ATTACK CONTINUED

Evening Star, Issue 22464, 8 October 1936, Page 1

ATTACK CONTINUED

OPPOSITION BOMBARDS EFFICIENCY BILL ESTRANGING CAPITAL FROM DOMINION [Pint United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, October 7. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Mr A. G. Osborne, the new member for Manukau, was sworn in and took his seat on the left cross benches. Air Ratana and Air Coleman were each granted three days’ leave of absence on account of illness in their families, Air Sexton 10 days, and Air Tan Henare seven days on account of illness.

Air Wright moved the suspension of the Standing Orders to enable the Wellington City Empowering Bill to be introduced. —Air Savage intimated that it was.' the last dav on which he would agree to such suspension.—The Prime Alinister’s attitude was generally endorsed, and it was also generally agreed that the Standing Orders should be adhered to. —The motion was carried, and the Bill introduced and . read a first time.

The Alotueka Harbour Board Amendment Bill was also read a first time, and the Finance Bill was introduced and read a first time.

The second reading debate on the Industrial Efficiency Bill was resumed by Air Lowrv, who said remarks about Russian philosophy’ had been made by' the Opposition speakers, but bo thought much could be learned from Russia, New Zealand had strong competitors in the- world’s market in Denmark, Australia, and other countries, and the only alternative to organising and maintaining primary production was to encourage immigration to augment the secondary industries; but that should not be done until the secondary industries were properly organised. .If New Zealand desired to maintain her. entity’ she must not take the Jine of least resistance, but must fit herself to take part in the battle for the world’s markets.

Mr Endeau said New Zealand was built up by private enterprise, and he predicted that before very long she would return to private enterprise. The Bill, he said, would prevent capital coming into New Zealand and would also restrict immigration. It was a principle of British justice that people whose rights were taken away should be compensated. Mr Sullivan; I have already stated that if a person is put out of business the people who benefit should compensate him. That is part of the plan, Air Endean asked the Minister to indicate the proportion of businesses in Now Zealand that required to be put in order.

Air Dickie urged that further time should be given for members and others to consider the Bill. Ho said if the Government gave 100 per cent, support to an industry and it got into difficulties the Government might have to come in and save its own people from destruction. Certain risks had to be taken in establishing a business, and if they had not been taken New;. Zealand would not have the large businesses she had today, but a bureau of industry would play safe and would not allow risks to be taken. He suggested that no member of the bureau should be allowed to hold shares in any business, because they did not want any suspicion of graft. The Bill was nob needed, and would load to stagnation in many industries. AN AMENDMENT. Air .Forbes expressed surprise at the Bill being put through in the dying hours of the session. The Alinisfcr had discussed the Bill with certain groups of manufacturers, but there were a great many individuals who had not considered the matter and did not realise what the results of the Bill would be. ' Some Almister wanted to sec Socialism ruling immediately in New Zea ism ruling immediately’ in New Zealand, but he said it would be many years before that happened. He claimed that those engaged in industry should be allowed to do their own planning and not have to leave it to some outside person. Civil servants were well trained in running their own businesses, but they had not had the industrial training which would enable them to s?y whether a new industry should be started or not. He admitted that there wore certain weaknesses that might be overcome, but instead of the Bill remedying the weaknesses it would have the opposite effect. Civil servants were trained to take a conservative view, and the representatives on the bureau would take no risks. In putting up a bureau of that sort the Government was doing something that was causing grave concern to those interested. Ho moved an amendment to the effect lluit the Bill bo referred back to tbo Government for the purjio.se of reconstruction to deal with a particular industry or specified particular industries after a majority of those controlling the industries concerned had expressed a desire to conic within the provisions of the Bill. Air Wilkinson seconded the amendment. He believed many industries were badly in need of reorganisation. The factories iu New Zealand produced too many classes of article instead of specialising in ono or two classes. He believed the Alinister had brought the Bill forward with the best intentions, but he was mistaken, and should take evidence from those concerned before doing a great wrong to enterprising people. JUST STATE CONTROL. Mr Bodkin said if the Alinister wished to reorganise industry, he must know ho could not do so unless he first secured the confidence and goodwill of industry All the Bill did was to secure State control of industry under a board. Air Broadfoot said the manufacturers might be in favour of the Bill, or they might not. It might be just a little coterie of manufacturei’l in Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch, and

Auckland who favoured it; but he did not think the manufacturers as a whole wanted it. Anyway, the manufacturers were only a small section of the comniunitv. There might be benefits in the Bill, hut they had to beware of overrationalisation of industry. He believed the Government would be well advised to follow the lead given by Great Britain in regard to her industries. Mr Kvlo said that when he was in Australia he told people there to beware of what was being done in New Zealand, and that New Zealand was a good country to keep out of at the present time. 'Mr Sullivan: And are you proud of that? Mr Kyle: Yes; just as proud as the Minister is of his Bill.

lie said lie could not see capital coming to New Zealand with such a measure on the Statute Book. Mr Poison said that at first, before thcjreal significance of the Bill became apparent to them, some manufacturers approved the proposals, but later, when thev saw the Bill, they opposed it. Sir Savage: They haven’t said so to hie. Mr Poison said he was informed that the Minister had received a telegram from a meeting of 100 manufacturers in Auckland opposing the Bill, and a meeting of manufacturers in Dunedin adopted the same attitude. The Bill gave the Minister power to take control of the farming industry, but could anyone imagine the Minister and half a dozen Civil servants telling the farmer when lie should farm, what he should farm, and how he should farm? The amendment was lost by 42 vote* to 17, tbe debate was adjourned, and the House rose at 10.30 p.m.