PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 22442, 12 September 1936, Page 10

PARLIAMENT

MORTGAGE BILL DEBATE [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, September 11. The House resumed at 2.30 p.m. Mr Denham said the greatest burden the farmers and business men had to carry to-day was interest. The cost or living was increasing, and the costs of the farmer were increasing. He believed that the internal consumption of the farmers’ produce con id be increased 50 per cent., and that was the best way to secure prosperity for the farmer. Mr Hargest said the last Government had done its best to make agriculture pay, and the present Bill was the natural successor to the previous Government’s legislation. He asked the Government to do justice to the men who had lent money to develop the Dominion. Whether that money was wisely spent or not was not the responsibility of the men who lent the money. The - Bill would go a long way to remove the dead-weight of debt on the land in the shape of mortgages, and with that the Opposition had no quarrel. He though that in the past, when legislation dealing with mortgagors and mortgagees was being considered, more consideration was given to the mortgagor than the mortgagee. No matter how hard pressed he was, the mortgagor always had his home and his living, but the mortgagee often got nothing. Mr Mason said the purpose of the Bill was to let the mortgagee and the mortgagor know where they stood. The Bill was not designed to take from the mortgagee anything he had, but was designed merely to register the loss that had already occurred. The Bill would bring the problem to a conclusion in the best and quickest way. Mr Endean asked if the Government thought it fair that people who were depending on interest from investments for a living should receive nothing pending the hearing of an application He though the right of appeal, even to the highest tribunal of the land, should be provided in the Bill. , . , ' , , Mr Williams said Britain had led the world in farming and breeding stock, and that reputation was achieved mostly by tenant farmers. The leasehold tenants had just as much security as the freeholders. The last Government in three years passed four mortgage measures, and he was not optimistic enough to. believe that the present measure was the final mortgage adjustment. He hoped the measure would be followed by other measures designed to give community-created values to the community and stop speculation. The debate was adjourned, and the House rose at 5.15 p.m. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, September 11. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. .Urgency was accorded the passage of the Agricultural Workers Bill. Moving the second reading, the Leader of the Council, the Hon. M. Fagan, said the Bill embodied the agreement entered into between the Farmers’ Unihn and the Minister of Labour. Hon. F. Waite stressed that the Bill was experimental, and said he could largely agree with it. I'armers preferred it fo working under Rafferty rules. . Hon. C. J. Carrington doubted whether the wages were adequate. Hon. J. Cotter said the Bill was an honest attempt to deal with the problem, but it had to be remembered that anything that hampered the farmers would hamper the development of the country. Hon. W. Hayward said that on the whole the Bill was a desirable measure. Replying, Mr Fagan assured members that the Minister of Labour would not go back on the agreement and would not permit a union to be formed by any section of the farm workers during the next 12 months. Female workers came under the provisions of the Bill as long as they were not doing domestic work. .*■' The Bill was put through all its stages and passed. The Council adjourned at 3.45 p.m.