PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 59, 10 March 1944, Page 5

PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE WANGANUI AND RANGITIKEI MEMBERS SPEAK The Member for Wanganui (Mr. J. B. Cotterill) and the Member for Rangitikei (Mr. E. B. Gordon) spoke in the House of Representatives yesterday in the course of the Address-in-Reply Debate. The House rose at 10.30 p.m. and will resume its sittings this (Friday) morning.

(P.A.) Parliament Bldgs., March 9. Mr. H. T. Morton (Opp., Waitemata) resumed his Address-in-Reply speech.

He said that while there was no finer race in the world than the Maoris, and pakeha treatment and example had been bad, there were many unfortunate features of Maori living conditions to-day. The Maoris were flocking into Auckland, where there were nearly 10,000 of them instead of the pre-war figure of about 500. Many of them were living in disreputable holes under disgraceful conditions. Little wqs being done to see that, they, or their families got decent living conditions. It was the responsibility of both sdes of the House to pay more attention to Maori problems. TOO MANY IN HOSPITAL

Mr. Morton deplored the enormous increase in New Zealand’s hospital population, which was now one of the largest per capita In the world, and likely to grow further. We were spending nearly 13,000.000 yearly on treatment of people in hospitals, but our medical research last year, to keep the people out of hospital, cost only £5OOO. Mr. Morton declared that the Internal Marketing Department was conceived in the woinib of -Russian ideology and was of uncertain parentage. the people of this country would throw it out at the first available opportunity, as was done in New South Wales after six months. It had done nothing for the consumer or the producer. Mr. Morton, touching on the industrial problems, said that if the Government would now show its strength equally to all sections, favouring none of them, the Prime Minister would earn and enjoy the confidence, respect and co-operation of every member of tha House and every man and woman in the Dominion. MR. COTTERILL’S VIEWS

Mr. J. B. Cotterill (Govt., Wanganui) interpreted the comments of Mr. Morton and Mr. S. W. Smith (Opp.. Bay of Islands), both of whom spoke yesterday, as an attack on the Maori people. Apparently these Opposition members wished to deny equality of citizenship to the Maori people, and did not think the Maoris should enjoy social security. Mr. Cotterill said the Government was aware that many problems remained concerning the Maoris, but was not going to solve those problems by reducing the Maoris' citizenship. Whatever the Government had done for the Maoris since it came into office was decried by the Opposition as vote catching. He agreed that the Maori drift to the towns was deplorable and would have to be countered by rehabilitation to the country. Mr. Cotterill voiced the hope that when manpower and materials were available tor an expanded Government housing programme again, it would be possible to c’heaiui rentals without abating quality. ±ie advocated greater use of designs which would enable additions to houses as families increased. Housing would play a large part in rehabilitation. He believed returned men should be encouraged to build their own houses, but mortgage payments, like rents, needed reduction. He did not want to see returned men saddled with a mortgage burden beyond their means. The solution of this problem was not solely wrapped up with the achievement of cheaper methods of building. Something further yet should be done towards reducing interest charges for returned men. M. Cotterill commended to the Ministe of Works a greater use of pumice boards and other timber substitutes, to overcome the 'imber bottleneck in post-war housing. Mr. W. H. Gillespie (Opp., Hurunui) said farming was, and always would be, a basic industry in New Zealand; so the foundation on which its economic structure was built should be sound and everlasting. In the new order talked about it would be impossible for one country to build an economic foundation without considering other countries. Legislation, in recent years, had made conditions everywhere, except on the land, so attractive that it was difficult to get anyone from the towns to the land. He did not blame the worker for go ing where he could get the greatest reward, but the farmer was entitled to more equitable treatment. Houses should be provided for rural workers, as well as for towns. On the question of production, Mr. Gillespie said he considered thev must look to second and third-class lands, as well as to first class, and he considered that manv men would like to undertake improving these lands under a re habilitation scheme. Another thing that would help production was bette. provision for the maintenance of the transport necessary to the farmer. Mr. C. R. Petrie (Govt.. Otahuhu) said the Government would continue a long time in office if it would only implement its socialistic policy the only policy which would curb monopoly, huge profits and the indifference of employers to the welfare of employees. The Government would be judged on its progress towards social isation in the next three years on encouragement of joint control in industry, or co-operative production, marketing and distribution, and by the scale of its social reform. It would also bp judged by the firm ness of its policy of no compromise with, and no appeasement of, members of the Opposition. MR. GORDON REFERS TO FARMERS' PROBLEMS Mr. E. B. Gordon (Opp., Rangitikei' asked what inducement was there for a farmer to increase production while the Government encouraged waste? What justification was there for a rest period in the freezing industry, wii.ch was only a seasonal industry, in which manv of the men had only been working ’a few days. The rest period granted by the Government meant a loss and increased costs to the farms. i i.e Government, by introducing the rest period at the height of the season and giving a rise in wages, nad outraged its own stabilisation scheme. The freezing works had been working to capacity through the season and - d not been able to handle all the stock offering—perhaps because o. '.lie ~.y season nut at Christmas they had been closed, not only for ordinal y holidays hut also for a tive-days’ rest period) He could only speak of I ho North Island, but hr presumed the same applied tn the South Island. In Um North lie estimated the holidays bad reduced killings by approximately 300.000 sheep and lambs, although lie bad been told it \\ a . pr-' ? ’’y nearer

