FINALLY PASSED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18551, 10 November 1934, Page 5

FINALLY PASSED

THE AGRICULTURE BILL I V ____ _ ■ SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY POINTS FROM DISCUSSION (Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The House of Representatives devoted' the whole of yesterday’s sitting to, committee proceedings on tho Agricultural ’•(Emergency Powers) Bill, and hardly anything else was discussed but the Executive Commission, which now comprises the Minister of Agriculture and throb others appointed by tho Government.

Two pronunenl arguments were Labor’s contention that nothing was b'eifig ilq/io 16 give immediate assistance to fue. dairy farmer, and Mr. C. A. Wilkinson’s demand that, provision should' be . made to ensure that the members of tho Executive Commission dovoted their whole energy to the task, and that they had no outside financial interests.

The,Government had ifcs-way, excepting that, pressure from both sides caused tho reinsertion of a clause which had been dropped providing that “no meihbor of the commission shall be engaged jn any paid employment other than ns a member' of The commission. ” “FARMER GETS NOTHING”

This, however, did not go as far as Mr. Wilkinson desired, and he moved an amendment to ensure that no member of the commission took part in business on his own account, or had any interest in any business affected by the commission. On going to tho voto this was defeated by iff) votes to 27.

- Mr. A. J. Stallworthy ’h endeavor to have only ono Government nominee on tho commission failed by 54 votes to seven.

The only other division in the House was at tho end of the general discussion on the short ’title. Then the House affirmed the principles of the measure by 25 votes to 27. It was a jaded House that at 4.55 p.m. saw the end of tho committee proceedings, and 25 minutes sufficed for the third reading, when Mr. M.’ Savage reiterated his constant declaration that the farmer should be on tho same basis as most other people with a guaranteed income. “The farmer gets nothing out ol the bill, declared Mr. Savage. Lie might think lie is getting something because we have established a ‘Big Three*,with the shadow of tho Minister; as chairman.”

The bill was described by Mr. VV. J. Poison as an improvement. The mortgagors’ relief legislation was saving the dairy farmers from being dispossessed, but he again urged the importance of financial relief; otherwise the industry would die, and thousands of men would be unemployed. “RANK SOCIALISM!” Mr. A. D. McLeod referred to the cries outside the House that the bill was rank Socialism. He was a believer in the capitalistic system, bub if Socialism was loreed on the country it would come through those who refused to adapt the capitalistic system to modern conditions. . . The Rt. Hon. G. W, Forbes also countered the Socialism objection by referring to the international conditions which demanded that Governments must make agreements for international trade. There was no in tention to take over any industry or operate what might ho termed Socialistic measures. The Hon. C. E. Macmillan reminded the House that tho dairy industry itself had demanded reorganisation. “It has been down on bended knees to ask Hint something should bo done,” he said. Financial relief required was contained in other measures, and a particularly big one would be brought down next session.

Without division, tho bill was passed.

Speaking on the bill in the Upper House, where the measure was’ also passed, the Hon. 1?. Masters said the outstanding feature of the Dairy Commission's report had been its insist* enee on the highest quality of goods which New Zealand exported. The report also dealt comprehensively with the question of marketing, which was of the utmost importance. The need for the bill was generally recognised as a means of helping the dairy farmer out of his difficult position.