WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1933, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS

SMALL FARMS BILL

ITS APPLICATION

(Special Correspondent.)

AVELLINGTON, February 11

It. seems 'boat the members of the Labour Opposition, in the House of Rcprcsenta-liv-su, in spi.e of all tin concessions tiiat have been made to them by the Coalition Oab.net from time to time, are set upon being “Agiu the Government-’ whatever ito policy or its administration may be. In moving the second reading of the Small Farms (Relief of Unemployment) Bit! in the Houye the other day Mr Coates suggested that i'f -men could be gradually placed upon holdings of their own tli© burden of paying them sustenance from the unemployment iunds would diminish and that in the long run a large amount of money would lie saved. This principle, Mr Coatcte went on to say, cotdd he applied to those who-se capital had peen reduced say to £603 or even down to £IOO ami who were entitled to another start.

LABOUR’S VIEWS. Mr W. E. Parry, the Labour member for Auckland Central, had no objection to the farmers being assisted after the workers had been- succoured, “'flie Labour Party”, he told the House, “never has opposed any assistance being given to struggling farmers; but we do oppose lielp being given to them -in preference to people who are in worse- straits.” As an instance of the distinction between the worker and the farmer, Mr Parry quoted from a telegram he had received from Kawakawa district that day s-tat.ng that three farmers in good circumstances had just been put on to relief works. The Unemployment Fund, according to Mr Parry, is being burdened with all forms of relief and if the provision securing money from -the unemployed were removed nothing would be left. It is suggested that Mr Coates’ schemes for the succour of the stricken farmer are afar off.

FURTHER INDICTMENTS. It was left to Mr H. T. Armstrong, the Labour member for ChristcliureW, to give a fillip to his party’s indictment of the Government. He declared that the unemployment funds had been dipped into too often lor purposes foreign to the intentions of the law. Already the Unemployment Board had trespassed much to far in this respect. Hotels had been built from unemployment moneys and one member had •stated that racecourse grandstands had been financed from the same source. There was, this authority declared, not sufficient in the fund to pay sustenance to the unemployed, and until there was sufficient and something to

spare, the. Small Farms Bill should not- be made operative. Mr S. G. Smith, the. .Chairman cf. Committees, was deputed to reply to Mr Armstrong’s indictment and discharged his task with very considerable emphasis.

COSTS AND EXCHANGE. The Hon. Adam Hamilton, the youngest member of the CbaLtion Cabinet, and, for the time being, the hearer of the largest number of portfolios, is not expecting the prices of of commodities to be largely liiereaued by the happenings of the last few weeks. Facing a request for increased allocations for the unemployed on account of 1.1/0 higher exchange rate lie stated lie was satisfied that the cost of living .-till was falling in spite of the increase in the' rate. “I have not had time to look into the ma-ter fully”, he said “hut I venture to say that the cost of Jiving is gradually falling and 1 do not think the rise in the cost cf exchange will affect that fall.” Meanwhile Mr Hamilton contents himself by saying that the prices of jfiiei, light and rent are far too high and diat they should come down.