WAR ADMINISTRATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 June 1943, Page 3

WAR ADMINISTRATION

DEFENDED BY PREMIER

REPLY TO MR HOLLAND.

IN THE FINANCIAL DEBATE

(By Telegraph— Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day.

Replying to the Leader of the Opposition’s allegation that there was waste in war expenditure, the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, in the House of Representatives last night, said that when Mr Holland resigned from the War Administration. after the Waikato coal strike, he had thrown away an opportunity to learn the nature of the expenditure and assist in ensuring efficiency.

Mr Fraser said that in the hurried organisation of the early stages of the war it was inevitable that there should be some inefficiency. “If anyone suggests that you can build aerodromes and defence works in such times with 100 per cent efficiency, 1 will not believe him,” added the Prime Minister. Weaknesses were everywhere, but in spite of all a very fine job had been done. Everyone of the United Nations had paid tribute to the war effort of New Zealand in the field of war, on the sea and in the air, and in farm, factory and workshop. Claiming that the Budget contained a complete statement of war expenditure, the Prime Minister said the Government was prepared to submit the details and accounts to the Public Accounts Committee. It was important at the beginning of the war that our expenditure should not be revealed but details could now be supplied. •

WAR DAMAGE INSURANCE.

It was ridiculous for the Leader of the Opposition to criticise the war damage insurance as the increase from 2s to 5s had been made when the Japanese entered the war - and people were imploring protection against the increased dangers of invasion and damage to property. The time to reduce the taxation would be next February, when the new insurance year opened, and the Government if returned to office would reduce the charge to 2s next May.

CONTROL & USE OF RADIO

Mr Fraser said that if he had been telephoned half an hour before the debate opened he would have been glad to arrange that the Leader of the Opposition should have been broadcast from seven stations, or from all the stations. 'The Prime Minister denied that the Government was using the radio for party political purposes. The Government, he said, was responsible for the war effort and was going to use the air to defend that effort in all its phases.

MR NASH’S RETURN.

“I don’t feel any sense of guilt that the Minister to Washington is here,” said the Prime Minister. “He was asked by the Government to return to New Zealand. No one had the slightest conception at that time that Mr Churchill would be in Washington. It was not till the finish of the North African campaign that Mr Churchill knew he was going to Washington. The Minister is not a thought reader. There is nothing unusual about no appointment being made to Ottawa. General Hurley has not been replaced as United States Minister to New Zealand. President Roosevelt has not thought fit to appoint anyone else, but we don’t take that as a slight.” “Our missions abroad are invaluable,” said Mr Fraser. “The Minister of Finance can, and I hope he will, take the opportunity of dealing with his work in Washington.” The Prime Minister said he had heard nothing of the rumours of pending appointments mentioned by Mr Holland, but would consider the “suggestions” made by the Leader of the Opposition.

DEFENCE OF SUBSIDIES.

’Defending the use of subsidies, the Prime Minister said they were given by every one of the United Nations in the war. In Great Britain they amounted to £100,000,000 per annum. Subsidies in New Zealand totalled about £3.750,000, and on a pro rata basis the amount paid out in great Britain was much greater. The Leader of the Opposition had stated that the soldiers would have to pay the cost of the subsidies when they returned after the war, but did the soldiers object to subsidies to keep down the cost of living for their mothers, wives and children?

Mr Fraser said that while the questions of rehabilitation and manpower did not occupy a great deal of the Budget, they occupied a prominent and important part in the minds and hearts of the Government.

The Government agreed with the statement of the Leader of the Opposition that soldiers should be placed on the land at its productive value. That was a splendid pronouncement, and the Government with the help of the Opposition would have the opportunity of putting it into operation before long. When there were proposals to obtain land at its productive value, he hoped the Leader of the Opposition would stand to his guns and support the Government wholeheartedly when it took steps to see that the soldiers were not exploited in the value of land.

WAR AND DEBT.

How could a war be fought without getting into debt? asked Mr Fraser in reply to Mr Holland’s references -to the burden of debt. Did Mr Holland think that the people should pay the whole cost now by taxation? Was that pos-