Labour Protests.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 683, 9 February 1933, Page 8

Labour Protests.

Stormy Scenes.

New Taxation Arouses Members’ Ire. (“ Star ” Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, February 9. ON with the job. Now that the scaffold has been erected we might as well get the execution over as quickly as possible.” This comment, from Mr W. E. Parry (Labour, Auckland Central), brought to a close the stormy scenes which greeted the introduction of the Customs and Excise taxation in the House last night. Labour members protested vigorously against further attacks on the pockets of the masses, whilst the large landholder escaped. An appeal to the standing orders, which was made with the object of preventing Mr Coates from making a statement, failed and the Minister was able to proceed. Immediately the general effect of the resolutions became known Mr H. E. Holland, leader of the Opposition, protested that they showed the Government was determined to go from bad to worse. It deliberately loaded up charges, through high exchange, against the masses of the people. New it was proposed to levy additional Customs and excise duties, which must increase further the cost of living. On top of the Customs taxation was a sales tax. “ The- Decent Thing to Do.” Mr Parry (Auckland Central): They ought to include their resignation, the decent thing to do. Mr Holland: The>' are making the sales tax 100 per cent higher than it is in Australia. The leader of the Opposition declared that all this would save the large land°"mer from paying graduated land tax, which he ought to pay, and he agreed with Mr Parry that the decent thing to do was for the Government to get out of office. Mr Lee (Grey Lynn) : Hurrah! Put ’em out. (Labour applause.) Mr Semple: They are too cowardly to go. (Opposition “ Hear, hears.”) The chairman: It is not in order to make such interjections. Mr Holland: I submit any member is entitled to express orderly approval of sentiments. Mr Semple: Hear, hear. We won't be gagged. The Alternative. Mr Holland proceeded to suggest that the Government surely could have devised better methods of taxation, and he put it to them that the alternative w’as a steeply graduated income tax. but it preferred to get it from the exceedingly small incomes of die people. Nobody would have dreamed that a sales tax would come down in a Customs Bill. Bdf r r^)es: There is to be a separate Mr Holland retorted that the Government would proceed to collect the tax at once, but the Government might keep the Bill hanging fire a month. “ After all this betrayal of the people,” he concluded, the Government should, in common decency, resign from office and let somebody else take on the job of running the country. If it came to an appeal to the people they would never endorse the extraordinary and astounding proposals in these resolutions. (Loud applause from the Opposition.) A Point of Order. Mr Coates, in his capacity of Minister oi Customs, took the opportunity while the resolutions w r ere before the committee of presenting a full explanation. He was immediately held up on a point of order raised b}' Mr M Combs (Lyttelton), who submitted that it was against the standing orders for the Minister to read his speech. The chairman ruled that th e Minister could read a statement, but Mr M’Combs declared that it was not a Ministerial statement, but a controversial explanation. The chairman: The Minister is entitled to read a statement. Mr M'Combs: Will he tell u s who wrote it? Mr Coates: I will be glad to oblige the honourable gentleman, who does not intend to be offensive; he never does. The course I am following is usual. The statement has been prepared by the Customs Department and myself in collaboration. If the committee does not desire to hear the statement I don’t mind. It will all appear in to-morrow morning’s papers. Mr Poison (Stratford) : We want the information. Mr Coates was then able to complete his statement, after which Opposition speakers in succession made the strongest possible protests against the new taxation. Resolutions Adopted. On a division at midnight the resolutions were adopted by 43 votes to 28, Messrs A. J. Stallworthy (Ind., Eden), R. A. Wright (Coalition, Wellington Suburbs), W. A. Veitch (Coalition, Wanganui), 11. Atmore (Ind., Nelson), H. M. Rushworth (Countrv Party, Bay of Islands), and E. Tirikatene (Ind., Southern Maori) voting against the Coalition. Mr Coates announced that Bills giving effect to the proposals -would be introduced to-morrow, and after the second reading had been disposed of the committee stages would be deferred to enable merchants and others affected to place their representations before Ministers.