PROBLEMS OF PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1930, Page 11

PROBLEMS OF PARLIAMENT

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE LAND SETTLEMENT ADVOCATED. MR. H. G. DICKIE ON GROUP SCHEME By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. When the House of Representatives met at 10.30 this morning Mr. H. G. R. Mason gave notice of his intention to introduce the Industrial Provident Society’s Amendment Bill. ■ The leader of the Labour Party (Mr. 11. E. Holland) drew attention to a Wellington newspaper’s (The Dominion) report of yesterday’s .proceedings in the House and asserted that while the speech of the Leader of the Opposition had been reported comprehensively, those of the Minister of Lands, the deputy-leader, of the Labour Party, and the Minister of Railways had not been given the same treatment. He asked whether accommodation in the Press gallery would be made Subject' to impartial reports. Mr. Forbes in reply said that tho standard of impartiality in the Press gallery was, generally speaking, very high and there was very little ground for complaint. However, in the instance mentioned by Mr. Holland, he thought it was a case of a party newspaper endeavouring to mak<, up for a deficiency in tho Leader of the • Opposition’s case by reporting his speech at great length. Mr. W. J. Broadfoot continued the debate. Ho paid a warm tribute to the success of the work of the Scientific and Industrial Research' Department in connection with the development of the farming industry. He was satisfied that there could be no successful system of land settlement without the co-ordina-tion of the departments that had been foreshadowed by the Minister of Lands. Ho strongly advocated the regional system of settlement, as it would enable various problems to be dealt with in an economic manner. Mr. Broadfoot said he considered that the'man who had had the initiative to .go out and find, a suit-, able piece’ of virgin land'"for himselfshould also have the backing of the State Advances Department. 1 NEED TO FIND EMPLOYMENT. Mr. J. W. Munro emphasised the need for finding employment for every man inf the Dominion and supported the plea for th© development of secondary industries. He expressed the view that there was scope for the secondary industries if they were granted scientific organisation and the necessary capital to carry, out extensions of business. Mr. T. Makitanara expressed appreciation on behalf of the Native race that a Maori elected by the Maoris had been placed in th© high office of Minister of Native Affairs. This was the first time that this honour had been conferred upon the Native race. He also wished to thank the Government for putting into operation the Maori land policy which was' bn tho same footing as the land policy given the pakelia. He wished, to thank the Minister of Public Works, for his assistance in .finding .employment for those Maoris who were out of work. lie agreed’ with previous speakers that it was a time for co-operation. The Reform Party, after telling the people that it would co-operate with the Government in view of th© difficulties of tho time, had taken an early opportunity to move a vote of no-confidence. Mr. H. S. S. Kyle said Mr. Munns had on the previous day criticised the general manager of railways, but Mr. Kyle contended the general manager should be given a chance. The Reform Party had been criticised for changing the control of the railways, but the present Government had already changed the Ministerial head and was ■ now setting lip a commission to conduct an inquiry into the whole of the operations of the department. Such commission, he contended, should be entirely removed from political control. “A MISERABLE EFFORT.”

Mr. W. L. Martin eaid it was a miserable effort that only about £50,000 of the £5,000,000 voted had yet been expended under the Lands Department scheme. He was disappointed' that, there was not -much indication of what the Minister intended to do in the future. Mr. Martin-remarked that it was time for a forwardmove in the Department of Agriculture.. While he had every respect for the present Director : General, Dr. 0. J. Reakcs, as a man, he considered he had outgrown his usefulness in the department. Mr. Martin was of opinion that the only body capable of dealing with unemployment was Parliament, and he suggested that as soon as the debate was concluded party differences should be sunk, Parliament should be adjourned for a week and representatives of all parties should meet and call in the captains of industry and any other advice required in an endeavour to settle the problem. Mr; J. T. Hogan said he was hopeful of great things being achieved this session. He believed the time had come for all the parties to get together and try to solve the problems of the day. H® thought the need for curtailing expenditure would ’ not be so great if money were circulated more, freely. What was required was a wave of confidence.. He realised that there were difficulties to face, but ho did not share the pessimistic views that had been expressed by some members, Mr. Hogan added that he thought the railways could be made to pay without the dismissal of hands, and he urged the Minister to review his decision on this point. He had known of dismissals on the previous occasion similar to the present, and he ventured to assert that the railways had not saved a penny by doing so. GROUP SETTLEMENT SCHEME. Mr, 11. G. Dickie (Patea.) criticised the South Island Main Trunk railway and contended that when the Wbaranui to Parnassus gap had been completed passengers would undertake the overland trip as part of the journey from Christchurch to Wellington only once, and then for curiosity. The ferry steamer trip occupied less time and was usually comfortable. Mr. Dickie advocated tho Western Australian system of land settlement under which each man was placed on his own allotment. The only purpose for which they were grouped was for tho utilisation of macldriery. ;A man placed on his own section would take an interest in it, and he advised the Minister against breaking in the land 'on the communal principle. Mr, -W. E. Barnard, said there were “sphbres- in l tvhich a considerable saving

in finance could be effected. There was scope for saving a quarter of a million on defence, and ho suggested the Government should endeavour to obtain ft reduction in New Zealand’s annual grant of £125,000 towards the cost of the Singapore Base. Mr. Barnard described the no-confidence motion as both useless and unnecessary at the present stage in the country's affairs. The debate was adjourned fend, too House rose at 5.30, p.rn. till. 2.30 on 'lpcsday. . - ■ •