N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 17803, 30 August 1929, Page 2

N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

BUDGET DEBATE. LAND TAXATION PROPOSALS. PROMISES TO BE FULFILLED. (By Telegrrapn.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. The debate on the Budget was continued in the House to-day. Mr J. N. Massey (Franklin) referred to'the methods that had been adopted in Australia to meet the position created by the deficit, and he believed similar proposals in New Zealand would have been more acceptable to the country generally than I hose put forward in the Budget. An increased tax on luxuries, without raising the cost of living, should have been the objective of the Government. The Reform Party at the last election had in mind a scheme for helping workers by providing allotments for them where they could keep a cow or two or a pig. So far he had not seen any evidence that the United Party intended to adopt such a scheme. United member: Oh, yes, they are. An Unfortunate Circumstance.

Mr Massev said he did not wish to deal fully with the land taxation proposals at the present time, as he would reserve most of his comment until a later occasion. However, he desired to assure the House that it was most unfortunate that those proposals should have been submitted at a time when not only farmers, but lending institutions and private mortgagees generally, were just beginnMg to regain confidence in Investment in broad acres. Those considering taking up land would now refrain, and ■with investors nervous it required only the present proposals to make them avoid anv commitments. Mr A. .7. Murdoch (Marsden) expressed the view that money could be saved if one board were to undertake the work of the Meat Board and the Dairy Produce Board. There would be a 'considerable saving in levies on suppliers, and the same results could be obtained. More money would Then be available for research, and it was to research that he anticipated the country would owe most of its prosperity of tnc future. lie defended the increase in the primage duty, which ho said had been imposed for a short period. It was hoped that It would in time be possible not only to remove this temporary increase, but slso to remove the original i per cent, primage duly. Mr JL M. Campbell (Hawke s Bay) opposed the completion of the South. Island Main Trunk railway, staling the. expenditure that lids project would enlall was unwarranted: Referring to hind' taxation, Mr Campbell said the best brains of the country would leave the laud and seek some more attractive occupation. There was no Inducement for ambition- to be applied to farming operallons. Another serious nspeel- of the taxation proposals was Ilia! Hie increased burden on the farmer would necessitate bis dispensing wllli a number of employees, and Mr Campbell . predicted that the uuempb'vnieiil figures would be doubled, lie hoped Iho Prime Minister "before driving the people' into bankruptcy would reconsider his plans. The Minister of education, the Hon, 11. Atmore, said he did not think the public would lie deceived by statements that unemployment would increase if the land taxation proposals were put into operation. He was sure the view that there would be an increase in land settlement and a consequent decrease in unemployment .would be accepted as more reasonable. Completion of Railway. Mr Atmore said that during the election Mr Coates had stated that the completion of the South Island Main Trunk railway would cost £2,600,000, while he had informed the former member for Wairau that the work would be undertaken. He was therefore faced with tills position—either be had Intended lo mislead the people of Marlborough or he had been prepared to spend £2,600,000 on the work. Mr F. .7. Jones, former chairman of the Railway Board, had condemned the Midland railway, but he had based his opinions on insufficient data. Mr Jones had also opposed the completion of the South Island Main Trunk railway, and his opinions had been given great prominence by Reform members. The Reform Party, however, had not acted on the advice of Mr Jones when he, as head of the Railway Department, had opposed some of the works proposed by the late Government. Mr Atmore said the policy of completing Main Trunk lines had been one of the most important planks of the United Party’s • platform. He was therefore satisfied that when Reform members criticised these two South Island projects they were not expressing the views of the general public who had put the United Party in office. They were raising opposition purely for party reasons. The United Party intended to fulfil its promises, and Its promises included these railway undertakings. The debate will be continued tomorrow'. __________________