PARLIAMENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 265, 6 October 1933, Page 9

PARLIAMENT

THIRD AMENDMENT REJECTED ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE Another step towards the end of the Address-in-Reply debate was taken, yesterday, wken Mr P. Iraser s amendment advocating" a dissolution of Parliament and a g'eneral election was rejected by 46 votes to 27. . An important statement was made to the House explaining the registrations of unemployed and dealing with misconceptions that had arisen.

FEAR OF JAPAN. FLOODING OF MARKETS. LABOUR MEMBER’S VIEW. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Oct. 5. Continuing the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives this afternoon, Mr W. E-. Barnard referred to the constantly expressed fear that New Zealand would be flooded by Japanese goods at prices with which local manufacturers could not ■ compete, no matter what tariff walls might be erected. He said there was no question that Japan was well on the way to becoming a powerful industrial nation. It was significant that within the last week or two Britain had loaned to Australia five destroyers, in order to strengthen the defence of the Commonwealth. There was also a possibility of a compulsory system of military training being introduced in Australia next year. Some question had been raised as to whether New Zealand was acting in conjunction with Australia in her defence preparations. In his view, such an attitude of mind was highly dangerous and not in the true interests of the people of the Dominion. Why should we not enter into an agreement with Japan. The Japanese were not barbarians, and had always carried out national arrangements made with the British Empire. Why was there all this talk of boycott and arming against Japan? The Japanese were a very proud, high-spirited and sensitive people, and such actions would quite rightly, be interpreted in Japan as hostile. He suggested it would be well worth while for New Zealand to send a responsible Minister to negotiate an agreement with Japan. “TRADE FOR TRADE.”

Against the Amendment (46). Ansell, A. E.’ Kyle. 11. S. S. Bitchener, J. Linldater, J. Bodkin, W. A. Lye, F. Broadfoot, W. J. McLeod, A. D. Burnett, T. D. McSkimming, P. Campbell, H. McL. Macmillan, C. E. Coates, J. G. Macpherson, J. A. Cobbc, J. G. Massey, J. N. Connolly, J. Massey, W. W. De La Perrelle, P.- A. Murdoch, A. J. Dickie, H. G. Nash, J..A. . Endean, W. P. Ngata, Sir Apirana Field, W. H. " Poison, W. J. Forbes, G. W. Ransom, E. A. Hamilton, A, Reid, D. S. Hargest, J. Samuel, A. M. Harris, A. Smith, S. G. Hawke, R. W. Stuart, A. Hoaly, E. F. Sykes, G. RHeimro, T. Te Tomo, laite Holland, H. Vcitch, W. A Holyoake, J. K. Wright, R. A. dull, A. E. Young, J. A. Mr J. O’Brien criticised the action of the Government in compelling gol<j miners to repay the subsidy granted them. He said that subsidies to farmers and builders were not subject to repayment; yet gold miners had to pay back up to 50 per cent, of the gold won, until the whole amount had been returned to the Government. Mr J. Connolly said New Zealand was importing 750,000 bushels ol wheat and at the same time was exporting 1,000,000 bushels. He was satisfied we would receive less tor the 1,000,000 bushels exported than we would have to pay for the 750,000 imported. Countries throughout the world were setting out on policies ol self-sufficiency, and he asked why New Zealand should import wheat and flour which she could produce herself, and in doing so provide employment for many’ people. He considered that the Government should stop the importation of wheat. MENACE OF QUOTA. Mr A. J. Stallworthy suggested that the Government was speaking with two voices on the quota question. He said Mr Forbes liad expressed the opinion that a quota would be inimical to the Dominion’s interests, while the Minister of Finance, in a pamphlet, had openly advocated it“ln my opinion,” said Mr Stallworthy, “the menace of a quota is the darkest cloud that has ever hung over the horizon of New Zealand.” Congratulating Mrs McCombs on her victory, in the by-election, Mr Stallworthy said: “She takes her seat notwithstanding the strange conception of chivalry possessed by your modern Ministerial Sir Walter Raleighs. I think the leaders of the Government committed a very grave blunder in going to Lyttelton to oppose her. The action has been deeply resented by women’s organisations.” Mr A. S. Richards said the world was not suffering from over-produc-tion, but from under-consumption. The best market for the New Zealand farmer was in the Dominion.

