ADDRESS-IN-REPLY

Taranaki Daily News, 1 July 1920, Page 5

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY

THE DEBATE OPENED. GOVERNMENT POLICY, MANY TASKS AHEAD. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington Last Night. ' The House of Representatives resumed 1 at 7.30 p.m., when Mr. P. F. Hockley - (Rotorua) ) moved, according to notice, > that a respectful Address be presented to the Governor-General in reply to the | Speech delivered to members of both 1 Houses. • ' In doing so Mr. Hockley offered his congratulations to the Government upon ' the matter contained in the Governor's Speech, comparing favorably as it did with many previous speeches in the clearness of the lines which it laid down in dealing with the problems arising out of the war. He had no doubt the country would successfully face these problems, but if we do so we must have unity. We ihust not only give a long pull and a strong pull, but a pull all together. The common interest must be their goal, and he believed in this respect that the present Parliament would surpass ail others, because they had. it from the Leader of the Opposition more than once that it was his intention to assist the Government in passing useful legislation. He had chosen to challenge the Government in the first days of the session, and in this lie no doubt had his own reasons, but he (Mr. Hockley) was convinced his object was not to embarrass the Government. THE COST OF LIVING. He dealt with the economic effect of the war in raising the cost of living and creating high prices. He did not believe these high prices would always continue, and he uttered a new warning in that direction to provide against the impending slump. There was one sovereign remedy, and that was production. To secure this he advocated a liberal land policy, under which everyone who desired land should have facilities to acquire it. We must also have a vigorous public works policy, a guarantee of which was the present energetic Minister, who was in all respects "a live wire." He was pleased to see measures taken to secure the repatriation of soldiers, but he noted an indisposition on the part of soldiers to go back and take up undeveloped land. This he regretted, but if the soldiers did not do it then they must encourage civilians to do so. The present Minister of Lands was a mtfn of great experience, and if the necessary funds were provided there would be a forward policy, which would be of great benefit to the Dominion. MONEY AND LABOR. If, however, we were going to have a forward land and public works policy, then we must have money, and he favored the Government proposal to raise money within the Dominion. The next great need of the Dominion was labor. To supply this he favored a vigorous immigration policy. He specially advocated the importation of domestic labor to give help to the overworked mothers of families. A natural increase in the coun* try's birth rate was, however, the best method of increasing population, and to that-end he advocated a sympathetic policy in the direction of reducing the cost to poor people of maternity homes. MARKETS FOR PRODUCE. Discussing the question of markets for our produce, he referred to the stream of gold which had been flowing into the country as a result of the Imperial Gov eminent commandeer, but expressed the opinion that the Imperial Government had not treated New Zealand dairy farmers as generously as they might have done, or should have done, in this connection. He advocated a free market for the New Zealand dairy farmers, who were as much entitled to it as the English or Irish farmer. He thanked the Premier on behalf of the New Zealand dairy farmers for hi< strenuous efforts on their behalf, but he said that the only thing that was going to save this country was not bargaining for prices, but our solution lay in work, work, work, which must supersede the orgy of extravagance which was at present prevailing, and- which, if continued, could only end in disaster. 1 NEW PROPOSALS. He approved of the proposal to set up a Native Trustee to deal with Native ; lands. He favored the freehold for European lands, and considered it would be a good bargain for the State if every lease-in-perpetuity holder could be induced to convert his holding into freehold. He condemned the tenures given under national endowments. Many of these reserves were useless, and the time had arrived when a commission should be set up to investigate the whole question of public reserves. , Schools for the backblocks were advocated, as was also more liberal payment , for backbloelc teachers, whose pay in , the past was not commensurate with the > difficulties they had to endure. Legislation to improve the Local Government and the pensions system was i approved, a special plea being put in by : the speaker for more generous treatment | for Maori, War veterans- Concerning ( taxation, he advocated the removal of j anomalies, instancing several which i pressed unfairly upon farmers. He ap- , pealed to the Premier to-see justice-done to the farmers. As a firm believer in loyalty, he welcomed the proposed Bill dealing with the entry of aliens into the Dominion. Loyalty should be made the first qualifica- ' tion for residence in the Dominion. ' Labor disputes and the industrial un- ' rest, were briefly referred -to, the Speaker ' complimenting the Premier upon the 1 peat woVk he had accomplished in ad- ( justing disputes. In this connection he ' had rendered great service to the coun- ' try. t The speaker concluded with a brief feli- ' citious reference to the approaching departure" of the Governor-General, and ' sat down amidst applause. c RECONSTRUCTION WORK. ' Mr. D. Jones (Kaiapoi), in seconding * the motion, stressed the need for a united ' effort to effect the great work of recon- 1 struction rendered necessary by the war s In this connection the people should not depend entirely upon their Parliament, ' but must themselves do thefr share. 1 He congratulated the Premier upon the ' manner in which he man/ged the prob- I lems arising out of the disposal of the Dominion's produce. These problems had been very, intricate, but farmtw

erally found that when they, met the Premier to discuss them, that he had reached sound conclusions long before they had, The repatriation policy of the Government had received the warm commendation of the speaker, who quoted the Pre* sident of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association to show that the Government had practically solved the problem. He praised the control of the Premier in purchasing good land" fdr soldiers. Banks and other financial institutions were apt to decry him for the prices paid for land, but he refused to be guided by the opinion of bankers about land. In his opinion t*he best land in New Zealand had not yet reached its top price. He, therefore, approved the policy of the Government in paying a goo-1 price for good land for the soldiers. PROFITEERING. Coming to the question of the cost of living, he dealt with the efforts of the New South Wales Government to deal with profiteers. These efforts have been more or less resultless, which only went to prove the difficulty of dealing with profiteers in New Zealand. He claimed we had a law on the Statute Book which gave the people absolute protection if they used it. The action of the Government in connection with petrol, suga" and other com lotlities had saved the people of New sums. It was easy to criticise, but the good that was done could only be measured by the evil that was averted. If profiteer; iii£ was going on in New Zealand, the machinery was available to test it. II only remained for the pepole to put tho machinery in motion. The remedy for the cost of living was to All up the world with goods. HOUSING PROBLEM, There was a'shortage of houses in the Dominion, and he told the Labor Party that money was not the only thing necessary to overcome this shortage. Money could not create houses without labor, but labor could never overtake the shortage in houses in a 42-hour week. Ho asked the Labor members to go out and do their bit of missionary work amongst the carpenters, and get them t<? extend their hours, and so overtako the shortage in dwellings for the people. Replying to interjections from tho Labor Party, the speaker defended farmers against the charge, that they went slow on wheat-growing, contending that wheat was not growing, not because farmers went slow, but because of the drought. Hp advocated tho encouragement of industries, so that we might be self-reliant. .. The Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald (Leader of the Opposition) moved the adjournment of the debate, which was agreed to by the Premier, and the House rose at 9: p.m.