!t war with Britain. 350 millions being tendered therefore. Referring to arbitration, Mr Barry protested against the manner in which wages were being fixed to-day by the Court. It was insulting to the useful worker to have.his Wages assessed to such a. nicety as required an adjustment to the farthing per hour. Tho arbitration system under the Reform Government had deteriorated. The Government had done nothing but follow tho policy of drift, and the Arbitration Court had developed into a national charitable aid board instead of what the Ballanco and Seddon Government intended it to: be. The wages question was going to cause a great deal of trouble if the Govarnment did not do something to improve the workers’ conditions. If this were not done, then the workers would have to take action themselves on behalf of their wives dud families, and hu would stand behind them in their demand for proper living conditions.

Mr. R. A. Wright proceeded to answer the charges made by speakers from the Opposition benches. It was unfair/fo blame the Reform party for opposing the pensions, since, when that legislation was passed, the Reform party did hot exist, and no member now in the House was in it. Then tlie English moneylender had been criticised for lending where lie Could get the highest interest. Did not the worker do th ( > same? He sold iiis labor in the highest market. As to the charge of waste in the purchase of lands for soldiers, the Government of to-day was forced by all parties to get lands for the purpose, and it had to pay eurt'cnt market values. Mistakes had been made. All realised that, but when the purchases were made the National Government was m office, and it and all the members of the House shotild share in Hie blame, if blame was to be placed on any shouklfers. Mr. Wright considered (lie crilicistri of tlie Arbitration Court unfair so far as the allegation of Government Interference Tbas concerned. Defending tho Liberal party against Hie accusation that they were Selling their souls for tlie sake of fusion, Mr. Wright declared that the first to suggest fu.sioii

was.tlie Labor parly! They bad repeatedly said there Has mil any difference between (lie two parties, and that tlie fight going mi was a sham light and that they Here all Tories together. Lio had no hesitation in saying tile Liberals were not, prepared to sell their .Soltis in the negotiations now going on. 'they lin'd conducted themselves ns gentlemen. He concluded by expressing the hope that the people of New Zealand would give a warm and kindly welcome to the officers and men of the American licet. Mr. K. S. Williams said lie did not know whether he should congratulate Mr. Coates personally upon his elevation to the Premiership, hut he could congratulate the country and the Reform party on getting a man who was able and prepared to carry the burden which his great olfce entailed. lie then proceeded to distuss briefly a number of topics relating to country life, including the care of the children’s teeth, the dehorning of cattle, the fat la,mb industry, bind tbe destruction of deer, which, he said, was doing irreparable damage to native bush. On the motion of Mr. Dickson (Parnell) the debate was adjourned till Tuesday. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Address-iji-Reply debate was continued bv Sir Thomas Mackenzie, who dealt at length with the produce market in England. Great difficulty, he said, was experienced in ascertaining what produce was in stock and what was coming forward, for upon that information effective control depended. He stressed how essential it was for men responsible for the control of meat to know the right moment, to release produce upon the market. He attributed (lie slump in wool to unemployment in England and unrest on the Continent. He urged that the Dominions should confine their export trade as far as possible to tho Mother Country. Surely a. sound and proper policy Was to widen our system of preference. Tin- lion. W. 11. Triggs spoke upon the recent Commission of Inquiry on which he had been engaged, and stressed the need for the establishment of Juvenile Courts. He advocated the private ward system, saying it, was a great success in Canada and the United States. The Council adjourned at, 4.30 until Tuesday afternoon.