Attack and Defence On Many Subjects

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 55, 8 March 1944, Page 5

Attack and Defence On Many Subjects

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, March 7. Continuing the Address-in-Reply debate in the House to-day Mr. Corbett (Egmont) urged members to do their utmost to restore Parliament to the high place it deserved in the public mind. He had been appalled at the low esteem in which politics and politicians wore held by the people. It was essential to restore true government by Parliament. Mr. Corbett claimed that by unwarranted delay in the introduction of stabilisation some sections, including larmers, had suffered unduly. Dealing with the use or abuse of the censorship in this country, Mr. Coroett claimed that the Government by its methods of suppression and release of facts which the people should know of had shown that it was fearful of the people and of making vital announcements as they should be made—authoritatively by Ministers. It w-as a Minister's duty to make announcements plainly and without any attempt to cloud the .ssue to the people. Instead many announcements were made almost surreptitiously, even to the extent of reaching the public ear for the fiist time from overseas. The Government was mistaken if it failed to realise that the people could take whatever was coming to them concerning the facts of the wax*, and when there were facts to be communicated Ministers should accept the responsibility. Mr. Corbett pleaded for a realistic and cooperative appx*oach by the Government to the problem of increased primary production for next season. He suggested that the problem should be tackled in three phases: Manpower, manure and money. Mi*. P. Neilson (Dunedin Central) declai*ed that despite its election slogans that it was a new party since 1936, the xVational Party in fact followed the same old Tory policy which had brought depression and hardship to the country in the past and would bring similar conditions in the future if the workers listened to the Opposition’s claims. Mr. Neilson contended that New Zealand would not nave achieved the war effort it had if the labour Government had not been in power before and during the war, giving the workers an assurance of pi'oper protection of their working conditions under expanded px*oduction. Had the Opposition gained office there would have been a deterioration in industrial conditions and consequently a reduced output. Mr. Gerard (Mid-Canterbury) paid tribute to New Zealand workers and said he agreed with the leader of the Opposition that 95 per cent, of the workers were doing a wonderful job and it was unfortunate that a small percentage ologged the wheels of industry. Ho also #aid tribute to the Government’s war effort, but deprecated Government propaganda about the war effort during the election campaign. The w*ar effort was being made for the country and not for any particular political party. He said, in conclusion, that they were a new House and should do their best to try to measure up to their job. To do that they must get away from party political strife. Mr. W. T. Anderton said the leader of the Opposition had complained of industrial trouble but had not said that every other country' in tho world was having just as much industrial trouble as New Zealand. Everyone must regret the fact that there was industrial trouble. Replying to an interjection regarding coal shortages, Mr. said war conditions had brought about increased industx'ial activity and industries were using coal. That was the real cause of the shortage. Opposition speakers claimed that if the farmers were given implements to work with they would improve production, but the figures showed that the farmers were better off for equipment than they had ever been before. They also cried out for labour for their farms, but he doubted if there were fewer on the land now than there had been during the depression when low prices had forced the farmers to produce more than they had ever done before or since. Reproduction Drive. The advocacy of a x*eproduction drive —psychological, educational and economic —as well as a production drive of which so much %vas heal'd at present was made by Mr. H. Acland (Temuka) in a plea for the encouragement of a higher birthrate. If New Zealand were to sustain and expand her production in future she would need more people to do it. Desix*able though the project was he doubted if many child immigrants would be available from those of the bomb-battered countries whence we would like to select them. An increased birthrate would, therefore, be our chief source of greater population. The Government should investigate the difficulties of those undertaking to raise large families —the financial burden, the difficulty of obtaining help in the home, etc. The people should be educated to admire, not pity, the mother of a family. JDefinite financial relief should be given to parents of several children, even if this involved economies in other directions. Mr. Acland suggested that married people who had no children could shoulder some of the additional financial obligations. He also advocated the institution of a universal family allow’ance such as the Army granted and Sir William Beveridge advocated. Mr. 11. E. McCombs (Lyttelton) replied to criticism of the Government’s treatment of farmers. Eight or nine years ago, he said, farmers on farms of under £3OOO capital value had returned an average income of £75. Now the average return from the same group was £372. Surely that indicated that the Government had made a very fair contribution to the farmer. He added that about £3,750,000 was paid in subsidies to keep farm costs down. Answex*ing complaints about supplies of gumboots, he pointed out that there was a great shortage of rubber, but out of 41,000 pairs of boots ordered 27,000 had been distributed, and of these 75 per cent, had gone to farmers. There were also complaints about shortage of superphosphate. Again there were difficulties about supplies, but it was interesting to note that 270,000 tons were being distributed each year and it was only during the last eight years of New Zealand’s history that that amount had been exceeded. Mr. McCombs, replying to criticism of the coal minei’S, said that if the minei*s were given credit for the work they really did by the press and public speakers they would be much less inclined to be irritated. The miners knew that they had worked harder during the past two years than ever before, but they were snarled at on every possible occasion. Everything that could be said against them was published by the newspapers although the quantity of coal turned out last year was the greatest for many years. Mr. McCombs quoted figures to show how the consumption of coal had increased because >( the development of war industries, and taid it was these demands that caused a shortage in the towns —not reduced production because that had increased. Soldiers’ Votes. Mr. T. .Macdonald (Mataura) discussed the election voting in the Middle East and said he at first charitably ascribed the result to the soldiers’ traditional disinterest in politics and the probability that the men overseas voted largely for the sitting member, but the recent report to the House showed that in the army phase the conduct of the election in the Middle East was definitely a bad show despite the immense difficulties which attended the taking of votes in the waxtheatre. Mr. D. W. Coleman (Gisborne) said he was amused at the excuse the member for Mataura had made for the services voting for the Labour Government. The soldiei*s had voted Labour because they had compared the treatment received in this war with the treatment their fathei*s had received in the last war. The Opposition claimed thei*e was a lxianpower muddle. There was no muddle although there was a manpower problem consequent upon the putting of 160,000 men into the forces, 120,000 into the Home Guard and 10,000 young women into uniform. The young men of New Zealand had made a name for their countx*y, but if sane and. jvise leadership had not been given that

could not have been achieved. Dealing with industrial disputes, Mr. Coleman said tho Government had handled the disputes which had occurred in a statesmanlike manner and had kept them from spreading. The people of New Zealand in general had made a great contribution to the United Nations' war effort and that included the primary producers. Mr. W. M. C. Denham (Invercargill) made an appeal for cooperation. Obviously there were difficulties, he said, but they came from the war conditions. They must face up to the fact that there was a great deal of selfishness. There were industrial units .'ho were thinking of themselves, there were farmers who were thinking of themselves and so on. The counti*y was facing the greatest struggle in history and they should forget themselves and cooperate against the enemy. The House adjourned at 10.30.