PARLIAMENT.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16309, 10 August 1917, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

BUDGET DEBATE CONTINUED.

A LABOUR MEMBER

ON WAGES AND COST OP LIVING. From Our Own Correspondent. WELLINGTON, Aug. 9. The financial debate was resumed in the House to-night. -Mr Veitch (Vianganui) spoke on labour questions. He said tliere was never a greater responsibility on the shoulders of the Government and the Labour leaders than there was to-day. More people were taking an interest m political movements to-day than ever before,, and the Government would find thaVout if it did not pay more attention to the interests of wage earners. He was very sorry that labpur was so disorganised, that it did not nave adequate representation in the [House. The Ministry never showed proper sympathy towards labour. Ho was prepared to back the Government to maintain law and order, but he would insist that in the interests of national unity the Government should pay more attention to the claims of labour. It was the nation which held together longest which would win in this war. They heard a good deal about the prosperity of the country, but it must be remembered that the country was not necessarily prosperous because one section of the people was doing well. He thought it should be possible to give the producer as good profits as he had been getting, and yet keen down the cost of the necessaries of life to the Now Zealand consumer. Enough had not been done to deal with profiteering at the expense of the public. The value of money had gone down by 20 per cent., and although wages had gone up, the proportion of the rise was not as as the increase in the cost of living. He condemned #"» cutting down of railway services. This was a time when the cervices should l>r> increased better comnmnidation could bo nffordei l +o workers between their r>ln.ees of busings nnd tbp'r WWn the war broke out labour said to the Government, if you protect -us against a rise m the cost of living we will not demand increased pay. The Labour party was in conference in Wellington at that rime, and came to the resolution ho mentioned, but to-day there was- a. different position and demands were being made for higher wages. He thoughtthat demand was quite justified, seeing that, tho cost of living had so largely increased. The Board of Trade and the Arbitration Court should work tngethpr, so that waees should r ; se and fall in the same ratio as prices fluctuated.

i Regarding the procuring of land for soldiers ho was in favour of compulsory sale, with payment in Government dr-benturrs, with a period of say To years, and in purchasing land ' the t:;\ntion valuation shouV] bo the price e?ven. At present landowners were <=o!img at far too big prices. MR McCmmS ON PROFITERS. The debate was continued by Mr McCombs, who taxed the Government with not going for the profiters. In that regard he held that it was not to ho wondered at that the cost of living soared higher and higher. Mr Dickson (Chalmers) also spoke, and the House then rose.