HOUSE IN SESSION

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22659, 12 July 1945, Page 6

HOUSE IN SESSION

DEBATE CONTINUED MANY SUBJECTS DISCUSSED WELLINGTON, Thursday The Address-in-Reply debate was resumed in the House of Representatives yesterday after the long weekend recess. Mr C. R. Petrie (Government — Otahuhu) claimed that there had always been import selection in that importers, together with banks, used to decide what goods should be imported and so what goods should be manufactured in New Zealand. The question was whether they should continue to exercise that power or whether the State should take a benevolent interest in what goods were brought into the country. Mr Petrie believed in reciprocal trade with Britain to the Dominion’s utmost capacity, but he considered that New Zealand industry was the key to peacetime prosperity and he disagreed with the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Holland, as to the means whereby the Dominion could best help Britain restore her trade. • Dominion manufacturers were concerned as to what undertakings Mr Holland had given in London about import restrictions, Mr Petrie continued. Mr Holland apparently advocated giving British manufacturers the right of unlimited competition in New Zealand with no “ glasshouse ” industries in the Dominion. However, Mr Petrie thought it desirable that the Dominion should raise some “ glasshouse ” seedlings which would later be planted out to look after themselves. High Building Costs Mr H. T. Morton (Opposition— Waitemata) said that building costs in New Zealand today were the highest in the world. The customs tax on Oregon pine, which came mostly from Canada and the United States, should be removed at least for the next four or five years; the Dominion should do as Australia had done and abolish the sales tax on all building materials; building sections should be removed from the scope of the Land Sales Act to avoid red tape and delays in getting section prices approved. The Government should remove from provisions of the Fair Rents Act the sub-letting of large houses, Mr Morton continued. Army and air force camps should be used to provide housing accommodation for people whose need was urgent. Temporary housing should be permitted. Mr J. A. Roy (Opposition—Clutha) said the drift to the cities was being accentuated by the fact that farmers’ costs were rising. The present was a golden opportunity for developing primary production with assured markets in devastated Europe. If this opportunity were seized upon it would provide the wherewithal for expanding the Dominion’s manufactures and so increasing employment in the cities. Country Quota Issue Mr R. M. Macfarlane (Government—Christchurch South), referring to the country quota said he understood that one man, one vote was the essence of democracy, but the Opposition apparently thought otherwise, when they defended the loading of country electorates by 28 per cent, and even said the loading should be increased. Mr Macfarlane ridiculed references to “ the Gestapo,” which had been made during the debate. He said if the Opposition could produce evidence that a Gestapo was operating in New Zealand he would be 100 per cent with them in opposing it and the Government. Mr C. G. Harker (Opposition— Waipawa) said there were many im- 1 portant things not mentioned in the j Speech from the Throne. There had been two serious floods in the South Island, but there was no mention of anything being done to prevent such disasters. There was no provision for afforestation, which was so vitally necessary to prevent flooding and which could be linked with the rehabilitation of returned men. There was nothing about the prevention of juvenile delinquency, which had increased to an alarming extent. Recognition of Church Schools Mr Harker suggested that the State . ould recognise Church schools, the names of whose pupils appeared in inrge numbers in the honours and awards lists of the services, but did not appear in the lists of inmates of defaulters’ camps. Mr Harker also advocated the prevention of disease rather than treatment after illness had set in. He suggested that some of the money being expended on the enlargement of public hospitals might be diverted to housing, especially among the Maoris, where conditions in many cases fostered the development of disease and sickness. Mr G. R. Herron (Opposition— Awarua), who was speaking for the first time in the House, paid a tribute to his predecessor, the late Brigadier J. Hargest. Mr Herron said that the most important people in the country were young couples raising families. He and his wife had raised a family of eight, and he was thankful he was not attempting to do that at the present time. The Government certainly granted a family allowance, 4 but at the same time it put a heavy sales tax on children’s clothes, so that it got part of the allowance back again. The Government might decide to increase the family allowance, but a fairer way would be to remove the sales tax from children’s clothes and other requirements. Mr Herron was warmly applauded at the conclusion of his speech. The debate was interrupted at 10.30 when the House rose until this afternoon.