HOUSE IN SESSION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 245, 15 October 1937, Page 8

HOUSE IN SESSION

THE BUDGET DEBATE A “GAMBLERS’ ” GOVERNMENT MR. W. P. ENDEANS COMMENT. NATIVE VIEWPOINT EXPRESSED BY SIR A. NGATA. k (Per Press Association. ] WELLINGTON, Oct. 14. The debate on the Financial Statement was continued in the House this afternoon by Mr. W. P. Endean (Opposition, Parnell), who said that the present Government was a gamblers Government and the people were wondering what was going to happen to them. He criticised the Minister of Finance’s attitude towards the Empire and also stated that the Government’s housing policy was proceeding along wrong lines. It should eradicate slums in the first instance and he advocated that we should follow the precedents of England and New South Waites in our housing policy. He also stated that a policy of guaranteeing the price of any one class of our primary produce was unsound. Why did the Government guarantee the price of butterfat and not that of wool? It knew that if it did it would do irreparable damage ;to the financial structure of this Dominion. In fast, the finances of the country could not cope with it. Work on the Wharves. Dealing with the work on the wharves, he said that New Zealand watersiders were the world’s slowest workers. Mr. A. Campbell (Government, Chalmers): Are they as slow as lawyers? (Laughter). Mr. Endean proceeded to state that Indiscipline was also a characteristic of our watersiders, whose work he compared unfavourably with that of a similar class of labour in England and Australia. He could not think, he said, that overseas capital would come to New - Zealand while the present feeling of uncertainty continued. Nor could we expect immigrants, unless we had more overseas capital invested here. Mr. Endean said he considered that w? were not contributing sufficient towards the defence of the Empire, and stated that there should be some system under which our young men went to gymnasiums, at least once a week to build up physical fitness. Mr. A. G. Osborne (Government, Manakau) drew attention to the increase in output of secondary industries since the Labour Government had come into office.

Boot and Shoe Industry. With regard to the boot and shoe industry, he said that he knew the position was serious as the result of overseas competition. There was a way out, however, but the position could not be rectified in a day or two. It was a gross exaggeration for the Opposition to state that the same serious position existed in other industries. The organisers of the National Party, he said, had been going round the country stating that the ship of State in the Dominion was being controlled by Communists, but we did not need to take them too seriously. References to New Zealand’s finances by the overseas press had been very favourable in spite of the Opposition’s contention of uncertainty existing here. The Government had also been criticised for the introduction of the 40-hour week but a number of leaders of industry themselves, after several months’ experience of it, had spoken in favour of it. Sir Apirana Ngata (Opposition, Eastern Maori) said that he was satisfied that the Government was carry- > Ing out the Native land settlement ’ policy in the only manner possible. That was the development of Native lands by Maoris under good super- ! vision. Crumb From Master’s Table. - In answer to a Government interjection asking how the Maoris regarded the guaranteed butterfat 'prices, Sir Apirana stated that he did not intend to deal with guaranteed prices. The Maori, he said, took what came to him in the nature of a guaranteed price. It was a crumb from the master's table. The Maori allowed the white man to worry out things like that. The Minister of Lands (Hon. F. Langstone): Those crumbs are increasing. With regard to the social effects of the Government’s land development scheme, Sir Apirana Ngata continued, nothing better could have been started in the Dominion, and it was a pity that it had not been commenced years ago. However, he would ask the Minister to pay more attention to the personnel of supervisors, some of whom caused friction and did not understand the working of the Maori mind.

Mr. Langstone: The Minister has received no personal complaints. Sir Apirana Ngata: I am telling you what has been told me by the Maoris themselves. I would need something ,very specific before I placed a pergonal complaint with the Minister. Sir Apirana criticised the administration of the Native Affairs Department, stating that there was need for tome effective system of decentralisation, and he contended that Native trts and crafts were not getting sufficient assistance. When the House resumed at 7.30 f.m. Sir Apirana Ngata continued his address in the course of the debate en the Financial Statement. He said that the Minister knew those who were responsible for advising the Maoris throughout the Dominion Were in sympathy with the Government in endeavouring to make a Native housing policy a real thing. The Budget debate was adjourned Until 10.30 a.m. to-morrow.