HOUSE CONTINUES DEBATE

Southland Times, Issue 24996, 8 March 1943, Page 4

HOUSE CONTINUES DEBATE

RETURN OF N.Z.E.F. OPPOSED

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, March 6. Speaking during the Address-un-Reply debate in the House of Representatives today Mr F. L. Frost (Lab., New Plymouth) said the Labour Party had not killed individual initiative, but had encouraged it. Today there were scores of men in business on their own account who, when Labour came into power, were living on the dole and they had since found that it was better.to be the boss than work for a boss for wages. Mr Frost expressed support for decentralization of industry. He thought that the country and provincial members would have to insist on this.

Mr L. G. Lowry (Lab., Otaki) expressed opposition to the return of the New Zealand Division from the Middle East at present, and thought he was 1 expressing the opinion held by the men themselves, who would prefer to remain and complete the job. However, he would suggest to the Government that men who had been away for some considerable time and were showing signs of war weariness should be brought back and given a rest in New Zealand. FARMERS’ WAR EFFORT Money usually spent by farmers on fertilizers, material and labour for maintenance could not now be spent because the materials and labour were not available, said Mr W. S. Goosman (Nat., Waikato), who suggested that this money, instead of being subject to taxation, should be set aside as a reserve to re-establish the fertility of farms after the war when the necessary materials and labour were available. Mr Goosman said he did not wish to belittle the war effort of any other section of the community, but he did not think any was making a greater war effort at the present time than the wives and families of farmers, who were working long hours and carrying out arduous duties on farrris in the absence of labour. The man-power problem had not been bungled by the present Government, said Mr J. F. B. Cotterill (Lab., Wanganui). It was difficult to have a long-range policy in this matter because everything depended on the changing military situation. He stressed the value of up-to-date methods of military training in New Zealand, stating that recent exercises carried out with live shell practice had shown the high standard which had been reached. SALUTING IN STREETS He agreed with previous speakers that saluting in the streets should be abolished. It was necessary on the parade ground, but when officers and men were on leave it would be to the advantage of both to have it cut out. He also made a plea for the provision of special leave trains to enable soldiers to visit their homes. If the Railways Department could provide special trains for race crowds surely it could give similar facilities for soldiers who wished to visit their homes. Mr W. Lee Martin (Lab., Raglan) contended that criticism of tire Internal Marketing Department was nothing more than a ramp and was inspired by vested interests. All the muddlement mentioned had not been caused by interference from the department, which was doing a wonderfully fine job. The debate was interrupted by the adjournment at 1 p.m. and the House rose until 2.30 p.m. on Monday.