PARLIAMENT

Southland Times, Issue 21649, 10 March 1932, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY SOME BRIGHT CROSSJ’IRE MOTION ADOPTED (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, March 9. A certain amount of interest was added to the Address-in-Reply debate which was continued in the. House of Representatives this afternoon by bright cross fire during tho course of speeches by Mr E. J. Howard and Mr T. Makitanara. Tho former speaker likened the Government to a freezing chamber and the latter declared that the depression was punishment meted out by God to a sinful world. Derating to at least two-thirds by means of increased petrol tax was advocated by Mr D. S. Reid (Govt., Raglan), who said users should be made to pay for the roads. He suggested as a means of effecting economies tnat the local body elections be postponed for a year and that the number ot members of the House of Representatives should be reduced by half. He believed 40 members could carry out the country’s business just as well and perhaps a good deal better than 80 members. Ho recommended that no fresh appointments should bo> made to the Legislative Council until its personnel had dwindled to about 12. After Mr Howard and Mr H. M. Campbell had spoken, Mr H. G. R. Mason (L., Auckland Suburbs) said that if £14,500,000 was issued in notes it would bring the cur rency up to about £19,500,000 and would bring interest rates down. It would ease tho burden on the country. Ho understood the deficit next year would be about £11,000,000 and if that were so, the Minister of Finance had failed. A deficit oi eleven millions would be better than one of three millions because it was apparent that without it the country would not learn a lesson and adjust itself to the altered conditions. Mr T. Makitanara came next, but did not occupy his full half-hour. There was no more iniquitous form of taxation than inflation of currency. Mr H. G. Dickie (Govt.., Patea) declared because it taxed the workipg man to the same extent as the wealthy man. In Germany during the inflation period the whole of the people’s savings had been wiped out and the only individuals with anything left had been those wire had property. Mr Dickie declared that the exchange rate should be allowed to find its natural level and should not be pegged at a high rate because this amounted to inflation. Mr R. McKeen (L., Wellington South) urged those members who were emphasizing farmers’ difficulties to remember that people in cities also had difficulties. Farmers were at least able to provide food for their families, but there was. evidence of malnutrition in the cities. Minister of Health. After the tea adjournment, the Hon. J. A. Young continued the debate and replied to Mr H. Atmore’s remarks of the previous evening. To increase the paper currency above the amount necessary for ordinary business was a very' dangerous procedure, he said. Later, referring to the exchange rate the Minister said farmers were at least entitled to free exchange. Any action tending to keep the rate below its natural figure was definitely unfair to the farming industry. Mr J. McCombs (L., Lyttelton) accused the Government of making frantic efforts to keep the Address-in-Reply debate going because it did not have its legislation ready. He alleged the debate would have ended at 5.40 to-night had the Government not rushed in the Minister of Health to fill up the breach. Mr McCombs went on to review the events leading up to the Coalition and added that from the day the Coalition was formed, the Liberal Party had ceased to exist.

Mr A. M. Samuel (Govt., Thames) expressed the opinion that there was definite necessity for a complete overhaul of the systems of credit, currency and exchange, together with the problems associated with war debts and reparations. The question of the method of exchange was one requiring settlement in the form of an international agreement. The whole fabric of civilization was in danger and the. necessary alteration could not be brought about by penalizing one section of the community. Any reduction in wages should be accompanied by a reduction in the cost of living. All fixed charges should come down, Mr Samuel suggested, with the sanction of the Government. A commission should be appointed, representative of all .sections of the community, including every social and religious organization, for the purpose of alleviating the suffering and misery that would be encountered in New Zealand during the winter. He believed that thousands were waiting for a lead and would flock to the banner of an organization such as this. There were many who could give a thousand or two to the cause without missing the money. He recommended the Government to raise internal loans for land settlement and a scheme for the relief of unemployment. Mr W. E. Parry (L., Auckland Central) said he believed many of the country’s troubles were due to the Government waiting for the position abroad to improve. He later said a great deal had been said about the positions of farmers but to be fair the relation of the rest of the community should also be stated. The farmer could not get, along without the rest of the community. He could not grow his clothing and he could not carry his produce to the market on his back. The rest of the community was just as necessary to the farmer as the farmers were to the rest of the community. The Government was waiting for the Governments of other countries to do something but the trouble was that all other Governments were doing the same and consequently nothing was being done.

Mr D. McDougall was the only speaker after supper and a division was reached on the Labour no-confidence amendment at .10.30 p.m. The amendment was defeated by 48 votes to 26, Messrs Atmore, Black and Wilkinson voting with Labour. The formal Address-in-Reply motion was then adopted. Replying to the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Forbes stated that the second reading of the Industrial, Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill would constitute the business for to-morrow and after that an opportunity would be taken to discuss tho economists’ report. He expected he would be able to present the report of the

economy committee within a day or so. The House rose at 10.45 till to-morrow.