400,000. Those sheep and lambs were still in the paddocks and many of them would not get to the freezing works this year. Britain wanted meat, and, but for the period period, those carcases colud have been on the way there before now. The debate was interrupted by the tea adjournment. Mr. J. Hodgens (Govt., Palmerston North), speaking after the evening resumption, said there was a lack of appreciation of world events behind the comments of many Opposition members, some of whom apparently failed to realise that, but for the aid of our great American ally, they might possibly not have been conducting Parliament but might have been slaves of the Japanese. Instead of producing a little blue meat coupon, we might have had only a bowl of rice. STRIKING MINERS

Opposition members complained of the industrial disputes, but what ot the Welsh dispute reported in to-day's cables? Responsible men were as concerned over industrial trouble in the heart of the British Empire as they were over it in New Zealand, but the Opposition had not helped the situation by carping at the miners, in and out of season. It had been suggested that the Government should have gaoled the striking Waikato miners, but did the Opposition expect Mr.

Churchill to gaol 80,000 Welsh miners? Rather would Mr. Churchill do everything possible to keep the miners working coal, as Mr. Fraser had done here.

Mr. Hodgens said soldiers returning from overseas needed conditions the like of which were unknown to soldiers returning from previous wars, and they would get them. He quoted a letter from a firm of land agents and valuers—he understood its principals were supporters of the National Party—to a returned soldier who answered an advertisement concerning a farm- The letter stated that, as the soldier proposed dealing through the Government under the rehabilitation scheme, the writers could do nothing for him, as there was no evidence of the Crown buying land. Mr. Hodgens said the truth was that 191 loans, representing £584,149 had been authorised under the rehabilitation scheme for the purchase of farms by returned men. If the letter indicated land agents’ type of co-operation in rehabilitation then it was high time to find another means of putting the soldiers in touch with land. Mr. J. T. Watts (Opp., Riccarton) said he wanted to make an urgent and special plea on behalf of his own generation. The young men and women of New Zealand, though they had proved their capacity for leadership, courage and endurance, they had never had a feeling of security. As soon as they reached manhood and womanhood they were met by the depression, then wars and rumours of wars, culminating in the present struggle. During the past 20 year* the younger generation had been told they could not fight and would not fight. They had proved the contrary. They were in the grip of a mental tyranny of old age. and unless opportunity was given to young men and women after the war there would be revolt. Practically every leading citizen in New Zealand had assured the young people they were fighting for democracy and freedom. The freedom the younger generation wanted was freedom of opportunity. Was thers any indication in the Speech from the Thorne, or in the speeches of the Government members that they would get that? He felt that there was none, and there was a feeling of desperation in the minds of young people that, after the war, the country would be run by bureaucrats, individual opportunity taken away and life would consist mainly of standing in queues and filling in forms. The members of the Government had been too long in the professional political atmosphere, and had lost touch with the desires of the younger people. What the younger people wanted was not everlasting State paternalism, but a chance to express their own individuality, make their own way. build their own homes and prove that they were capable to run their own lives. He saw little hope for that under the body of men who preached, and tried to put into practice, the doctrine of class warfare they had supported 30 years ago. WELFARE OF MAORIS

Mr. P. Paik-ea (Govt., Northern Maori) said many Maoris ■were engaged in the mining and freezing industries. In the Auckland manpower district alone 6000 Maoris i were engaged in essential industry, [while the’Maori contribution to food t production was thoroughly creditable. Mr. Smith had suggested that the [Maori people were cutting down dairy 1 herds to take advantage of social [security benefits. That suggestion, at [a time when Maoris were doing their i utmost for the national cause, amounted to sabotage of the country's war effort. Such an accusation was grossly unfair. If there were indi- ■ vidual cases those concerned would not get away with it, but Mr. Smith would have done better to pay attention to the pakeha shortcomings, which also existed. Mr. Paikea said any abus's of the social security scheme would be investigated by tribal committees under the Maori war effort organisation. He thanked the Government for its humanitarian efforts to restore to th° Maoris the prestige they had lost, under past Governments. Had the Opposition been returned to power the Maoris would have gone back to the position they were in 25 years ago. Under the Labour Government the Maoris had regained their pride of race. Mr. A. S. Sutherland (Opp.. Hauraki), said 95 per cent, of the coalminers were good, solid citizens, and good worker*, but there were a few trouble-makexs mong them. >Jore coal was neeaed, and it was up to the Government to get more. Many of the miners had their appeals against war service adjourned, and if they went out on strike they should be drafted into the Army overnight. THIN TIME FOR PRIMARY I’RODI ( ERS. Mr. Sutherland said the primary vere having a thin time. There 9 s no go-slow about them. They simply could not produce what they should without more fertilisers, and More labour. Farmers, their wives a»nd families had done all thr\ could and the Gove nment should direct suitable labour to the land to meet the demands for production m the future. The debate was interrupted b\ the adjournment at 10.30 p.m. ♦