STORM AROUSED

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20891, 24 August 1939, Page 8

STORM AROUSED

SPEECH ON DEFENCE ALLOCATION OF MONEY MR J. HARGEST ATTACKED (By Telegraph.—special to Times) WELLINGTON, Wednesday A storm of protest from Government benches greeted a suggestion by Mr Hargest (Opposition—Awarua in the House of Representatives tonight that some of the money set aside for public works and social services should be diverted to defence. Mr Hargest made the suggestion in opening the discussion on the Estimates, and it was greeted with exclamations of surprise and disagreement by members of the Government. Mr Hargest began by congratulating the Minister of Defence, the Hon.

F. Jones, on the increased expenditure j planned for defence. No one lie said. I would detract from the importance of j social security or public works, but J national security was of greater moment. Mr Jones: Wo are spending £5,500,000. Mr Hargest: That would have been a tremendous sum a few years ago, but now it is not too much. “I am going to suggest that in view of the serious state of affairs in Europe the force of 10,000 men is not adequate,” Mr Hargest said. “We have heard rumours this evening of a partial mobilisation of the fighting forces of Great Britain and at this moment there may be many men leaving their homes to serve. We on this side of the world should do our little part as well as possible.’’ Continuous Interjoction Mr Hargest continued that he believed it was necessary that the force of 16,000 men should be trained and augmented, and that if thero were 30,000 men it would not be extravagant. “Some of the money for public works and social services should be diverted to defence,” he said. Government Members: Ohl Mr Hargest: 1 know that social security is an excellent thing, but it is not as important as national security. Mr A. G. Osborne (Government— Onehunga): Would you cut the invalids’ pension? Mr Hargest, whose speech from this stage onward was interrupted by continuous interjections, said ho believed that 16,000 men was not enough to defend Wellington, let alone the rest of the Dominion. If anything happened to the rest of the Empire there would be almost a certainty of New Zealand being invaded and for its present forces, small and comparatively untrained, the task of resisting would be extremely difficult. Men and Money “He lias run true to form,” said Mr J. O’Brien (Government—Westland), when cries of “You would rob the orphans and widows” had died down after Mr Harge&t’s speech. “I would like to tell him that this country is worth defending, and that we are going to defend it, but not by robbing the widow or the orphan,” Mr O’Brien said. Men and money were going to do their share before the poor people were touched. Mr Hargest had suggested that the poor should be the first to make a sacrifice.” Cries of “That is what he said.” “It makes my blood boil to hear the honourable gentlemen suggest cutting social services,” Mr O'Brien added. He said those that had money would not be allowed to make a heap of profits as they had done before. The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates (Opposition—Kaipara): 1 did not make any profits. Mr O’Brien: Your friends did. If j men in this country are going to be conscripted the wealth will be, too. Mr Goates: Why not? “Nigger in Woodpile”

“It is wonderful how touchy the honourable member for Westland becomes,”’ said the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. A. Hamilton. “What the member for Awarua said was that more emphasis should he given to national security than social security. Labour Members: No such thing. Ho did not. We heard what he said. Mr F. W. Doidge (Opposition— Tauanga) : Sound advice, too. Mr Hamilton: The member for Westland gets on his hind legs and sees a nigger in the woodpile. The acting-Prime Minister, the lion. P. Fraser: There is no difficulty about finance for defence and there will be no difficulty. There is £5,40u,u00 this year, and if that is not sufficient it is unthinkable that the question of finance should stand in the wav jf this country is called upon. “It must be apparent to everybody ! that if this country is threatened, not only every human life, but every penny and every ounce of property becomes a part of the defences of the country,” said Mr Fraser.