THE DEBATE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1369, 21 February 1912, Page 6

THE DEBATE.

THE MOVER OF THE ADDRESS,

IN DEFENCE OF THE MINISTRY,

Mr; Vernon H. REED (Bay of Islands) rose at 12 minutes to' i to move tho Atf-dress-in-Reply. He said the most significant portion of the Governor's Speech was the opening paragraph giving the reason for the early assembling of Parliament. It was many years since a no-confidenco motion had been moved on tho Address-in-l.'cply. The present Leader of tho Opposition had on one occasion moved a no-confidence motion on the laud question, framed with, the object of securing the votes of freehold members on the Government side. It was tantamount to dividing the House o-a party lines, and he (Mr. Reed) therefore voted against It, although he agreed with some of the opinions expressed in it. The words of a noconfidence motion were immaterial; the only question was whether tho Government should remain or go out of office. It was true that the Government received a rebuff at tho late elections. But what part of the Government—its policy, or its administration and administrators? Another question was: Had the Opposition a majority in the House ?_ Certainly not in his opinion. A party in the ascendancy would challenge the election of the Speaker, as the Liberal party did in IS9I. Mr. Malcolm: They never do at Home. Mr. Reed said that immediately Major Steward was elected to the Chair in 1891, the Government resigned. If the Opposition were in a majority here they would have challenged the Speaker's election. (Ministerial apple.nse.) The amendment to be moved by Mr. Massey was directed against the Ministers, because he had failed to bring party against party with a majority for his own. The Governor's Speech. Great exception had been taken to the Governor's Speech. The idea seemed to bo that the Government should have come down without a Speech at all.

A 'member: That' is, what the "New Zealand Times" said. | Mr. Reed continued that if the Leader of the Opposition f,ot in, no one would take exception, to his bringing down a Governor's Speech containing policy measures.. . The action of the Government was justified, inasmuch as it had passed safely the critical division over .the election of a Speaker before introducing tho Speech. The proposals contained in the Speech were in conformity with the policy of the party. Mr. Reed supported this contention by numerous references to the Speech. Laughter came from the Opposition benches when he mentioned Native land*. Mr. Reed said that ho did not think that tho members of the Opposition, with the exception of the member for Taurauga, knew much about Nativo lands. Opposition members: Speak for yourself! _ Amidst denials from Mr. Massey and other members, Mr. Reed asserted that tho Opposition had advocated free-trade in Nativo lands. The Government proposals, ho stated, represented the best solution of the problem yet offered to tho .Houso. Mr. James Allen: Why did you not got it before? Mr. Reed went on to praise other fea tures uf the Speech. The Opposition would say that the Local Government Bill had been late in coming down, and in this he agreed. From what he had heard read of the Bill it could bo seen that it would have been useless to bring it down in the last session of the previous Parliament, when it was promised. Mr. James Allen; It was promised eighteen years ago. Mr. Reed said that his Parliamentary experience did not go back so far. He commended the Bill and selected a number of its features for approving comment, among other- the provision for tho establishment of provincial councils. Turning to general politics, Mr. i; C od claimed that the Government had done a great deal to assist the small snf.tler, instancing _th* Advances to Settlers Ac!, and tho fn.-trriug of the dairv industrv. At 1.311 p.m., forty minutes after Mr,

An Opposition member: "Owing" them. (Laughter.) Mr. Thomson complimented the Government on the reduction on taxation. Hon. members: What about railways? Mr. Thomson: Oh, that's not a tax. (Loud laughter.) Moreover, it was never put in operation. Sir Joseph Ward: No, it was never put in operation. . Mr. Massey: What on railways? ,

Mr. Thomson: Well, I don't want to lose mv time here. (Laughter.) Ho advocated the establishment of a Public Accounts Committee that .would prevent waste taking place. He recommended the Opposition to embody tho proposal in their programme. Mr. Massey (scornfully): Why, I moved for it, years ago! Mr. Thomson: Oh! but not in a proper way! (Langhter.) Could, he continued, anyone find a more Liberal programme than was contained in the Governor's Speech. Mr.. Massey: After twenty years! Mr'.. Thomson, again urging that New Zealand was enjoying a period of prosperity unexampled in Australasia, nevertheless admitted that, our exports went down last year, but they would, ho said, go up next year.

"A Matter of Statistics." Mr. Russell: Ifs only a matter of statistics. (Laughter.) Mr. Thomson advocated the wiping out of the Second Ballot Act. Mr. Masscy: AVho put it tliEre? Mr. Thomson went on to advocate closer settlement. He asked the Leader of the Opposition how was he going to deal with the largo areas of land in snch places ■as Marlborough. Mr. Massey: Put a man at the head of the Department who understands the subject. Mr. Thomson advocated the nationalisation of tho iron industry and thought the Government should take JCIO,OIIO worth of shares in the Orepuki shalo works. It was the bounden duty of the Government to help those people who had sunk their capital there. Mr. Thomson's remarks were interrupted by the dinner adjournment at which time'there were 08 members in the House and the galleries were still crowded. When the House resumed at 7,30 p.m., Mr. Thomson bad only nine minutes more to speak. He wound up with an appeal to members on tho cross-benches to support the Government. They should not kick the good Samaritan. (Opposition laughter.) Mr. Thomson resumed his seat amidst applause. Mr. Massey then Tose to a salyo of applause from all parts of tho House.