Mr C. A. Wilkinson said that New Zealand’s imports from Britain, compared with her exports to the Old Country, were very small. The Dominion was, in fact, trying to run a one-way trade, and he predicted that it would be necessary to put matters on a more satisfactory footing. England’s policy to-day was trade for trade. Hong Kong manufacturers had been undercutting the Old Country, and under present conditions Australian exporters had a 25 per cent, advantage over the United Kingdom competitors in the New Zealand market. In the last eight months New Zealand had exported goods valued at £7lO/000 to Australia, and had imported goods valued at £1,650,000 from the Commonwealth. Our policy towards Australia should be trade for trade. Mr Wilkinson went on to review the steps taken by the Government to assist farmers. He said the belated interest reductions, mortgage relief and raising of the exchange rate liad not succeeded in meeting the position, and the condition of the farmers was going from bad to worse. He estimated that the total arrears owing to all Government lending departments would be not less than £10,000,000. The New Zealand fanner was at present competing in the British market with the Russian farmer, whose lands were mortgage-free. He considered the only satisfactory way of putting Dominion farmers'on their feet would be to adopt his plan for freeing farm land from mortgage liability. Mr W. E. Parry said it was a tragedy that a quarter of a million people in New Zealand should be out of employment and dependent on the charity of the rest of the community. There was a complete absence of planning on the part of the Government. He commended Labour’s guaranteed price scheme to the House. WHEAT BOARD DEFENDED. Mr H. S. Kyle said the standard of living in New Zealand was higher than anywhere else. He contended that the high exchange policy had improved conditions generally. If Mr Wright's amendment had been carried, the exchange would have come down in one hit and the bottom would have fallen out of the country. He realised there were hundreds on the bread-line, but he denied there was anybody below it. The Wheat Marketing Board had been set up by the Government to control both wheat and flour in the Dominion. The board consisted of four millers —three representing Distributors, Ltd., and one of the free millers —four wheat-grow-ers, and an independent chairman. The board primarily safeguarded the interests of the farmers, and although the price had not been as high as Mr Forbes had anticipated, growers were receiving 3s 4d a bushel. In order that there should not be a glut of hour, the board had rationed wheat to millers on the basis of last year’s production. THE NEW INDEPENDENT. Mr D. McDougall said the Wheat Board had not handled the position in the best interests of the Dominion. In all, 12,000 tons of flour had been imported, and this could have been manufactured in New Zealand. He intended to vote for Mr Fraser’s amendment, as he considered the Government was acting wrongly towards Southland wheat-growers. Now that he was no longer leg-roped he could kick as much as he liked. He liked a fight as much as anything, and his spirit was still willing although the blows might be weak. The Government had handed over the administration of the country to boards, committees, and commissions." It had a hard row to hoe, and it was not fair to blame the Government for everything, but if it could not do the job it should get out. The Labour Party said it could do it, and they should be allowed to have a shot at it. AMENDMENT DEFEATED. Air Fraser’s amendment was defeated by 46 votes to 27. The division list was as follows: For the Amendment (27). Atmore, 11. McKpcn, R. Barnard, W. E. Mason, 11. G. R. Carr, C. , Munro, J. W. Chapman, C. H. O’Brien, J. Coleman, D. W. Parry, W.' E. Fraser, P. Richards, A. S. Holland, 11. E. Rushworth, H. M. Howard, E. J. Savage, M. J. Jones, F. . Schramm, F. W. Jordan, W. J. Semple, R. Langstbnc, ■ F. Stallworthy, A. J. Leo, J. A. Sullivan, D. G. McCombs, Mrs E, R. Wilkinson, C. A, McDougall, D..

Mr J. Hargest: How much more could we consume ? Mr Richards : I should say about 33 1-3 per cent. There are 200,000 people in this country to-day whose cupboards and wardrobes are 50 per cent, below what they should be. Even in the best times there were a large number of workers and their families on the bread-line. He said the British market would never be as great in the future as it had been in the past. Mr S. G. Smith said that if the Government had not raised the exchange rate it would have had to take some other steps to restore the coirhtry’s finances. It might have had to reduce salaries a further .15 per cent. No one could suggest that it would have been possible to increase taxation, because the country was already staggering under the burden of taxation. The debate was interrupted when the House rose at 10.30 p.m. 1 REGISTER OFJJNEiMPLOYED. MISCONCEPTIONS REMOVED. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Oct. 5. Expressing the view that the present method adopted of compiling the monthly returns of unemployment registrations was responsible for a fairly general misconception of the position, Hon. A. Hamilton made a statement in the House of Representatives to-day setting out the actual position. He said that, apart from arranging rationed relief work in lieu of sustenance payments, the Unemployment Board had from time to time arranged financial assistance by way of subsidies, grants or loans for the purpose of enabling workers to be retained in ordinary industry or to bring about their reabsorption into industry from the unemployment register. “In the four-weekly returns of unemployment registrations, as presented up to the time being, it has been the practice to include, in addition to those remaining on the registers at bureaux, all those workers who are additionally employed in industry as a result of financial assistance granted by the board. The greater development of this policy is instanced in the introduction recently of scheme No. 10 a.nd has the effect of building up the total number of men included in the monthly unemployment returns.” The Minister gave the following figures relating to workers engaged in industrial undertakings whose earnings are subsidised from the Unemploy, ment Fund: — Building tradesmen and building labourers under Scheme 10 4,595 Farm workers 9,867 Public works (mostly married men) 2,017 Highway and backblocks roads "1,264 Land development 1,907 Afforestation (single men’s camps) 1,199 Gold prospectors 3,852 Miscellaneous 110

24,811 The following is an analysis. of the remaining 53,816: — Men on register at Sept. 2 unplaced and ineligible for relief under any of tho board’s schemes for various reasons 4,517 Intermittent workers, waterside workers, miners, and goods-shed employees registered to got supplementary assistance under Schomo 5 795 Mon remaining on register but whose relief wages are supplemented for full-time employment _ 918 Mon on register provided with intermittent relief work under Scheme 5 47,586 53,816

“It will be seen that, of the total of 78,627 figuring in the return, 24,811 are full-time, engaged in ordinai'y industrial pursuits. Ail additional 918 are on full-time employment, the difference between the board’s payments under No. 5 scheme and the ordinary weekly wage being provided by the employing authority, sometimes a local body or a Government department or maybe a farmer. “Moreover, the figures are somewhat inflated by the inclusion of 795 intermittent workers, mostly waterside workers, for whom a measure of relief is provided during lean periods. Their earnings are so low during these periods that assistance is warranted. “Of the total unemployed only 451/ are without employment and are ineligible under any of the board's schemes for relief.” coalitWcaucus. FOUR AIsENTEES. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Oct. 5. The Coalition Party held its first official caucus to-day. Interviewed at tlie adjournment, Mr Forbes said the morning had been devoted to a discussion of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Bill, the provisions of which were fully outlined by Mr Coates. . The Prime Minister characterised the caucus as one of the best yet held by the Coalition. There had been a friendly atmosphere throughout. The absentees from the caucus were Messrs Samuel, Wright, Veitch and McDougall, none of whom received invitations. Questioned regarding Mr Samuel’s absence Mr Forbes said he knew nothing of the matter. The Whips issued the invitations to caucus meetings.