“PROMISES KEPT”

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 956, 26 April 1930, Page 9

“PROMISES KEPT”

government defended BY MINISTER | LAND AND FINANCE “The United Party has never avoided any issue involving a vital principle. There has been no shirking in the past and we do not intend in the future to deviate from the policy we have laid down, whether we receive frowns from the Labour or Reform benches.” So said the Hon. G. TV. Forbes, Minister of Lands and Acting-Leader of the Government, during a fighting speech in defence of the United Government at Mr. Alan Donald’s meeting at the Remuera Library Hall on Thursday evening. The hall was packed to the doors and the Minister was given an attentive hearing throughout his speech. “One likes to have the opportunity of speaking on behalf of the Government,” said Mr. Forbes. “There has been plenty of criticism in the papers and it is only right and proper that there should be criticism.i But there has been much misrepresentation and for that reason I am going to give electors of Parnell the actual about the Government’s suc-r-essful conduct of the country's affairs during its term of office to date.” NOT DOMINATED Criticising the statement of the .Reform candidate, Mr. P. Endean, who had stated that the Government was dominated by Labour, Mr. Forbes said that was the same old statement that had been in use for 20 years, since the days of the old Liberals and the “Red Feds.” “The present Government has made it clear that it is not so dominated. We have had votes of no-confidence moved by both the Labour and the Reform parties, but we still kept to oar course and did not deviate from our policy one iota. We wouldn’t be in office five minutes if we were at the beck and call of any party.” Though either of the other two parties in the House had a perfect right to express opinions and the Government would listen carefully to them, it would not be turned by threats. The Reform candidate was making a great song about the fact that Reform had spent £10,000,000 on education, about the same sum on housing and had given £25,000 to the Plunket Society, but the United Government could not spend cash as freely because Reform had left the cupboard bare and a deficit of £ 500,000. Sir Joseph Ward had had to institute economies. Mr. Endean also referred slightingly to Sir Joseph Ward’s £70,000,000 borrowing policy, which was to be spread over 10 years; but he had omitted to mention that Reform, during the 10 years from 3 910 to 1928, had borrowed and spent £75,000,000. “The public judged fairly and squarely at the General Elections,” *aid the Minister. “They said in no uncertain voice that they wanted a change of Government.” SIMPLIFIED ACCOUNTS Referring to the contention that a clause in the Finance Bill was a serious lapse on the part of the Government inasmuch as it tended to loosen the system of public accounts, Mr. Forbes said that the clause had been introduced to bring about the simplification of the public accounts. Its introduction had been recommended by the National Efficiency Board during the war and it was for the purpose of putting the public accounts on more of a business footing. It would obviate the necessity of having to draft a new clause each time it was necessary to transfer money from one Government department to another. The “Herald” had misrepresented the situation. “Though political meetings are always accurately reported, a twist is given to facts in the leading articles, said Mr. Forbes. Continuing, he said he had spent Wednesday at Rotorua with Sir Joseph Ward, who was now in better form than at any period since he had taken office. . “His services to the country in the realm of finance cannot be estimated,” continued the speaker. “In 3 912 he left a surplus of £729,000 behind him and at every period when he has had control of the finances of the country he has left a surplus as a legacy to his successors. Now he has created a surplus of £150,000 from a deficit of £500,000 in IS months.” The Prime Minister has also provided for the £29,000,000 which had fallen due when he assumed office, and this when the London financial market was in a distressed condition. Financial papers in the Old Country had commented favourably on the conversion operations. Sir Joseph "Ward's name and reputation were great assets to New Zealand when going on the market for money. His ability and integrity were well known. In connection with the Superannuation Fund of the Public Service, the Prime Minister had found that payments that should have been made to the fund as directed by the actuaries had not been made. A committee had been set up to investigate the tion, as a result of which £175,000 had been paid into the Superannuation Fund from the Consolidated Fund this year. In addition. Sir Joseph Ward had kept faith with the Post and Telegraph Department in his promise to review the salaries question. Touching on the State Advances Department. the Minister pointed out that when the Government took office £4,000,000 had been applied for by settlers, who were wondering if they would ever get anything. Sir Joseph Ward had since advanced £9,500,00'.» to workers and settlers through the department. Another promise had been kept LAND POLICY Coming to his own department, Mr. Forbes, speaking as the Minister of -Lands, said that under the Reform government little had been done as to acquiring of land for settlement Afld the opening up of Crown Lands. had since been attended to and speaker had introduced a Land Bill empowering the Government to borrow up to £5.000.000 to be spent on the j settling of men on the land. The United Government would see that the land was in good condition, cut it up, assist in the necessary improvements, and give finance up to £1,250 to carry

on, ensuring that those settled would have every chance of success. Since the Bill was introduced last session, advisory committees had been set up to examine the remaining Crown Lands and recommend on various phases of the subjeet. As a result land was now being cut up and opened for selection.

The Minister proceeded to read from a departmental report details of progress made in the North Auckland Land District, giving the following details of lands shortly to be opened: (3) The Taipa Block of 900 acres in the Mangonui district. This block has been subdivided into seven sections, and will be offered with exemption from payment of rent for a term of five years.

(2) The Pakiri Block, near Wellsford: «i fered in three sections, rent free for three years.

(3) Two sections in the Omapere Block, near Okailiau; total area, 612 acres.

(4) The Kuheroa Block, near Mercer; area, 1,406 acres, subdivided into seven holdings. The above blocks are all undeveloped land. The Koheroa Block is being offered this month (April), and the Taipa.. Omapere and Pakiri Blocks will be opened in June. In addition, seven scattered sections, totalling 1,803 acres of undeveloped and partly-developed land are being offered in May. The Crown land to be offered in North Auckland during the next three months comprises 26 sections, totalling 5,286 acres. WORK ON OTHER AREAS

The report also stated that roading and surveying was in progress on •six other areas, aggregating 18,179 acres, which would provide in all 41 holdings. In the Auckland Land District, in addition to 38 holdings, comprising nearly 9,000 acres, lately opened for selection, two blocks of good dairying land would bo opened probably in May. These were the Mangakura settlement of 921 acres, in the Te Kauwhata district, tyhich had been subdivided into seven farms, and a property of 422 acres nine miles from Te Awamutu, which had been divided into four holdings.

It had been suggested that unemployed labour should be used for the clearing and improving of Crown lands, but though this would be done wherever possible, it would add considerably to the cost of the land. It was really better to allow the settler to improve the land himself. In connection with the pumice areas it had been decided to develop a block of 2,200 acres near Taupo, and the Department of Agriculture was experimenting with grass on it. Should pasturing be successful it would be cut into sections, each of which would contain some unimproved land to enable the holder to run stock while he broke in the unimproved portion. During its last 16 months of office the Reform Government had bought for subdivision two properties with a. total area of 478 acres at a cost of about £3,000. During the 16 months of office of the United Party 32 properties, aggregating 58,000 acres, had been bought at a cost of £596,000. At the conclusion of his speech Mr. Forbes was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence.