GUERILLA BANDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 August 1941, Page 5

GUERILLA BANDS

ACTIVE IN YUGOSLAVIA. PROBLEM FOR THE NAZIS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON. July 31. Guerilla bands, led by popular chieftains, are embarrassing the Germans in Yugoslavia. The German news agency says that Croat soldiers who were summoned to restore order are being threatened by Serb irregulars. The Moscow radio stated that the German official explanations cannot hide the fact that guerilla fighting in Yugoslavia has grown to such an extent that the Italians cannot maintain order unaided. Yugoslav guerilla chiefs, some of whom were formerly regular army officers, are becoming famous. Fighting has occurred in many places, and Croats are just as active as Serbs. The Moscow radio said that Serbian guerillas on the night of July 29 surrounded Belgrade and damaged the electrical works. The German High Command proclaimed a state of siege and was obliged to call out troops from neighbouring garrisons,

IRtoDUCTION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON This Day. Borrowing the phrase, “calamitymongers" from Mr Semple, the ActingPrime Minister. Mr Nash, in replying to the Budget debate made play with predictions by Opposition speakers of disaster as a result of Labour becoming the Government. Mr Nash, who devoted some time to quoting from utterances of National Party speakers both before and after Labour attained office, said that calamity was always coming, but it was further away than ever. The country could do with more calamity years like the last six years. Since the calamity period started in 1935 the total volume of production had gone l up by 11 per cent. Speaking of criticism of the Government’s import policy. Mr Nash said that in 1939 the value of imports was £49.000,000, or £lB 000.000 more than in 1934, the last year of office of the previous Government._ The peak was in 1938 when imports reached £55,000,000, a figure he thought: too high. It was only because the Government made it possible for the mass of the people to demand goods that the imports had risen to the high figure that they did. No one could deny that even with import restriction the Government had brought more goods into the country than the previous Government and had raised the living standard of the people. As to the Budget generally, continued Mr Nash, the Opposition were disappointed that more taxation had not been imposed, and there was nothing to criticise. They were now bravely silent. Mr Lee had talked about debt being indestructible, but that was not correct. It could be paid back; there was no other way in which it could be destroyed. Mr Lee had also said, continued Mr Nash, that it was unfair for the men who had gone overseas to come back to New Zealand to work to provide the goods out of which the debt would be repaid. ’Mr Nash said he thought that was true. It would be unfair. They had to help to do it last time but if it was possible for the Government to work out the way to free the returned men from payment of debt incurred it would do so. He did not know for the moment how it would be done, but as a member of Parliament he would try to free them from the load. Discussing subsidies, Mr Nash said he was himself astounded to find the

extent to which the Government went to the aid of the people of the Dornin- ' ion. Stimulus to- private industry in the form of subsidies was given to the extent of more than £7,000.000 this year. That was the way some of the taxation would go. Subsidies to primary industries amounted to £5,306,000, to secondary production to £1,021,000, and to consumers £730,000. Some of the subsidy was marketing : losses, some reduction in costs, and* some capital assistance. The member for Waipawa, Mr Harker, had said that New • Zealand, particularly the workers, was not playing its part in the war. In 1935, 35.000 tons of commercial fertilisers were produced. but last year production was 141,000 tons. That increase could not have been produced unless the workers were working hard. Mr Polson, (Opposition, Stratford): “The added value for £lOO of wages has fallen steadily for the last five years.” The following increases from 1935 to .19-10 were quoted by Mr Nash: Superphosphates, 317.000 tons, 417.000 tons: dresses, 304.000, 972.000; costumes, 25.500. 96.500; overcoats. 199,000, 301 000; flannel. 948.000 yards, 1,187.000 yards: blankets. 127,000 pairs, 210,000 pairs; timber. 224,000 board feet, 330,000 board feet; hose, about which there was quite a lot of talk, 2537,000 pairs, 4,531,000 pairs; trousers, 616,000, 931,000; boots, 1,548,000 pairs, 2,060,000 pairs: children's boots, 150,000 pairs, 447,000 pairs; slippers. 8311,000 pairs, 1.585,000 pairs.' “Yet the member for Waipawa has the temerity to come into this House and say the workers are not working hard enough,” Mr Nash commented. In the last five years 33.942' houses had been built, as against 28.258, 27,291, and 12 732 in the previous fiveyear periods. He said the average cost of State houses for the last six months had been, with land and everything, slightly under £l3OO. Stating that the Government had de- ) cided that it would be possible to raise the £10,000,000 of loan money required by voluntary subscription. Mr Nash added: “If I wanted to justify the principle of a compulsory loan, I wouldn’t take long, to do it. I would - place the man with money beside the - man who has no money, but who was ‘ going to fight. And I would say: ‘lf s I take this man’s body, surely I can V take this other man’s money.’ ” 3 Mr Holland. Mr Nash continued, had said that the Government should not " tax more, and should not borrow more. e Where was it to get the money then?” Mr Holland: “You are saying some- " thing that I never said.” 1 Mr Nash: “This is my own note; this is what I took down.” Referring to Mr Holland’s remarks 3 on the cost of living, Mr Nash said that if he were a worker he would not mind an increase of 25.8 per cent in the cost of living, if he got a 70 per cent increase in salary. That was the increase in actual wages between 1935 and 1940. Mr Polson: “That is because there are more workers.” Mr Nash: “There is not a 70 per cent increase in population.” ' Mr Polson: “You give the increase in wages a head.”