BUDGET DEBATE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 18, 14 October 1937, Page 7

BUDGET DEBATE

Prese ^seociatipn.)

£ra of "State Regulation and Dictation" WATERFRONT LABOUR

(By Telegraph --

WELLINGTON, Last Night. In the House this afteinoon Mr. E. P. Mea,cheu continued the Budget debate. Hp rpferred to the beueficial work had been carried out by tho Public Works Pepartmcht in cOnnection with the construction of nerodromes and river prptection and also rpfuted the charge that men employed on public works wero relief workers. He contrasted the conditions which were now obtaining for men employed on public works with those for relief workers under the previous Government. Speaking of the criticism which farmers in Southland had levelled at the Government 's guaranteed price for butterfa^t, Mr. Meachen said things did not appear too kappy in the Earmers' Union in Southland, the farmexs there apparcntly not being. unanijnous in their condemnation of the guaranteed price. He had hcard Qpposition members state the Government should do somqthing to provide roads and bridges for access for backblock settlers. That sounded wonderful coming from mem bers of that party -which for 40 years bad done so little in the Wairau electorate for backblock scttlerg. The present Government was providing for them and under its Administration Marlborough was coming out of the doldrums and would take its place in thesun with othcr parts of the eommunity. A Maiden Speech. Mr. A. Campbell (Temuka) stated that he had taken an active part in the formation of the Association of Polico Officers and he could assure the House that it was functioning well. The eommunity, ho suggested, should look upou the pojice as a soci-al body and not as a system of force. Commentlng on the critieisms by Mr. W. J. Polson in regard to New Zealand wharf work, Mr, Campbell pointed out the dififerent conditions in Australia where they worked around tho clock. He was glad to say > that this system had been abo)ished in IVew Zealand yoars ago. He went on to deny charges that delays in loading dhips were due to the watersiders, stating that in many cases it was the fault flf the employers. He also urged Mr. Polpon to consider the suggested cooperative system of work on the waterfront -which, he contended, would eliminate much of the trouble which existed there to-day. At the conclusion of his address, which was his maiden speech in the House, Mr. Campbell was greeted with a ' round of applause. Mr. S. G. Holland said experience had taught us that making provision for a rainy day was a vepy wise move. It was quite apparenf that the Government did not beBeve in private savings j nor did it practise national saving and I was making sure of spendmg every penny it reeeived. He was sure tho workers of the Dominion would not endorse that policy, Mr. Holland stated that Mr. Campbell had iiot answered the Opposition's criticism that the loading of ships took nearly twice as long to-day as it had a year or two ago. He eriticised the Government for ita failure to remove the saies tax as it had- promised to do, nor had it reduced the ex* chango rate and it had also refused to answer the Opposition's qupstions concerning its intentions for tho carrying out of its promises. Under the present Government it was obyious that New Zealand was being asked to settle ffown to a system of State regulation, dictation, control and fixation of prices. , What had happened in the whpat and flour industry, where the quality of bread and flour was in a particularly low state, was a clear indication to the public of the condition of things that would obtain if the Government took " full control of all industries, It was time the Government practised a little efficiency before forcing its ideas oa industry. The' time had also arrived when action should be taken to protect secondary industries and it it were not taken many industries would be wiped out. In some cases it was already too late for factories had already cloaed down. !London Sterling Punds Eeferring to overseas credits, Mr. Holland contended it was the Government 's intention to "collar" the London sterling funds and it would „ also ration imports. Speaking on the pubject of costless credit, he stated it was no wonder thev heard rumoure of disoension in Cabinet and the Labour Party when it realised the Govorpment had not uscd a penny of costless sredit and that the Minister of Pjnance was not in favour of its pse. Mr. L. G. Lowry (Otaki) referred to the successfnl condition of many industries in the Dominion to-day and also to ncw industries which were commencing operations, The direetors of thess toncerns did not seem to be bothering ibout the alleged lack of confidence in the Government 's eco.noroic programme. i The Opposition's statoment that whea it returned to oflice it would restore jur heritage of freedom was so much empty vapouring and he asked how much freedom had been enjoyed by relief wbrkers under the Opposition Government, He protested against tho Oppositian's stntement Ihat the present Government was a class one. It was a eommunity Government and if ifc reniaincd long enough in oflice everyonc would bcnelit undor its administration. 'J'he Budgpt, he said, was one of conlidcnce and he siucereJy hoped it' would be Ihe i'ororunuer of many such Budget.s by the Labour Administration, The debate was ad-iuqrned at O.C0- ' I£xporuj«ce m evory branch ot ratln work dating back to 1S2€ together witt. tbe most modern and comprebensi^f collection of testing apparatus in tbe district, is at your disposnl when you require radio servico by ringing J A. hynn cr, Lyndon and oiithl.mJ icmd? UaetingBj l'bonc 10711. *