CUSTOMS TAXATION

Hokitika Guardian, 2 November 1929, Page 2

CUSTOMS TAXATION

LABOUR’S VIEWPOINT. “The Labour Party has always been opposed to Customs taxation for revenue producing purposes,” said Mr Hoi land in the House in the donut 1 -' on the Customs Bill imp ■ mg addii 'id pi’mage duty. “We have always maintainthat Cutoms taxation should be the protection of industries natural to New Zealand and economically capable of development. The amendment moved by the Leader of the Opposition does not substitute a tax on something else. It only substitutes another form of taxation. Eveii if the amendment is carried it will be found difficult to alter the position materially from what it is at present We have had no explanation from the Leader of the Opposition as to the relief that would be given anyone under his proposals 1 have waited x for some explanation but it did not come The Leader of the Opposition has denounced primage The Labour Party is against primage” Reform voices: Vote against it then

Mr Holland: We naturally ask ourselves if there is a sincerity in this move by the Reform Party. If the Leader of the Opposition was opposed to primage duty why was he a party to putting it oil and keeping it on during these long years?

A Reform voice: It was the National Government.

Mr Holland: Well, the Labour Party takes no responsibility for the manifold sins of the National Government.

Mr G. R. Sykes (Reform member for Masterton): Two wrongs do not make a right.

Mr Holland : No and if the Leader of the Opposition rose and said that his party had put the primage on in the past and it was wrong there would he something in his attitude which we could respect. Air i oates: You are not game.

Mr M Aland: Immediately the matter was raised the Labour Party made representations to the Government. We have not got all we asked, hut we have got something. Air A. M. Samuel (Reform member for Thames): Why not make your representations publicly ?

Mr Holland: There was no secret Mr Holland: There was no secret about it. Our attitude was known all along. We wanted to take the tax off the necessaries of life, off everything that could not be produced in New Zealand. We have had a substantial concession. The primage is being taken off fertilisers and foodstuffs. Some have said the primage was a war'measure, and although the war has gone the war debt has still to be paid for.

Mr Coates: This is not for the war debt.

Ml* Holland; All tile responsibilities are with us for the war debt.

Mr Coates: Ido not dispute that but I don’t like the way you are turning round.

Mr Samuel: He is making heavy weather.

Mr Holland then proceeded to quote from what he called “The Book of Doom” in this instance Hansard for the 1921 session, and he read several division lists to show that Reform members had voted against such proposals as putting cocoa, chocolate, and tea on the (free list. Mr Holland was subjected to a deal of interjection and Mr Speaker warned the House that interruptions were too frequent. Referring to Mr Rushworth’s remarks, Mr Holland said that the member for Bay of Islands, like smiie other members, had been returned to Parliament for the express purpose of voting the Reform Party out of office. Was he a friend of the farmer who would vote to put the Reform Party back into office? demanded Mr Holland, who contended that such would be the result of the carrying of the amendment. Mr Rushworth : Why not you ? Mr Holland : Because I did not move the amendment. If it is carried, the Leader of the Opposition will be called upon to form a Ministry. The farmers oif New Zealand voted the Reform Party out. , Reform members: Rot! Mr Holland: The candidate who had the best success with the farmers was the man who promised to vote for a motion of no-confidence against the Reform Party. The Labour Leader predicted disastrous results for those who had gone into the House to vote the Reform Administration out and vote to restore them to the Treasury Benches. The Leader of the Opposition would agree that the motion was one of no-confidence. Mr Coates: Yes, and you will have to vote for it. Mr Holland : I am quite easy about that. I have got to measure up whether tliis amendment is a big enough thing to turn the United Government out of office. I am prepared to turn the United Government out d c office to-morrow, provided the Labour Party can take its place. That is the position I take up. It is the one T have taken up consistently since the last general election. 1 will vote the United Government out of office as soon as the Labour Party can take its place. I won’t vote it out to place a worse Government in its place. We have to choose between 'the greater evil of placing the Reform Party back on the Treasury Benches and the lesser evil of the primage duty, even as it stands after the concessions made to the Labour Party.