PARLIAMENT TODAY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 July 1939, Page 6

PARLIAMENT TODAY

THE PHYSICAL STANDARDS OF RECRUITS HEALTH MINISTER QUESTIONED. HOUSING AND PROSPERITY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The House of Representatives met at 11 a.m. On behalf of the member for Napier, the Speaker Mr W. E. Barnard, Mr R. McKeen (Wellington South) gave notice to ask the Minister for Health whether he had noticed a recent statement in a Hawke’s Bay newspaper to the effect that a low physical standard of military recruits at Hastings was shown by the fact that out of 150 applicants 33 per .cent were rejected as unfit, whether the position disclosed was typical of other centres in the Dominion and whether the Minister would investigate the position, with a view to cor--1 reeling defects. The Address-in-Reply Debate was continued by the Minister for Housing, Mr FI. T. Armstrong, who said that when 'the Labour Government assumed office 83 per cent of the skilled artisans in the building trades were on the dole, while unemployment funds were being used to assist insurance compan les, hotels freezing companies, etc, to build new buildings. In fact money was being used for anything and everything but the building of homes for the people. He went on to quote returns showing the rapid strides that had been made in house building since 1936 throughout the Dominion, and also other returns, showing the increasing prosperity of people. Mr J. Hodgens (Palmerston North) who followed Mr FI. T. Armstrong, dealt with defence and criticised the Opposition’s contention that universal military service was necessary. “Mr Hargest.” he said, “wanted a standing army of 40,000 to 50,000 men in New Zealand. Fleaven only knew what he would be like in the event of war.” The House adjourned at 1 p.m.