PARLIAMENT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 259, 2 November 1932, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

THE BUDGET DEBATE PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH I Per Press Association. I WELLINGTON, Nov. 1. The House of Representatives met at. 2.30 p.m. Notice was given of intention to introduce the following Bills: Electoral Amendment (Hon. G. W. Forbes); Rent Restriction (Hou. A. Hamilton); Shops and Offices Amendment (Mr. Eraser); Napier Harbour Board Empowering (Mr. Barnard). Replying to Mr. C. Carr (Labour, Timaru). Hon. A. Hamilton said that the question of radio interference nt Timaru by power transmission and the Diomede’s Morse operators had been investigated and steps would be taken to endeavour to reduce the trouble to a minimum. On the motion of the Hon. G. W. Forbes, Mr. Speaker was instructed to issue a warrant to the. Clerk of Writs to make out a new writ for the election of a member for Motueka. in lieu of Mr. G. C. C. Black (deceased). The Christchurch District Drainage Amendment Bill (Mr. Howard) was introduced and read a first time. On the motion of Mr. J. A. Nash (Government, Palmerston) it was resolved that the proceedings of the Government Superannuation Funds Bill Committe during the taking of evidence should be open to the Press. Budget Debate. Mr. Forbes moved for urgency for the Budget Debate. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. H. Holland) asked why the Prime Minister was moving for urgency at a stage when the debate was almost completed. Mr. Forbes said that while he did not anticipate that the House would have to sit late to complete the debate, it was desirable to ensure that it be finished to-day.

Mr. McCombs: But the Government has been putting up speaker after speaker.

The motion was unanimously adopted. The Budget Debate was continued. Mr. C. H. Clinkard (Government, Rotorua) who said it should be possible to develop the secondary industries of New Zealand without high protection. New Zealanders enjoyed the cheapest food in the world and ideal conditions. They also had raw materials at hand and should be able to compete with Britain on even terms. Mr. Clinkard stressed the value of the tourist traffic to New Zealand and dealt at length ; with the attractions of Rotorua. Mr. T-aite Te Tomo (Government. Western Maori), speaking through an interpreter, paid a tribute to the pakeha’s affection for the Maori. He said he knew from his own experience that it was not mere lip talk. Continuing, he said he had advised Maoris not to follow Ratana but to follow him. He had also advised them not to go on relief works but to work hard for themselves. He had investigated the allegations of extravagance in connection with the Native Minister’s land settlement schemes and could not find any grounds for the allegations. Mr. Te Tomo added that the chiefs had signed a document stating that they were satisfied with the schemes. Superannuation. Mr. J. Linklater (Government, Manawatu), expressed the hope that the Highways Board Fund would remain apart from the Consolidated Fund. Referring to superannuation, be said he agreed that drastic measures were necessary to place the fund on a sound footing, but he did not think that women should be penalised because of the remissness of past Governments. He urged that there be no alterations in the conditions relating to length of service so far as women were concerned. Mr. Linklater said he believed that the hydro-electric power schemes would eventually become most profitable undertakings. As time went on and development increased we would derive greater benefit from them. He advocated the amalgamation of contiguous power boards and electrical undertakings Mr. K. S. Williams (Government, Bay of Plenty) said he regarded the Expenditure Commission’s report as a very valuable document insofar as it enabled Parliament to see itself as others saw it. He referred to the Commission’s recommendation regarding the reduction and ultimate withdrawal of the subsidy for the destruction of rabbits and said it did not appear to be generally recognised that a large amount had already been spent by private land owners on the destruction of this pest. The Government was the biggest land-holder in the Dominion and if it did not do its share the rabbits would very soon over-run the country.

Mr. Williams congratulated the Nga puhis on the idea of placing a meeting house on the site kindly acquired for the Dominion by the Governor-General to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Mr. R. W. Hawke (Government, Kai apoi) declared that it would be a great mistake to adopt the Commission’s recommendation relating to the withdrawal of the subsidy to poultry clubs conducting egg-laying tests. He pointed out that the tests had resulted in increased production and the developmenl of the export trade, because they had revealed important points relating to breeding and scientific feeding. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. The Budget Debate was continued when th G House resumed at 7.30 p.m.

