THE BUDGET DEBATE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 23 August 1913, Page 5

THE BUDGET DEBATE.

MR, MASSEY REPINES. REPLIES TO CRITICISM. THE DEBATE ENDED. , (By Telegraph—Tress Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. The Budget debate was resumed in the House of Representatives this afternoon by Messrs Atmore and Hindmarsh. i, the latter implored the Premier to think out some scheme whereby the rural problem would be settled.. It did not matter whether he sank or iswam, he should give the country a lead. The Hon. W. F. Massey, in replying, said that land for settlers was not as scarce as was imagined. If Mr Hindmarsh would go on the land, he would give him a section to-mor-row. He had never seen a set of men go embarrassed as the Opposition during the debate just concluded. The Hon. James Allen had not gone in for window-dressing, but had putout a plain statement of the affairs of the country. It was a credit to. him. They had just experienced a more prosperous season than the preceding one. , Settlers had risen to the oocttsioin, with the result that the country was in a more prosperous condition than in 1912. For the month of July last there had been an increase of £596,456 in their exports over the figures of July, 1912. Those figures showed confidence in the Administration. The Government had put forward their policy in Wellington in July, 1911, and they Had adhered \o it entirely. They did not change their policy every week or so. He deafy with each of the planks of the platform, and contended that each had been carried out. The members of the Opposition were using the teachers -of the Dominion for party purposes, and the teachers knew exactly where they were. The Government was going to see the .matter of teachers' salaries put right. An instalment of what was going to be done would come before the House this session. They would increase the taxation of those who could afford. to pay. A Board of Agriculture would be established, which would be purely an Advisory Board, no payments being attached to the position. It had been asserted that the withdrawals exceeded the . deposits in the Post Office during the Government's regime, but the figures proved to the contrary. The unauthorised expenditure was larger last year because of the rapid growth of the railways,defence, and telegraphs, which no Oppositionist could object to. He quoted instances of large estates being cut up during the past twelve months, in answer to criticism that large landowners were not disposing of their estates. Dealing with the assertions, that the Government had increased the public debt by "£5,700,000, he said the Mackenzie Government borrowed £4,500,000 of that amoffnt. A statement had been made,regarding New Zealarict stocks. He quoted from a newspaper to show that New 100, Queensland at 99, South Australia at 99, Victoria at 100, West Australia at 99, and New South Wales at 101. Our credit stood higher now than it ever was before, it was above the average of Australian States. He defended .the appointment of Mr Northcroft to th© Commissionership of the Cook Islands. Mr Northcroft had not applied for the position. He (Mr Massey) believed Mr Northcroft was a most suitable, man for the position of Resident Commissioner. The House went into Committee on the Estimates, and adjourned at 5.15 till 7.30 p.m.