GOVERNMENT'S DEFENCE.

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 34, 10 February 1933, Page 5

GOVERNMENT'S DEFENCE.

; The Hon. C. J: Carrington-said: that it •would be very unwise for the: Council not to pass the Bill, as the Government was endeavouring to build, up a defence against national disaster. In the opinion of those who had: taken an objective view of the Government's actiqn, Cabinet had acted in an intelligent manner without regard to popularity. It had been the endeavour of the Government to legislate in the interests of the people as a whole. There would have to be a scaling-down of farm costs to a. level in keeping with reduced prices. The fact that primary production . had increased steadily showed that the farmers of the Dominion were competent. The farmer was suffering from the faults .of the past. The position of the townspeople would not improve until the wolf was driven away from the door of the primary producer. Tho gap between the Government's revenue and expenditure was too wide, and'no. country could carry on in such circumstances, and although tho Government had curtailed its expenditure, further economies would have to be carried out. He had been amazed at the increases jii. the salaries of heads of Government Departments from the yeja^.y.9ls-16 to the year 1930-31. Drastic'reductions had taken place in private businesses, andthere'was no rea.son why the higher-paid officers of the Civil Service should,be exempt. "No one should "be ssheltered from.'the general sacrifice. There was also the problem, of superannuation payments, and it was a question as to -whether the State could afford to continue the lieavy payments which many of the retired officers were drawing. The Government .would be justified in reducing the higher pensions in the same way as it had Teduced interest rates. The: Council rose at 4.20 untilto-day.