N.Z. PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1932, Page 5

N.Z. PARLIAMENT

THE COUNCIL ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. (Per Press Association Copyright .J WELLINGTON, September 30. In tlie Legislative Council yesterday, Sir J. Allen gave notive of his intention to introduce the Religious Instruction in Schools Enabling Bill. The Address-in-Reply motion was moved by Hon. Trevethick, and seconded by Hon. Smith. Tlie debate was adjourned. THE HOUSE. In the House of Representatives Mr Wilkinson gave notice of intention to introduce a Silver and Copper Coinage Bill. The Currency Bill (Mr Mason)\ was introduced and read a first time. An important statement was made by acting Minister of Employment (Hon Hamilton) in reference to the state of unemployment fund. When the Address-in-Rcply debate Was resumed the Leader of the Opposition moved his no confidence amendment. Mr Holland said that it was essential to get every man, woman and juvenile worker who was now unemployed back into industry at standard rates of pay and under normal working conditions. There could not be substantial return to prosperity until purchasing power had been restored by furnishing men wdth a living standard wage. At the present time, much of the work being done by relief workers was of no economic value whatever. He understood that there were 73,000 men registered as unemployed in the Dominion, but he could say without fear of contradiction that the number of unemployed to-day totalled not less than 120,000 including the women and youths. The Labour Party, on coming into office, would at once take action. in the case of those who were categoried as relief workers, would transfer them into economic undertakings; would abolish the relief works, and the relief rates of pay, and also the stand-down week; and would substitute standard wages. Mr Poison: Where are you going to get money from ? Mr Holland: “I knew that question would be asked by the lion, gentleman, and I am going to answer it a little lflt6l' , Mr Holland said that the Labour Party would provide extra working time per week to ensure a decent standard of living for Ue men employed. Me wanted to put It torihe House that,... when they absorbed large numbers into industry, they fed a huge hew streahl 1 Into the’ riverbed of purchasing power. Wo want a vigorous Public Works policy of undertakings. Wo also want a progressive policy of read construction, both main and secondary,. In criticising the cessation of work on the railway undertakings, Mr Holland said that the Government should never hqve handed over its powers to the Railway Board. It was ridiculous that a Board, no matter how capable it might bo, should have the right to say to the Government that certain works should not he undertaken unless its consent were obtained. Mr Holland expressed the view that it was necessary that New Zealand should enter into trade agreements with other parts of the British Commonwealth of Nations and with other countries in order to increase the number of markets for the Dominion’s exports. “I think the day for tinkering with tariffs has gone by the board,” he said, “and that the time has arrived when we should have definite arrangements with other countries.

“There is also the need for co-op-eration between the Government and the primary producers with a view to | guaranteeing the price for primary products, based, say, upon a five-yearly moving average. One of the difficulthe farmer is experiencing in this country is that he does not know from year to year what his income is going to be. There is no plan.” The Minister of Lands, Mr Ransom, said that it had been suggested that, to overcome the problem of low-pur-chasing power, pensions should be increased, and that the age at which they were made available should be reduced. “That, of course, could be done by the creation of money,” he remarked. Wages, he contended, would not materially assist in increasing production because there was always the problem of the cost of production. People who had no collective or personal responsibility in regard to the carrying out of measures they advocated, generally speaking, were most ready to give advice. The Leader of the Opposition had claimed that the Government had made the financial depression worse by their policy of deflation' and by the reducing of wages, but what was the alternative?The only one suggested was the creation of'money by the method of the printing p?-~s. The position was that there had e itlier to be an increase in taxation or a reduction in expenditure, and the Government had faced the difficulty. It was generally admitted that this country could not stand increased taxation, and, if it could not stand that, the alternative was a reduction in expenditure, and a reduction cf expenditure must bring in its train reduced purchasing power. That, ho said, had to he admitted. The position had to he faced and the. Government did not/ hesitate to face it. Mr Ransom said that ho would like to know whether Mr Holland prefeired increased taxation or reduced expenditure, The reduction in the reve-