FINANCING THE WAR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 September 1939, Page 7

FINANCING THE WAR

GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS ON TUESDAY STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE YESTERDAY. MR FRASER ON GUIDANCE FROM OPPOSITION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. An announcement that the Government had not yet got its war finance legislation ready, but that this would come down on Tuesday next, was given by the ActingPrime Minister. Mr Eraser, who rose during the Committee stage on the Small Farms Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives hist night to comment on references to Hie subject by the Leader of the Opposition. Mi' Hamilton.

Spurred on by interjections from the Government benches. Mr Hamilton said the Government had not got its business ready, and was not in any hurry to get through the discussion on the Bill. If it had had its business ready it would not be going on with the Bill, but would move the closure. The debate on the measure, which was resumed yesterday, occupied the greater part of the afternoon, and the discussion in committee had been in progress for about an hour in the evening when Mr Hamilton rose. The Opposition had put up a sustained fight for the retention of the right to optional tenure for settlers under the Small Farms Act.

“We are only fighting for a principle which we think is worth fighting for — the honouring of a pledge given to a small body of settlers, perhaps numbering 500,” Mr Hamilton said. “Wc still object to taking away the right ol these people to the optional tenure.” Mr Fraser rose shortly afterwards, and said he had been waiting for something in the nature of guidance from the Opposition and he thought he had it.

"The hon gentleman said the reason why the discussion was' going on war that the Government was not ready with its financial legislation,” Mr Fraser said. “It is quite true the Government is not ready. It will not be ready till Tuesday. On Tuesday the legislation will come down. But I am anxious to get as much work as possible done by Tuesday to clear the order paper.”

Mr Fraser said he did not want to deprive the Opposition of reasonable opportunity of opposing what it objected to. But after a reasonable period there were means of overcoming those objections. The Leader of the Opposition had practically accused the Government of a dereliction of duty in not using that method. He thought that after a long and vigorous protest had been made the vote should be taken and the Bill go through that night. ( “Otherwise; I will follow the injunctions of the Leader of the Opposition, but I do not want to do it,” Mr Fraser added. The Bill was subsequently passed.