EXCHANGE RATE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19135, 2 October 1936, Page 12

EXCHANGE RATE

LABOUR ALLEGATIONS . REPLY BY MR. COATES SPIRITED DENIAL MADE &■ statement that he would welcome the setting Tip of a Royal Commission to investigate assertions by Government members to the effect that friends anil * supporters of the National Party had been placed in a position to benefit from the. ■raising of the exchange rate was made by the lit. Hon. J. G. Coates (Opposition; Kaipara) during the second reading debate on the land and income tax bills, in the House of Representatives. , The present Government was in' a hopeless position when it talked about reducing the exchange, Mr. Coates said. To destroy the premium which the farmers ~ enjoyed at present would be an obvious mistake. • Mr. J. Thorn (Government, Thames): The last- Government made a mistake when it raised the exchange. Mr. Coates: And the people made an even more obvious mistake when they returned the member for Thames. "The member for Marsden and other Government members have said that the last Government told its' friends in advance of the raising of the exchange rate/' Mr. Coates continued. "That, I submit, is a proper case for a commission of inquiry. The man who would give information, in the way that has been suggested would be nothing but a trftitor. to his country. The member for Marsden and others have got to give prbof of their statements I would ask the Prime Minister to take, particular notice of what has been said and T would welcome the most complete and searching inquiry.'into these allegation!'. :■::?! ican imagine no more serious charge being, levelled against anybody in public lifer ■■•-Some honourable gentlemen are apparently prepared to blacken the characters of members and it .is only right that the Government should have the most complete inquiry. It is not right tjllji,men who have served for many year* in Parliament should be subjected to criticism in language which is absolutely unwarranted. The word contemptible! I understand, is not allowed and in that case I shall not use it."