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PARLIAMENT

FINANCIAL DEBATE COMMISSION’S REPORT CRITICIZED CALL TO GOVERNMENT (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, October 2G. Although interest in the dying stages of the Financial debate was expected to taper off rapidly, the reverse proved to be the case in the House of Representatives to-day, both members and public listening to the speakers with interest. However, there was little variation in the material used for the debate, members of the Government and Opposition both being conservative as far as their choice of verbal ammunition was concerned. The National Expenditure Commission’s report should be read by every elector, said Mr C. A. Wilkinson (1., Egmont) because it disclosed administration failures and should prove a guide in future. He again advocated the minting of silver and copper coinage in the Dominion and said that the establishment of New Zealand currency would save the country £1,000,000. Mr Wilkinson urged the Government to reconsider the position with respect to the wheat duties. He contended people were paying too much for bread because a small section of the community was being protected to an unreasonable degree. Mr A. S. Richards (L., Roskill) criticized the recommendations of the National Expenditure Commission in respect to setting up a board to take control of the hospitals. He said somewhat similar recommendations had originated from the New Zealand Branch of the British Medical Association in 1926. Mention had been made in the report of the New South Wales system of control and it had been suggested that this should be adopted by New Zealand. The Hospitals Commission of New South Wales was a non-political body with power to close hospitals, but it had closed none. The commission had recommended the closing of some New Zealand hospitals. Power to close the hospitals had never been exercised by the Australian States because Australia, like New Zealand, found there was a never ending demand for more accommodation. The Commission recommended reliance upon voluntary finance for hospitals and a more stringent control of the collection of fees, but such methods in New South Wales and Victoria had been disastrous. Mr H. S. S. Kyle (C., Riccarton) defended 'the wheat duties and said that there could no longer be any complaint against them. Bran and pollard could be imported duty free and consequently the objections of poultry and pig farmers no longer applied. Government By Commissions. Mr W. J. Jordan (L., Manakau) criticized the report of the Commission and said it was time the country was governed by Parliament and not by commissions. He criticized the Government’s unemployment policy and quoted from the report of the Economy Commission to show that the Government was being advised to make conditions even worse by withdrawing the established services. Continuing, he said the whole of the country’s troubles revolved round the payment of debts. The Prime Minister had announced in the Budget that he could not reduce interest charges to any extent, but a one per cent, reduction on the National Debt would mean a saving of over £2,000,000 a year. The debate was continued until 11.20 when the House adjourned until 2.30 to-morrow.

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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST19321027.2.68

Bibliographic details

Southland Times, Issue 21848, 27 October 1932, Page 6

Word Count
517

PARLIAMENT Southland Times, Issue 21848, 27 October 1932, Page 6

PARLIAMENT Southland Times, Issue 21848, 27 October 1932, Page 6