OVER THE TRACES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19622, 4 May 1938, Page 5

OVER THE TRACES

PENSIONS SCHEME WARNING .BY MR. SAVAGE NO FINANCIAL HARNESS PRODUCTION AND COSTS • ANSWER TO FARMERS (Per Press Association.) .' WELLINGTON, this day.. "The Government is going to put its.health and pensions proposals into effect during the coming session. They tell us we. are going too fast and too far. I did not come down in the last shower. It seems to me that we have not gone very fast. Ido not think 30s a week is too much for men and women who have helped to build this country," said the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon. M. J. Savage, during crossexamination, .following the presenta-. tioh-of'the New Zealand Farmers Union case to the special Parliamentary committee yesterday afternoon.

"I did not say Is in the £ on income was the last word at all," the Prime Minister continued. "I was accused by the Farmers' Union in their statement of saying that the income would rise. I did not say that, but I did ask the actuary if it was not-reasonable to suppose that pro- - duction would increase at the same, * if not at a greater rate, as the cost of this'scheme.

"Going To Kick"

"It is up to us to see that the income rises. The. farmers should not need to be told that. Income should be a reflection of production, but it never has been. We have come into power to make it that.

"Do not try to harness us to orthodox methods, because we are going to kick over the traces. That is all.

"I am satisfied the farmers will throw their hats into the air when this is the law of the land." The Prime Minister went on to say that the Government had to decide what they could pay with New Zealand's production. "We have got to think whether it is possible for us to continue to increase that production he said. "We say we can, and that we are not going to be harnessed to the chariot wheels of other countries financially."

The president of the Farmers' Union, Mr W. W. Mulholland, said that all the farmers were concerned about, was fo see that the proposals were kept within the bounds of economic possibilities.

EXEMPTION CLAIMED,,, CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTIONS ' (Per Pr«ss Association.) WELLINGTON, this day ■ "To force Christian Scientists, in face of their conscientious objections, to pay for privileges which they cannot enjoy, against their religious beliefs and the doctrines of their • church, is contrary to well-establish-ed and long-standing British Parliamentary political practice. This paragraph was contained in a lengthy statement made on behalf of the Christian Science committee on publication for the South Island yesterday, before the Parliamentary committee which is inquiring into the . Superannuation and health scheme. The statement reviewed the attitude of Christian Scientists towards healing and cure, and asked that if exemption were not granted, all registered Christian Science practitioners Sid be legally available for student subject to the same conditions as Sher medical practitioners under the scheme. ADDea ls for exemption from the superannuation provisions; were made on behalf of the staff of the ™cinc Board, with which is associated sable and Wireless Limited confribitors to the Wellington, Auckland, Otaeo Wanganui, Timaru and TokoSS harbour boards' «P^» m |g£ funds, and the New Zealand Ship pin^n2 erS ;he Ind Son Steam' Shfp cSryNhe he New"zealand Shipping Company.