Mr. Fraser commented on the Prime Minister’s urgency motion and reminded the House that the recent speeches had been mainly from the Government members. Apparently the Government had been working on the maxim “another little speech will not do us any harm.” and there could therefore be no objection to his accepting the invitation to carry on. Mr. Fraser referred to the criticisms of Par liament and remarked that while he did not consider Parliament or its rnachin ery to be perfect, the fact remained that the people of the country had to choose between democratic government or autocracy of some form or another. Be agreed that there could be improve nients in the parliamentary machine. For instance, committees could be. given more power. Continuing. Mr. Fraser said that the Budget had been very little discussed during the debate. Members had been unable to discern any hope for the future in the Budget and had sub-con sciously turned to the proposal of the Labour Party, which had aetually been the focal point of most of the speeches. Mr .lull advocated closer settle,merit, and said he did not see whv the Gov ernment slfould not devise a means of attaining this object. He considered that notice should bp given large landholders that if they did not subdivide

by a certain date a special form of ■ taxation would be introduced in order ) to persuade (hem io carry out the I wishes of the Government. I Mr Veitch suggested that there ! should be an extension of the opera- j tions and. powers of the transport legis- j lation in order to co-ordinate both J coastal shipping and land services. He ■ considered that lack of co-ordination ia transport was just as serious to-day I as it had been when the Transport ■ Licensing Act was passed. Concern was being caused by the relationship between the railways and the coastal shipping services. A freight war was going on and the coastal shipping was in danger of being seriously affected. Reply to Debate Replying to th e debate, Mr Forbes drew attention to the increased burden of social services since 1913. and said it had to be remembered that the Government- could not afford to allow this to go on increasing until it became beyond the capacity, of the country. When there was a fall in the national income it was time to realise that things could not go ou in this way without incurring the risk of national bankruptcy. Dealing with the Expenditure Commission s report, Mr. Forbes said there were a number of recommendations which could be, and were being put into effect. There were other recommendations which it. was not possible to put into effect. Some of them might achieve economies in one direction, but they would add considerably to expenditure in other directions. The Government would shortly introduce legislation bearing on the Commission’s recommendations relating to th© re organisation of the Native Department, lit did not consider that an improvement could be effected by adopting the Commission’s recommendation to transfer the highways and unemployment boards’ funds to the Consolidated Fund. He considered that some improvement might be effected in the direction of the reorganisation of the hospital svs tem, and the Commission’s suggestions regarding hospital boards would be referred to a commission which it was intended to set up to deal with the question of local body administration. The Government was not of opinion that it was desirable to adopt tiin Expenditure Commission’s suggestion to abolish the land boards. It was more than ever necessary at the present time to maintain close and intimate touch with Crown tenants and this could only be done through the cooperation of the land boards with the Lands Department and the Government. .Industries and Commerce. The Commission had proposed that the operations of the Industries and Commerce Department should be verv considerably curtailed and its activities should very largely be left to private enterprise. While he agreed that it was desirable to leave commercial matters to pi lyate enterprise as far as possible, ne pointed out that there were times ™en it was essentia] that assistance should be given to private enterprise by the Government. While it might be possible to do away with the Industries and Commerce (Department, it would not be wise to take this step, especially at a time like the present, when the Dominion was anxious to extend its markets. On the contrary, it might be necessary to extend their department’s activities in certain directions. Referring to tourist services, Mr. Forbes said that the Commission bad also proposed that matters in this connection should be left to private enterprise. “If private enterprise is prepared to take over these services well and good,” Mr. Forbes said, 44 but at the present time private enterprise is not looking for these services. Continuity must be maintained and for that reason the Government will carry them on. When times are better everything possible should be done to enable private concerns to undertake them.” Mr. Forbes next dealt- with the suggestion that local bodies should be charged for certain services. He said it was known that local bodies were experiencing difficulty iu managing their own finances and it was not considered advisable to do anything to add to their burden. Mr. Forbes then replied to points from members’ seeches dealing with the question, of a central bank. Ho said it was proposed to establish a New Zealand institution controlled by New Zealanders and there would be no question of domination from outside. The central bank would be free from political control. The formal Budget motion was adopted and the House went into committee on the estimates at 11.30 p.m. Progress was immediately reported. The House rose at 11.33 p.m. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SPEED-OF-VEHICLES BILL—f Per Press Association. I WELLINGTON, Nov. 1. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. Seven days’ leave of absence was granted Sir E. Mitchelson on account of illness and three days to Hon. R. Scott on account of urgent public business. On the motion of the Hon. D. Buddo the Regulation of Speed-of-Vehicles Bill was read a second time pro forma and referred to the Local Bills Committee. 'l.’he Bill proposes to fix maximum speeds for vehicles at 20 miles per hour in any borough or town district and 35 miles per hour in any county. The Council rose at 3.45 'p.m. until Thursday. The Speaker announced that he had received a message from the GovernorGeneral notifying that the .seats of Sir IT. Rhodes arid the Hons. Isitt and Witty had been me vacant through the effluxion of time.