THE OPPOSITION

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 38, 15 February 1933, Page 10

THE OPPOSITION

MR. FORBES'S ATTACK

"AIRY KIND OF DOCTRINE"

STIRRING UP TROUBLE

A vigorous- attack on the Labour Party's attitude towards the welfare of the country and a defence of the imposition of the .sales tax as a means of raising much-needed revenue were features of a speech delivered in the House, of Representatives last evening by .the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) on the second reading' 'of the Sales Tax Bill. Mr. Forbes'followed the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. H. E. Holland), whose speech is reported elsewhere in this issue. "The question is, what is a promise?" said the Prime Minister, replying to criticism made by Mr. Holland in connection with Mr. Forbes's Budget statement of last year that there would be' no further taxation. Mr. Forbes said that when he said that no further taxation would be brought down he was' riot aware that there would be an economic session of Parliament" "in which' the" Government would be faced with the most serious problems that had ever faced the country. At any rate, the. tax would not be collected till April. . Mr. J. O'Brien. (Labour, Westland): They are collecting it npw. The other alternative^ said the Prime Minister, would have been to have '.delayed the session till .^arch. There was very little of last year left in regard to any collection of the tax. He still thought that while Parliament was sitting the proper thing was to deal with whatever taxation was necessary without having to call Parliament together again. He had thought that the Government would not be required to increase taxation, but he considered that-he would have been wanting in his duty had he not taken the course after exaniining.the accounts. WHERE THE DIFFERENCE LIES. "The Leader .of the Opposition is always very concerned about the operations of the members- of the Coalition Party," said Mr. Forbes. "It seems , to hurt him very much indeed to know that there are individual differences of opinion; and it seems to cast a gloom over him that this should go on." -Mr. Forbes said that on other occasions he had pointed out' the differences between, a party such as the Coalition and another constitutional party, and the Labour Party in- which there was no independence given to members to enable them to express their viewa, Mr. Speaker: Order! Mr. Forbes said he was only drawing attention to the difference between the Coalition Party. and the members of the Labour Party, who took their instructions from outside interests. (Loud .laughter from the Labour benches.) A Labour member: From the oil people? The Prime Minister said that the . Leader of the Opposition and the members .of the Labour Party considered that they were making a case when they abused the men who stated the ease from the other side. They abused the economists, but never met their arguments. ""We know the abuse they have been subjected to," he said.""'I don't know whether they (the Opposition) have ever played football; their idea seems to be to play the man and not the ball." He did not think that the attack on Professor Copland iad improved the position. Professor Copland occupied the position of an economist m another country, and was regarded as a man above the average. Mr. W. J. Poison (Government, Stratford): He had nothing to say about the' sales tax. .'■-. TT^, he ,piimß Minister- said that Mr. Holland had suggested that "lesser breeds without the law" were the ones that would: adopt the sales tax. Mr. Holland: I didn't use that expression. LABOUR AND ECONOMIES. Mr. Forbes: Well, you said backward races. Does that apply to the Dominions of Canada, Australia, and-New Zealand? Mr. Holland, added Mr. Forbes, had said that Great Britain had not adopted the sales tax, but Great ■ Britain was not at the end of the road yet. It was hard to say what Great Britain would have to adopt before she was through. The finances ■of New Zealand were in such a condition that unless she did not supplement her revenue she would be placed in a very serious position. The Labour Party believed that there should be no economies. Labour members:' Hear, hear. Mr. J. McCombs (Labour, Lyttelton): We don't believe in'deflation. Mr. Forbes: Keep on spending, no matter where the money comes • from. That is the airy kind of doctrine held by the Labour Party. Only an irresponsible Opposition could hold that kind of view. The Labour Party's aim is to embarrass the Government politically anfl financially in carrying on the affairs of the country. They won't accept any responsibility for the welfare of the country. Mr. W. E. Parry (Labour, Auckland Central): That would make a good record. STIRRING UP DISCONTENT. Mr. Forbes: The, Labour Party does everything it can in order to stir up discontent. The Prime Minister said that in order to meet its obligations the Government had to find more money, and in order to do that it had been; compelled to introduce the sales tax. It was one of the last remaining sources. ' Labour members: Hear, hear. The last remaining. Bource. Mr. Forbes: Nothing would delight the Labour Party more than to see the country's-finances crash. I don't think any patriotic New Zealarider feels that way. The Labour Party holds that everything that is unpopular is wrong. I believe that, distasteful as this tax is, it will be accepted by the people in the right spirit. I Believe that the rank and file of the people will recognise that there is no alternative left to the Government. "DUNCE AT THE HEAD OP THE CLASS." "We have just heard an. apology that was dreary, pitiful, and characteristic," declared Mr. J. A. Lee (Labour, Grey Lynn), who immediately followed the Prime Minister. ."Truly can one say that the age of miracles is not past, andthat the dunce is at the head of the class." .. At the request of Mr. Speaker, Mr. Lee withdrew this remark. "If there is a wrong way to do the job, then trust the Prime Minister to find it," continued Mr. Lee. "If there is one argument that should not be used, then trust the Prime Minister to follow it. The Prime Minister said we are not collecting the tax now. Why, thei smallest child knows that the tax is being collected at the present , time. Everybody in New Zealand ex- ■ cept the Prime Minister knows thai prices have risen."