ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE

Chronicle (Levin), 6 July 1946, Page 3

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE

-Press Association

! EEFERENCES TO MR. BOSWELL

i By Telegraph-

WELJLIINUlU-iN, July 0. The debate on the Address-in-iteply was resunie'd in the Ilouse of Ilepresoni tatives today. i IVlr. C. G. ' Harlter (Waipawa) said tliat the Goverumeut had not yet intimated wliat stcps it lind deeided to take to overcome the sliortage of gooda in the country. Oue giance at the new ; cJectoral boundaries showed the iniquity of the rocent eleetoral legislation, but oue heartening fact was that there was a growing recognition of this in Ihe eities. It was a sad thing, lie said, that the impression had got abroad that inurder was nu longer a serious , crinie, and lie wanted to kuow wliat steps the Goveriunent inteuded to take to sulistitute tho ruie of law for a state , of chaos. Deapite a sliortage of meii in , Ihe J'oree, the police had never sparod tliomselves, and the country was indebted to lliem. There had been au euormous inerease in the nuniber of divon ea and a higher moral lone had to be introduced if this evil was not to eiiniinate family life altogether. lie urgod the Minister of .lustice to abolisli the clause relating to the reatitu- ■ tion of coujugal rights as a ground for divorce. lie regretted that the Goverumeut had not given eifect to the recuiumeiidalions concerniiig hospital raling ' and urged the Goverumeut tp forget that this was eleetiou yoar and put tho welfare- of the people bcfore their own jiolitical safety. Ilr. 1 1 . II. Xlaefarlaue (Christehureh South ) said it had been alleged that the Uovernmciit was seeking to retain the eleelors' coulidonee by inspiring the fear of what the Xatioual Party uould do. Yet paid organisera of tlio Xatioual 1'arty liav e been going tlirough tho country alleging that the Governinenl would enaet the Disinheritanee. Uill. Tiie falsity of this had been dem-onstrati-d iast year when the Governliiant siqqiorted two private Bills ia iavour of individuals wlio, tlirough legal lechnicalities, had been deprived of their rightful inlieritance Xatioual 1'arty projmgaudit on this t o[>ic palpably sought to establish the fear coniplex to the (ioveriunent 's disadvautage. Altliough .M r. ilolland had deuied that his party would rcduce wages, thereweri- other voicos — voiees whicli had supported the Xatioual Party o- its predecessors — whicli expfesaed a different view. .Many supporters of the Xational Party were contributing large suins to its activities, aud if the Opposition atlained t lie Treasury benches, it was likelv to be tliese supporters who would ea 11 the lune. The Xatioual Party knew tliat its only hope of gaining otlice was by catching the unwary votor; henco its ready umlertakiags to retain virtually all the legislatiou enacted by tho present Government. The, Opposition had simply endorscd Faibour's poliey excepj ttiat tliey would aliolish the Iicensiug system and controls. If that poliey wero put. into operation, many cxservioemeii would go out of business. Mr. 11. T. .M orton (Waitemata) said that the Opposition felt that the Electural Oommission had done a good job i.s.q f/ir, as, .thy, (.'onyui^ifV) WH!? but when the Xational Party catne into power it would see that the tolerances were iuereased. Discussing X'ew Zealand represeutat ion in Kussia, Mr. Morton said that tliose who preferred the Uussian way of life shuuld paek uji and go there. Ho asked why was there of "Coiiirade Boswellenski ? " Point of Order. Mr. II. K. Coinlis (Wellington fsuburbs) rising lo a point of order, asked Mr. Nneaker it' Mr. Morton should refer to a ropresoiitati ve of Xew Zealand by a name not his (Mr. Boswcll's) own When Mr. Speaker asked if there was anv debate on the point of order, Hon. W. K. Parry (Auckland C'entral) rose • aud said that it was not fair to the country and the House to refer in such tenns to Mr. Boswell, who was carrying out a mission of great delicacy. Mr. K. M. Algie (Remuera) said that there was not likelv to be any textbook on the subjeet to lielp Mr. Speaker elucidate such a difficult matter, but he could refer to Shakespeare, who said, ""Wliat 's in a name?" Mr. Algie added tliat if he could assist he would sav "a rose by any other name could hard- . ly smell less sweet. ' ' i Mr. Speaker said tliat the matter had ! been raised in jocular manner, and as M r. Boswell was not a mcmber of the House, the term could be used. Tle said that the matter should not lie taken seriously. Mr. .1. Thorn (Thames): Treat hiin as a clown? • Mr. M orton went on to say that the sooner a little eommonsense was intro-j duced into hospital finance the better. He had never lieard any responsible Goveninient niember justify the present system of hospital ta.xalion. He sug- . gested that the Prinie yiinister was be 'couiing tiinorous and fearful because i not once this year had the Jjeader of the Opposition received an invitation to l any State function. Mr. ITolland: I did roeeivc an invita- ! tion to ihe farewell to the previous j Governor-General. ; Mr. Morton said it was onlv right that the Leader of the Opposition j sliould reeeive an invitation to all ■State functions. "But we will forget | all that in view of the splendid recepj (ion the people of Wellington gave hiin ! at the welcome to the present GoverI nor-Gentral. " Mr. W. rJ\ Auderton (Edeu): "That's ! an insult to the Governor-General. " Other Goveriunent members: "Gross • broach of etiquette." " Seurrilous. " j Mr. C. M. Bowdcn (Wellington AVest) 1 who was speaking when the House ad- [ journed for lunch at 1 patu, said that 1 the Government reminded him of a ' mythical bird which was alwavs looki ing-backward to see whero he camr : from. The Opposition, on the other I hand, w as rnoro interested in lookiug | forward to the Doniiiiion 's future. I -