PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 2 July 1931, Page 4

PARLIAMENT

THE COUNCIL. "WELLINGTON., July l 2. In the Legislative Council yesterday,, an Address-In-Reply motion was moved by Hon. Mitchellson who said as a j member of the jXmoral Party he made no apology for initiating the debate., as he believed the Council was no place: for party. Both he and his seconder,. Juv/il. on.ith, spjKe m ravoni- or lusion.. The deflate was adjourned. The Council rose at 4.10 p.m. THE HOUSE. In the Hc-se of Representatives tJiio Religious “Instruction in Public Schools Enabling Bill (Mr Holland, Chriistc .uroli .North) and Silver and CopperCoinage Bill (Mr Wilkinson) were introduced and read a first time. Explaining the latter Mr “Wilkinson said it proposed that Government should’ arrange for minting in New Zealand or in England, as circumstances warranted, of our own silver and copper coin. This should result in a profit to the Government of a million and a quarter on the amount of coinage in circulation, and there was also a likelihood that Government would gain an extra forty thousand annually in minting additional coinage. The coin .in use to-day could be sent back to hh® country to which it belonged. Resuming the debate on the Address--In-Reply, Hon. J. G, Coates urgedthat an effort should be made to en--gage unemployed in more productivework, such as tho development of idle lands. He viewed with alarm Mr Forbes’s statement that special taxation for special purposes was unsound, and trusted this did not mean a further attack on highways revenue. He considered this revenue offered am opportunity to bring about the derating of farm lands which was very necesasary. Hon. Ransom outlined Government’s'land settlement policy, and referred tothe great success which had characterised Galatea settlement. There had been a large number of men absorbed in development and settlement lands. Mr Savage expressed the opinion that Cabinet should endeavour to take action along the lines of war legislation, for the raising of compulsory internal loans, at regulated rates off interest. The credit of the people,, rather than the gold standard, sliouldl be made the basis of currency. Hon. AY. Veitch contended that war time legislation of the nature to which Mr Savage had referred, had resulted in (inflation, w-itli the inevitable result that it increased the cost of living, behind the increased remuneration of wage earners.

The debate was adjourned and the House rose at 10.30 p.m.