EMNOMIC CONFEREE

Taranaki Daily News, 14 October 1933, Page 9

EMNOMIC CONFEREE

HOUSE DEBATES RESULT MR. POLSON DISCUSSES QUOTAS. LABOUR PROPOSES REMEDIES. . . i mr. McDougall called to order By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Continuing the debate on the World Conference in the House of Representatives to-day, Mr. A. D. McLeod (Coalition, Wairarapa) said that with its present population the Dominion could not solve its own problems irrespective of what was happening in the outside world. The country would require a population of at least. 20,000,000 before prices could be adjusted internally without regard to V world parity. At present, because it F exported 40 per cent, of its products, New Zealand had to fall into line with world prices. Mr. R. McKeen (Labour, Wellington South) said it had not been the fault of the delegates that the conference had failed. The whole situation had been in the hands of international bankers who were conferring at the same time. The evils from which the people were suffering were-diue to a policy of deflation. The deflationary policy had doubled the burden of fixed charges, and so long as the monetary system, was in the hands of private individuals there would be . slumps and booms. Mr. W. j. Polson (Independent, Stratford) said he was not one of those who believed that quotas were inevitable. He thought that Mr. Baxter on leaving New Zealand had begun to realise that- New Zealand was a loyal Dominion and felt that it was being very unfairly treated in the matter of the proposed quotas. • Mr. Polson expressed the opinion that ' quotas, once established, would cause a ** vicious spiral of prices and reduced consumption, and the development of the industry would be hampered, RELY ON COMMONSENSE. He thought the Dominion should state its position to the people- of Britain and rely on their, commonsense. He did „no| believe quotas were the -accepted policy of the British people. New Zealand would have to continue developing its dairying industries to a greater extent and should not agree-under any conditions to anything that would restrict that development. He considered there was every possibility,' with the assistance of better organisation in Britain, of increasing the consumption of milk in Britain, and pointed out that while the average conr sumption there was 15 gallons per capita 2 annually it was between 50 and 60 gallons in other countries. Forty per cent. I of the cows in Britain were subject to , tuberculosis, compared with 5 a little over 4 per cent in New Zealand; If the British farmers were prepared to produce a purer article he believed the consumption of milk would increase. After referring to Britain’s trade agreement with Denmark, Mr. . Polson said he believed New Zealand would be prepared to make similar arrangements with with Britain and■' grant Britain certain trade concessions in return for an agreement by Britain to take New "Zealand primary produce without restriction. He also believed arrangements of this nature would be acceptable to the people of 'Britain. Mr. Polson expressed the view that the possibility of trade with the East no longer existed. It was too late now to endeavour to establish any substantial market in that quarter. Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Labour, Avon) said in big opinion Mr, Baxter had been r'- absolutely unyielding in- regard to quotas, ? and if Mr. Polson thought otherwise he must be extremely optimistic. He believed Mr. Baxter’s attitude had been that of the British farmer and the British Government

“WEAKEST POSSIBLE REED.” If Parliament desired to serve the interests of the people of the Dominion it could only hope to accomplish that objective by facing the facts with which it was confronted. Mr. Sullivan said that if New Zealand relied on international action to overcome the depression-' it would-be relying on the weakest possible reed. He asserted that the remedy could be found only by internal measures, including increased wages and further protection for local industries. He urged the House to consider the feasibility of instituting a scheme somewhat similar to the National Recovery Act in the United States. Mr. E. J. Howard (Labour, Christchurch South) said there had been a definite necessity for New Zealand to be represented at the World Conference. In spite of its small population the Dominion was an. important unit in the world, but because of its small population other countries were prone not to recognise this. He was therefore glad that the Dominion was represented and that the Prime Minister had been the delegate. Mr. Howard expressed the opinion that the fact that a discussion of war debts and wages and hours and conditions of labour had been barred had militated against the success of the conference. mr. McDougall and the chair. Mr. D. McDougall (Mataura), who still occupies a seat on the Government side of the:House, came into conflict with the f Chair, which at the moment was occupied by the acting-Speaker (Mr. 1 S. G. Smith). He criticised the Government’s policy generally until Mr. Smith reminded him it was the report of the conference which the-House was considering. Mr. McDougall again referred to the Government’s land settlement schemes and Mr.. .Smith for . the second time, instructed him to speak to the report. Mr. McDougall: I hope you are not getting hot under the collar. Mr. Smith: : Order, order! Mr. McDougall declared the Government had been responsible for forcing down the standard of living and added: “I am very sorry to say 1 was one of those who helped to cut down wages and put more taxation on the workers. We have had to tax the worker to give him a job. We have been making the poor man poorer and the rich , man, richer. I am very sorry I wasn’t kicked out of the establishment long . ago. I am out now and I am glad of it.” Mr. F. Lye: Then you ought to sit somewhere else. Mr. McDougall: I’ll sit where I like. I understand the Speaker has the ’allotting of the seats in this House. Mr. Smith: Order, order!

Mr. McDougall (pointing at Mr. Lye): Then you shut him up. He interjects, and when I reply I am called to order. Mr. Smith: Order, order! Mr. McDougall: I ought to sit some-: -where else? I ought to be sitting where the Speaker is. I believe I would do better than he does. Mr. Smith then called on. Mr. McDougall to resume his seat. Speaking later in the debate, when Sir Charles Statham had resumed the Chair, Mr. Lye said that in common decency Mr. McDougall should consider getting into more congenial company. “It seems an extraordinary position that it does not occur to him that his place is somewhere else. I think it time he considered taking some other seat.” Mr. McDougall: Would it please you. if I went up on the roof?

Mr. Lye: I don’t know whether it would please me very much if you fell off the roof. The Speaker: Order! Rising to a point of order, Mr. McDougall asked for the Speaker’s opinion on Mr. Lye’s statement that he leave the Government benches. “I understand the Speaker is the one who allocates the seat in this House; if he says I should move out of this seat I will be only too pleased to do'so, but lam not going to leave this seat for the member for Waikato or any member of the Ministry rmless it is the desire of the Speaker.” Sir Charles Statham said it was not his duty to allocate the seats in the House except, of course, that the front benches on his right were for the Government and those on the left for the Opposition. As far as the other seats were concerned he came into the matter only in the event of a dispute. “If any dispute arises,” said the Speaker, “I will certainly decide the matter.” Several other speakers also participated during the aftemoc. in the debate, which was interrupted by the rising of the House at 5.30 p.m. till Tuesday afternoon.