BOARD OF HUMBUGS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12069, 26 July 1917, Page 4

BOARD OF HUMBUGS.

| MR. XOS WORTHY IN CRITICAL MOOD. [FKO.M OHE CVyuiEsroxniCNT.l WELLINGTON, July 25. In the opinion of Mr Nosworthy, the principle of National Government w.'ks forcecl on Parliament by all the newspapers being on the siimo wicket in its favour. He told the. Houso tonight that he had been against the formation of a Coalition Government, though he -would support it till the end of the war. He hoped to see a return to Party Government, -which, in normal times, gave better government than ooalitions. The member emphatically condemned the butter-fat levy, declaring that the Government must refund the monoy paid by dairy farmers. Ho complained that there was too much time lost discussing the method of meeting the wheat shortage, instead of allowing tho farmers to get to work. We had to buy Australian wheat, but this could have been avoided if things had been on tho basis of on trucks, so as to induce growers in the back country to take up sowing. Tho Board of Trade fiddled with it. "If ever there was a fool of an institution," declared Mr Nosworthy, "it is the Board of Trade. It is a political institution set uip because people/ asked ' What about tho cost of living?' If ever I came across a board of humbugs, it was thaiboard." _ (Laughter). Mr Nosworthy went on to declare that tho Minister of Agriculture should have made definite proposals to Cabinet, and resigned if they were not accepted. There should liave been a solid policy, not the picking up of wheat. f rowers one day and throwing them own to-morrow. He urged the Government to make people pay solidly for .amusements by heavy taxation There should bo a heavy graduated income tax, for the war was everybody's burden. Beer could stand a great deal more excise duty. The House would strongly resent any taxation measure 1 not. providing for the heavy taxation of brewers. It was time hotel hour, were shortened. The meat trust would be a big problem, which must be tackled. If matters went on without interruption practically every freezing works in the country would come under the control of the American trust.