PARLIAMENT

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 4 July 1924, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

BANKING INSTITUTIONS. “LAAIBING” DOAVN THE FARAIER. ADDRESS BY AIR. AVILFORD (BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) AYELLTNGTON, July-3; - : Tlie House of’Representatives met at 2.30. . •*--- At the conclusion of the formal business, the debate on the AdresS-in-Replv was resumed by, Mr. T. M. AVilford (Leader of the Opposition). , He opened by agreeing with the mover of : the motion. (Mr. J. Bitchener)- in his rq- ; mark that banking institutions were “lambing” down farmers and were getting away with the swag.; When he, V (Air. AA r ilford) moved his amendment, he hoped Air. Bitchener would give that part of it serious consideration. He agreed with the seconder of the motion , (Air. J. Linklater) in what he said regarding agricultural education,- and -he / gave him his personal pledge that he - would help him (Mr.' Linklater) to have an agricultural college in the North Island established at AVeraroa. Speaking of the Government policy : he blamed it for not checking the operations of trusts, wyhp, in,the words of Air. Bitchener/' Svere v ‘geftirig- &way with the swag every time. He agreed with a remark made;-,by the Prelnier' L some years ago that frequent, changes of Government were desirable, arid he ventured to predict thatrthere was a large body of opinion i-growing //up in this country that the time. had now come when we should have- another change. In support of this-view he., „ criticised the' admihistraiidn 'of "I State Advances - Department;' a typical instance c>f .-i(^s ; inefficiency;- he quoted figures tp'.slio.w’ thaCwhileapplications by settlers for ittoney amounted to £l2,soo’qpG, 000 had been lent during the last nine months. The--Advances- Department had .not filled the .wants. of,..settlers, notwithstanding the additional' money put into it and- hotwithstahdihg' the Premier’s assurance-, that the* depart*ment could njeet all. demands - which might be made upon 1 it/ Coining to -soldier settlers’ difficulties he declared the ' soldier 1 settlers had ' v ' been fooled by the Gbvefinment', Tn support of which stateihent he quoted, from speeches of General, Russell and? Colonel > Herbert, both. of.(whom were, supporfers of the Reform Pa rtjv Since the early eighties there-liad -never beeii so-many farmers seeking the. protection of-the Bankruptcy Court as last year :apd this year, and if we could only trace th© men who had ; walked off s ‘their - farms he did not doubt that the record of the Conservative Government of 1886*87, of over a thousand' bahkiapts . would He equalled by the preserif Government. Coming to the cost of living/ he mentioned that ; no man .could keep-a- wife and four children on less, than £4 per week. He quoted what he called a typical domestic balance-sheet, under which £3 14s 8d was' required to i payrent and provide food for a family of six, leaving 5s 4d for clothing. What, was going to happen to that family if ' another child came or if sickness .came?' ! He blamed, excessive Customs duties: for much of this, but there was nothing in the Governors /Speech ' indicating humanitarian legislation which would lift the burden from those who were in receipt of low wages. Mr. AVilford concluded by moving- the \ following amendment; which (was seconded by Air. T. K. Sidey: “We feel.it, however., to be our .duty to submit to Your Excellency, that Your Excelleney’s Government does /not possess the confidence of the* House or the country, as it has failed to place upon the Statute Book legislation dealing . with the extension, of the. pensions sys—i tem (to include .pensions for the'blind and invalided), and has failed to adequately provide: for- housing -and unem- ’ ployment or to. meet .the requirements of farmers and workers for financial assistance, to help soldiers in cases fdf hardship, :to provide assistance . [in maternity eases, to .make provision, for medical and dental treatment for blackblocks’ settlers, to ( establish State banks and agricultural , banks,/to : deal with trusts monopolies;,.and .-.combines, tp revise the -'Workers’ Compensation Act with respect, to an increased. rate of compensation. 4 and allowance, to revise the Failwayrtariff-dn the interest of primary producers- and the secondary industries of'the "country, .to make practical provision -for' agricultnral education, . and; generally-'..has failed to promote social,.- humanitarian and other reforms which'make for the welfare of the peoplo alf a'whole.” The debate-wtis cftutihuqd by several other speakers, and the House rose at 10.00 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. to-morrow.