Continuation Of The Addressin-Reply Debate

Wanganui Chronicle, 19 July 1950, Page 6

Continuation Of The Address-in-Reply Debate

PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS. Last Night (P.A.) The Address-in-Reply debate was continued in the House of Representatives today and again at the evening session, by members of both the Government and the Opposition. The House adjourned at 10.30 . _ . _ .

p.m. until tomorrow afternoon. Maori Mana Rising Mr. R. R. Walls (Opp., Dunedin North), said Government members, when in Opposition, had condemned too often the Maori race, but he considered that within the next century the Maori would be on an equal footing with the European in many respects, thanks to the efforts in their interests of the Leader of the Opposition. Mr. Walls said the Labour Government had encouraged the establishment of many new industries which were contributing to New Zealand’s economic progress. Did the new Government propose to push many of those industries into the bankruptcy court by abolishing import licensing or by admitting cheap goods from Japan? Mr. Walls said he had encouraged one firm to undertake the manufacture of washing machines, and after a considerable outlay on tooling up. it was now capable of producing thousands of machines a year. Was that company to be threatened with ruin at the request of Federated Farmers, which had shown a critical attitude toward New Zealand industry? Mr. Walls said that if houses were required in rural areas they should, by all means, be built there; but he believed the demand for rural labour had declined greatly owing to the transition to machine methods of farming. Workers were no longer prepared to live in the country waiting for seasonal or casual labour on an uncertain basis. He doubted if farmers were making any great effort to provide housing for their workers. There were no great difficulties confronting those who really wished to build. High country’ farmers probably stood in need of skilled workers but under modem conditions it was no longer possible to keep the reservoir of labour in most country districts for the convenience of farmers. Cheaper Eggs Soon? Mr. A. J. Murdoch (Govt., Marsden) predicted that before long, under the management of the National Governrnfent, eggs would be cheaper and more plentiful. He said Mr. Walls did not know what he was talking about in claiming there was little need for farm labour today. There was actually an urgent need for many workers in the country and the lack of sufficient housing was one of the greatest obstacles in meeting that need. Mr, Murdoch said the chairman of the Dairy Products Marketing Commission, Mr. Marshall, had returned from overseas saying that more of New Zealand's dairy produce should find a market in the United States. "Obviously our contract with the United Kingdom has been broken, for it definitely states that only three per cent, of our exportable dairy products may be sold outside the United Kingdom.’’ Mr. Murdoch continued: “If we can now sell more than three per cent, of our dairy products outside the United Kingdom it means the contract has been broken. I do not know what Mr. Marshall is implying, but he should not have said what he did, unless he had made a complete statement.’’ Mr. Murdoch said the contract with the United Kingdom provided for maximum price changes of 7J per cent, in any year, and the contract had several years to run. If Britain had now said New Zealand could sell ' more dairy produce in other markets, j she had broken the contract. Farm- I ers could only wait until Mr. Marshall I was able to say more, but it was a' pity he had spoken in the meantime. Mr. Murdoch said New Zealand butter was still being marketed in Britain as Empire produce instead of under a New Zealand mark, and the sooner that was changed to give New Zealand produce the benefit of its own name and quality the better. New Zealand had never enjoyed such prices for her produce, as in the past 14 years, but the future was uncertain in some respects. Mr. Murdoch said the National Government would definitely not use inflation and the purchasing power of the £ would steadily increase from now on. Static Production Mr. J. N. Massey (Govt., Franklin) said the volume of primary produc-i tion was virtually static, although its ! value had gone up threefold. The rural population had decreased by 40,000 in the 1936-46 period, but the remaining farmers and workers had done their job, despite lack of encouragement, for the Labour Government. He considered that the Labour Government was put out of office by its interference with the rights and privileges of the people by the restrictions it imposed, and by its interference with the services of the country. The member for St. Kilda (Mr. F. Jones) had charged the new Government with effecting a political appointment. “So far as a member of that side of the House is concerned he is ill advised ot make a charge of that kind.” said Mr. Massey. “In 1935 one of the first actions of the Labour Government was to appoint to some of the prominent positions people who had rendered political service to the Labour Party. “One of those appointments was to the head of the broadcasting service, and another was to the second-in-command of the same service, both appointments being “rewards. ’ Mr. Jones: It was a special job. Mr Massey said one of the reasons why the Labour Government was not in office was because of its political interference “right along the line.' Had not some defeated political candidates received appointments? Mr. R. G. Gerard (Govt., Ashburton): Moscow! Mr. Massey: I will say deliberately: Did not the Socialist Governments amend the Public Service Act in order to bring in outsiders? What about appointments to the Reserve Bank? The Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr. Bodkin): One had to be naturalised. Mr. Massey said he could name a dozen, 15 or 20 and more persons appointed from outside the Public Service by the late Government to positions in that service. They had gone ahead over others, because they were political friends of the Government at that time. A Government voice: What about Scrim?

