THE BUDGET DEBATE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10701, 23 August 1912, Page 5

THE BUDGET DEBATE

STILL GO!KG STRONG

<By Telegraph—

-Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, Last Night. 5 Mr J. H. Estott (Pahiatua) resumcd the debate 0:1 the Budget in the House of Representatives this afv«rnoon. He contended that tho Crown should have acquired the Mokau estate, instead of allowing.a syndicate to exploit the public. The time had arrived when outside banking concerns should "bo allowed to operate in New Zealand and bring in their available capital. Dealing with cooperative works, he thought men. should he allowed to make as much as they liked, and also to choose their own mates. Under th'ig system, good men would be got together and the best work would consequently result. Me favoured small contracts and piece work on the co-operative works, instead of day labour. He applauded the Government's proposal to bring dmvn a Local Government Bill, and hoped the Opposition would as-sls't in passing the measure when it was in- I trodtifted. He was opposed to land- I lordism in any form, nnd thought j Crown tenants should be given the ' freehold at tho original value. 1 MR J. C. THOMPSON.

I Mr J. C. Thompson (Wallace) said the new Government had taken office under very happy auspices. There was a. full Exchequer, a prosperous country; and a contented people. The Government had been supplied with the brains of the thinking people of New Zealand, inasmuch as the proposals outlined in the Budget of

two previous Governments were practically all included in Mr Mi.issey's Budget. The new Government had shown that it was prepared to support the proposal? advocated by the Liberal Party, and which tho present Govern' meat, both in the House ,wl mi the platform, had condemned time and again. There was very little mention of "reform" in the Budget, He advocated the abolition of the Upper House, and would support a Revisory ' Chamber as in Canada. ' I

MR OKEY. Mr H. J. H. Okey (Tara,naki) -said it.was the duty of the Finance Min-r ister to reinstate as soon as possible the Loans to Local Bodies Act. Many districts would' not have had roads, had it not been for that Act. The | scope of the Old Age Pensions scheme would hive to be extended, to include thrifty people who had saved, pay, up to £IOOO during their lifetime. Something would have to be done to establish a universal pension scheme. With respect to Tariff revision, every manufacturer was pulling to get an alteration, and it could hardly be expected that the niew Minister of Customs should bring in a Bill during the first .wjsion. If the' Minister were given time to study during the recess, he would be prepared to bring down alterations next session. ' The people might dip much by supporting local industries

J DR.. NEWMAN. Dr Xewman OYellingtcn East) advocated the nation.vlif.'ation of the oilfields and water power energy. He i further saw a possible addition to the country's funds by th„-> ri'Hablwhment of a mint in New Zealand. MR KJNE. Mr J. B. Hine (Stratford) said the Budget h,.ul been praised"from one end •of New Zealand to the other. He believed that' iid Ministry should take out of the pockets of the people more money than wag actually needed for the requirements of the country. The money needed for building up works for the future generation sJioukl be taken from borrowed money. Referring to Customs taxation, he said the Government Wt.ts unable to do anything until it received the report of the Cost of Living Commission. Personally, he thought taxation was being levied on an altogether wrong basis. It was j regrettable that foodstuffs and wearing appnrel were taxed.