NO-CONFIDENCE AMENDMENT

Southland Times, Issue 23307, 17 September 1937, Page 8

NO-CONFIDENCE AMENDMENT

Move By Leader Of Opposition

EIGHT MAIN POINTS OF CRITICISM DEBATE ON ADDRESS-IN-REPLY (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, September 16. The anticipated amendment of noconfidence in the Government was moved by the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. Adam Hamilton) at the start of his speech in the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives tonight. The actual text of the amendment was subdivided into eight main points of criticism of the Government’s policy and was to the effect that the following words should be added to the Address to his Excellency: In conclusion we deem it our duty to represent to your Excellency that your Excellency’s advisers do not possess the confidence of this House because: (1) The Government’s persistent encroachment upon the rights of private ownership and its bureaucratic methods of control in industry have created a serious lack of confidence in the development of New Zealand industrial enterprise, thus jeopardizing sound progress within the Dominion. (2) The Government has failed to honour its election pledge to absorb all able-bodied workers into employment. On the contrary, its policy, which has resulted in higher internal costs, has seriously retarded the process of absorbing the unemployed into industry. (3) The Government has failed to honour its promise that under the system of guaranteed produce prices the dairy farmer would enjoy a greatly-improved standard of living, comparable at least with that enjoyed by those engaged in other branches of industry. (4) The Government has failed in its promise to reduce the cost of living, which, as a result of the present administration, shows a substantial increase. (5) The Government’s frequent use of . the National Broadcasting Service for propaganda purposes and its refusal to allow an expression of opposing views, along with the Prime Minister’s threat to restrict the freedom of the Press, constitutes a grave public injustice and an unwarranted Violation of democratic rights. (6) The over-riding of the Court of Arbitration by the Minister of . Labour on the occasion of the Auckland freezing workers’ illegal strike constitutes a grave undermining of our judicial system and Ministerial strictures on the decisions of justices is a further attack on what is fundamental to the traditional administration of British justice. (7) As a result of the increase in internal costs, many New Zealand manufacturers have found it impossible to compete with imported goods, which fact must inevitably result in a decrease in factory employment and a corresponding increase ! n unemployment. (8) The Government has failed to honour its clear-cut election promise to remove the sales tax and prevent an increase of taxation.