Mr. Jones: The Public Service Association says the appointment of Mr. M. Watts at £lOOO a year should not have been made. The Prime Ministei (Mr. Holland): Grossly unfair. Mr. R M. McFarlane (Opp., Christchurch Central): What about Mr. Hislop? Mr. Massey asked what it cost the country for Mr. Boswell, the former Minister to Moscow, from whom Parliament had not even received a report. “He was only appointed to the position because he was a reject,” Mr. Massey said. The gentleman named by the member for St. Kilda had resigned from the Public Service in order to take up the appointment privately. He then resigned his private employment to re-enter the Public Service on a temporary basis. His salary today was less than the amount he received from his private employer, and he was eminently equipped for his position. “We say this definitely, and we are ■ pledged to the fact that the Public Service must be, and will be, divorced from the political football of any political party," Mr. Massey said. Communism was a growth in the country. When the Emergency Regulations of 1947 were brought down by the then Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr. Nordmeyer, they might just as well have borne the signature of Stalin. Mr. Nordmeyer had since supplanted Mr. Roberts as president of the New Zealand Labour ■Party. The last Government must have known about the growth of Communism, but would it co-operate with the present Government and stamp it out? “At heart I am a little bit of a radical myself,” said Mr. Massey, amid laughter from the Opposition benches, “but I am intensely loyal to the King and country. That is the test.” The Government realised it had taken over the control of the country at a ticklish time, but changes would have to be made. It was obvious that Mr. Roberts was unacceptable to Labour because “he has become just a little bit mellow," he said. Nevertheless, Mr Massey continued, Mr. Nordmeyer had been appointed in his place and the present Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Fraser, had warned against the perils of Communism. Drift From Rural Areas Mr. G. R. Herron (Govt., Awarua) said that with two-thirds of New Zealand's population living in the North Island, it was time the old saying of “go north young man” was reversed. The most serious development facing New Zealand today was the drift from the rural areas to the towns and cities. This drift, which must be arrested at all costs, became very pronounced between 1936 and 1945. In 1936 there were 175,113 persons fully employed in primary production, whereas in 1945 there were only 135,107—a loss of 40,000 in nine years of the Labour Government’s rule. Nothing was done by the previous Government to arrest the drift. All the houses were built in the towns and no encouragement was given to young people to make their homes in the country, or to obtain farms of their own. Improvement in eductional facilities for farmers’ children was needed today. , Equal Pay I Mrs Hilda Ross, Minister for the 1 Welfare of Women and Children, [when the debate was resumed in the evening, said she would be sorry to see the National Orchestra interfered with in any way. The Opposition had complained that under the interim award of the Court of Arbitration women received 4s 9d, compared with 7s received by the men, but she had never seen the previous Government do anything to give equal pay for equal work. An Opposition voice: They get it on the trams. Mrs Ross paid a tribute to voluntary workers who gave a great deal of their time to the after-care of children. This work should be given ; every encouragement. There was a I widely held misapprehension that the Child Welfare Department was concerned with delinquent children, but | actually the department was doing ' splendid work for all sections of the community. She thought some of ‘the children’s courts were more like the average police court, and considered the proceedings should be less formal where children were concerned. However, child welfare officers received great co-operation from the magistrates and police. Fewer children were appearing before the courts now than in pre-war years Today there was a greater demand for children 'to adopt than there were children available. “which is a good thing,” she said. Mrs Ross, after praising the work of the kindergartens. Women’s Borstal Association, and other voluntary activities, said that difficulty was being experienced in obtaining girls for the home aid service. There were 48 home aids for the whole of New Zealand. and it was hoped to obtain additional aids from among girls mi- ’ grating to New Zealand. The service i was not inaugurated for the rich. The I need of help in the home was the ’ test.