GOVT. POLICY IS APPLAUDED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17881, 24 June 1926, Page 11

GOVT. POLICY IS APPLAUDED.

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE COMMENCES, NEW MEMBERS MAKE MAIDEN SPEECHES. Per Press Associa.l.lon. WELLINGTON, June In Ike House this evening, Mr K. L. Tapley (Dunedin North) moved 4 hat a respectful address be presented to his Excellency the Governor-General in reply to his Excellency’s speech. In opening, he expressed the general regret which prevailed when it was known that sudden indisposition prevented his Excellency personally opening Parliament, and personally addressing members of both Houses. lie trusted • that his Excellency would speedily be restored to h!s wonted health. He referred iii feeling terms to the death of Queen Alexandra, and in terms of appreciation to his Excellency’s visit to the Pacific Islands under New Zealand's jurisdiction which, he said, could result in nothing but good. His Excellency’s satisfaction at what he saw in the islands was well founded, for everywhere nothing but eulogiums were paid to New Zealand for her administration of island affairs. He congratulated the Speaker upon his election to the chair of the House, and the Prime Minister upon his leadership of the Reform Party. Mr Coates was an out-and-out Imperialist. and it was felt on that side of the House that the fortunes of the Dominion were irrevocably linked tip with the Mother Land. For that s eason they all felt they could safely leave New Zealand’s interests in the Prime Minister's hands at the coming Imperial Conference, where matters cf vital Imperial importance would be discussed. The Dunedin Exhibition came in for a word of praise, its great educational influence being especially stressed, as well as the fact that the bringing together of the various provinces of the Dominion had resulted in creating a better feeling among different sections of our people He hoped it would have the effect of reviving tourist traffic to the South Island. Discussing finance and public credit he congratulated the country on the success of the recent loan in England, which was a tribute to our undoubtedly sound position. At the same time the effect of the unsettled state of world trade was having a reflection in New Zealand, and although the Government were putting the loan money to good use they were no longer able to lend to settlers and others at the old, cheap rates. Discussing the trade balance, he said we must increase our exports if we wished to avoid a period of depression. The. position as revealed by statistics was serious, and he would like to see more of our trade done with other portions of the Empire. For this purpose Imperial slogans were helpful. He did not think the Government could be accused of extravagance in public administration, because our figures compared favourably with those of neighbouring Governments. It was much the same in the matter of the public debt, not that we had much to flatter ourselves with regard to it, and he would like see some system evolved by which that debt could be materially reduced. He endorsed the immigration policy of the Government and did not believe it had to any extent contributed to the unemployment trouble, nor did he believe New Zealanders had been dismissed to make room for immigrants. We could clo with much larger population. It was absurd that we should shut our doors against our kinsfolk. So long as we got the present class of immigrants v.e could not go wrong, for they were the best immigrants who could be got. The Government were fully alive to the unemployment trouble and in conjunction with local bodies were doing everything possible to provide relief. Sympathetic reference was made to the industrial trouble, in Britain. It might have most disastrous influences on our overseas trade. Britain was one or our best customers, and if her people's wage-earning and purchasing powers were seriously reduced that must detrimentally affect us. He "hoped some amicable arrangement would speedily be come to so that masters and workers could combine harmoniously, in the production of wealth. He pleaded for an early and equitable settlement of the question of site for an agricultural college, but thought that the matter might safely be left in the hands of the Minister. ,Still further land settlement was required, and he advocated. rough land being given to settlers free of rent, to give them a chance of developing it. A universal contributing scheme was advocated, and the speaker sat down amidst; applause, after commending the Government on the decision to energetically continue their programme of humanitarian legislation.

In seconding the motion Mr \V. Jones (Marsdeu) dealt; first with finance for farmers, a subject on which he spoke feelingly since he was a farmer. Short dated loans were the curse of farmers. Ilc understood the commission which went: home to inquire into the opera» tions of agricultural banks was about to return to New Zealand. and he wondered whether their early return had anything to do with the Bank of New Zealand's anxiety to give farmers longer loans. One thing was certain, that: farmers must have better finance than they had had for a. long time- He did not questiOn the good work done by the Advances Department and the. Public Trust Office. but what was wanted was a systen'i more general in its armlicatiun. There was need of Scienlllit‘ rcsearrh in t'onnection with agrir‘ulture. while cheap fertilisers was unr‘ at the most elamant requirements of New Zealand farmers to-clay. Of first importanue to the dairy industry was the question of quality. If they did not maintain an article of the highest quality their produce must suffer under competition on the markets of the work]. To this and grading of cream had hccn suggested, and while he agreed with this stvp he expected it would at; first, create something of a. friot. but subsequently farmers would realise its value and acrept it with good ‘graz'E. He congratulated the Hon K. S. “’illiams upon his promotion to the portfolio of PubliC' \Vorksi He was a. man who knew all about mud in the lim'lglilor‘ks. anrl sirlc hy xiile with the larger public Works the reading of the harklalnclcs was an inwperative mgr-es. ::it}: lie vommendm'l the pulicy of the Main Highways Board as one that was going to save the. situation for the country Settlers. and he advocated the expenditure of £IO,OOO to £15,000 on gum lands in the north and Pumice lands in the \Vaikato. The experi ‘ment of bringing these lands into profit would be more valuable than an experi. memal farm carried on under the man. agemem oi the Agricultural Depart. ment. A pleat was made to the Minis» ter of Education to give more generous treatment to backblocks children. Tim gum! work of public hospitals was comamended, and the hope was expressed that the Minister of Health would never. allow the management. of hospi~ tals to pass out of the hands of the. people. Maternity annexes. de'ntal :linivs and Plunkot Sur-ictirs allcamc' in

{or their share of approval in the work iliey were doing for the people. which was deserving of ever larger support financially from the Government. It had been said that New Zealand was at present on wheels. and that was trun‘(jnfort'unately it was on American, not British wheels. It hurt him to thin}; that while America practically shut out our butter by a heavy duty we were almost compelled to ride about in Ameriéan cérS. He therefore advocated greater preference to British goods. After congratulating the Speaker upon his election. Mr Jones Concluded. amidst applause. He said that he would begin, his career in _the House as he hoped to continue, by not making long speeches. , The parljourm‘nent pf the deba'te was moved by the Leader of the Opposition and 'the House rose at 9.15 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. tomorrow. ,