LIVELY CROSSFIRE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19699, 3 August 1938, Page 5

LIVELY CROSSFIRE

CLASHES IN THE HOUSE

CHARGE OF COMMUNISM

EXTR AY AC ANCE ALLEG ED

ANSWER BY

MINISTER

(Parliamentary Reporter.) . WELLINGTON, this day. Party thrusts and counter-thrusts figure vividly in the House of Representatives this session, both in the debates and in questions formed for Ministerial answer.

The' fire of the Opposition was drawn by Mr. J. Robertson (Lab., Masterton) during the Budget debate. He declared that the Labour Party was the only party in the Dominion which had refused admission to Communists.

"The president of the Federation of. Labour is a Communist," retorted Mr, W. J. Poison (Nat., Stratford). "Will you say that outside?" interjected the Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, who is acting-Leader of the House during the Prime Minister's absence.

When Mr. Poison replied affirmatively, Mr. Fraser declared: "I challenge you to say it outside?" "Mr, Poison: I will prove it. Mr. Robertson: The member for Stratford is not fit to open his mouth on the subject. He knows so little.

Mr. Robertson discussed the meeting at the Pukeora sanatorium which was the basis of the Hon. R. Semple's attack on a woman speaker for the National Party, suggesting that Mr. W.' A. Bodkin (Nat., Central Otago) had waxed eloquent concerning her remarks.

"Do you call them remarks?" asked the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes (Nat., Hurunui).

"Polite to the Lady"

"No, I would call them something stronger, but I will be polite to the lady," answered Mr. Robertson, who declared it was not the only incident of its kind occurring in the Dominion. Women speakers gathered together young girls from shops, offices and other places and they invariably brought in remarks* about socialism and then communism until the imputation was conveyed to their minds that communism was synonymous with the principles of the Labour Party. Finally all supporters of the National Party were asked to put UP their hands. What, asked the Labour

speaker, could be expected of young » girls brought together like that, after they had received a free lunch? Mr. J. A. Lee (Lab., Grey Lynn): Eating swill. Mr. Robertson concluded by stating that he knew of one case where a few of the girls did not put up their hands, and the remark was immediately passed, "Goodness, there are a number of young Communists here."

Insulation Theory

One item of Government extravagance selected by Mr. W. P. Endean (Nat., Parnell) for criticism, was the way in which the employment funds had been used to bolster up the flax woolpack manufacturing industry. The Member for Parnell stated that when New Zealand flax industry was established, manufacturers in India decreased their price for jute packs by £1 6s a ton, and as a result put the New Zealand industry out of business. Here, he declared, was a case where the Labour Government found itself unable to insulate the Dominion from outside, because of the immensely high costs which prevented New Zealand from taking its place among secondary industry countries. '

This .criticism provoked a reply from the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, Minister of Industries and Commerce, who contended that, taking a period of years, jute packs were higher priced than New Zealand flax packs, but there had been a price war among the Indian jute manufacturers —almost a racial war—but this was no reason why the Government should allow New Zealand industry to be destroyed—an industry started by the previous Government. Mr. Endean: You cannot insulate New Zealand. Mr. Sullivan: Do you wish to see an industry sacrificed which employs 200 hands?

"Onward and Upward"

"No country in the world, except, perhaps, South Africa, with its huge volume of income coming from gold, could spend the millions and millions which the New Zealand Government is contemplating," declared Mr. Endean. He considered it was regrettable that most Government members in their contributions to the debate had talked of general politics and had ignored the financial state of the country. They were following the idea of the Prime Minister, who had told the people: "Spend your money, and we will keep you." The brakes were still off. and the cry was "onward and upward." Mr. Endean called attention to the number of competent people whose advice the Government was ignoring in carrying out its policy. The Socialist Party in power was driving the ship of State ahead at record speed •in favourable conditions, but was taking no heed of the fact that unfavourable economic conditions might be ahead.

Outlay Nearly Doubled

Current expenditure, including that in the Budget, public works expenditure and unemployment taxation made up £61,883,000, which was nearly double that of the prc-slump year 1930, when the same items in the Budget totalled £34,698,000 and, added Mr. Endean, the current Budget was quite silent about the extra amount) required after April next to meet the obligations of the health and superannuation scheme. "I think the-previous Government has something to answer for," suggested the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, Minister of Railways, when he justified the higher expenditure of the Labour Government. New railway stations were wanted in many places, including those represented by members of -the Opposition, who would, oi course, not object to that expenditure.

The former Government had even allowed railway rolling stock maintenance to fall back to the extent of £400.000 per annum. It had sacked men and repairs could not be under-

taken, with the result that the rolling stock got into a pretty bad condition, and the Labour Government, during the past few years, was forced -to increase the annual provision, for maintenance by £847,000. It was a grave mistake which their predecessors had made.