MR. HINDMARSH.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1371, 23 February 1912, Page 6

MR. HINDMARSH.

WILL VOTE FOR THE GOVERNMENT. BUT DOESN'T LIKE THEM. Mr. A. H. HINDMARSH (Wellington South) 'explained his position. "1 took lino care," he said, "that 1 did not pledge invsrif to Miller party. (Mr. Massey: Hear, hear.) It is unfortunate that. Mr. Payne has pledged himself to some extent, how far I do not know, but I do know that' ho was supported by the Labour party and by the Opposition patty lxcau.se he was tho lesser of two evils, They' voted against Mr. Fowlds because they knew that he was a downright opponent." "1 have no lovo for the Liberal party,". Mr. Hindmarsh continued, "and I congratulate the leader of the Opposition ■upon the good work that he has done,.and upon the manner in "which he has been able to persuade the country to send all these men to back him tip against this party that has rioted in power for so long—and has brought forward this radical policy when four Labour. members have got into the House. Von dan judge what it will do when there nro twenty Labour members in the House. J th.nnk.Mr. Massey for having so borne himself (hat the people have reposed confidence in him to such an extent that tho Labour party is ablo to control tho situation, and break the spell of shoddy Liberalism that hangs over (his country."

"In Spite of My Convictions." "On this occasion I shall vote in spite of my convictions on Sir Joseph Ward's side, Mr. Hindmarsh announced. "I shall do so because Sir Joseph Ward has, held out a programme. lam prepared to say: Wo shall give .you a fortnight to snow whether you will put these measures through, and if you do not we shall vote for the Opposition. We ore going to exhaust both alternatives. We mean to try to suck Sir Joseph Ward dry and to suck the Opposition dry. That is my position, and that is tho position of the Labour party." (Laughter.) Mr. Hindmarsh said Mr. Millar had twitted the Opposition with having voted against certain measures. Not so many years ago, Mr. Millar, who called himself a democrat, bad opposed his leader's proposal to introduce the rating on unimproved land values. By that action ho merited tho eternal opposition of every true democrat, and that opposition towards Mr. Millar would always -emanate frum him. Last session Mr. Millar voted against Mr. Hogg's Abolition of Duty on Flour Bill, and at that time uttered the treacherous doctrine that wages could not be increased without increasing prices. Such opinions justified the Labour party in opposing any Ministry which included Mr. Millar. "I shall support, this Ministry on this olio occasion, and on every future occasion, so long'.as Mr. Millar remain in it I shall do my. utmost against it," Mr. Hindmarsh declared.

Better Administration Wanted, ■ Mr. Hindmarsh further contended that if State enterprise were to be extended in New Zealand it would have to be properly administered. He proceeded lo quote instances showing that proper administration was not the rule at present. It was being bruited about in Wellington at the present timo that a certain Wellington man had bought some poor puinico land, in Hawke's Bay in the region of Runanga, and that he had afterwards got rid of it by selling it to tho Government through a member of Parliament. The vendor was a Mr. Richard A "member: Who was the member that negotiated the sale? Mr. Hindmarsh: "I don't, wish to mention his name, becauso there may be nothing in this." In another case, which had recently come under his notice, the holder of a worker's homo section in Coromandel Street had essayed to transfer the section to another person. On going to the Department of Labour the holder was informed that the transfer would not be allowed. He (Mr. Hindmarsh) interviewed Mr. Lomas (Secretary for Labour), who told him that he'had received instructions from tho Minister for Labour not to allowany transfers. When he told Mr. Lomas that the Minister for Labour had no power to do this, tho official replied: "I don't care whether he has power or not; I am not going to do it." Mr. Lomas refused to refer the matter to the board. ■\ inombcr of the board (Mr; Jas. Mackenzie) told him that he had never been summoned to attend a meeting of that bodv, and knew nothing of what was goin"" on. When he spoke to Sir Joseph Ward about it, the Prime Minister said that, he would see that it was put right. Before ho had time to act, however, the transfer was allowed to go through. Before."he left the subject, Mr. Hindmarsh stated that one of the men concerned in the transaction had told him that Mrs. Lomas, wife of the Secretary for Labour, brought a person over to have a look at the prop?rty. Touching another matter, Atr. Hindmarsh stated that Mr. Fisher (Under-Secretary for Native Lands) was in a state of trepidation when he asked for the. production of a file, relating, to a land transaction in Hawke's Bay Later, when he found that it had been laid on the table of the House, Mr. Fisher produced the file It liad been impossible to get information from the present Government. These two instances, which had occurred during the past few days had convinced lliili YJiit there was very little freedom of the part of the'Under-Secretaries.

Difficult to Prove. It was very difficult to prove corruption because a Minister always had the evidence in his possession, and one had_very torn d U "me of the things it had dra" Take, for instance, the appointments to tho Legislative Council a few "ears ago. Recently land had been bought k the Government at Tongon. . OrdmLrily sane counsels should have induced them to buy. instead, land south of \ap er. They might have taken some of Mr. George Hunter's land. (Laughter.) \ member: Or Mr. G. P. Donnelly's Mr. Hiiulmnrsh: he is a great Liboral supporter, and the largest sneepowner in Hawke's Bay. He understood tint the Government had pan =£1 per acre for the Kniv.aka Block, but he, porsonallv, did not believe it was worth one penny" per acre. \\ hat the House should do when it found that laud had been •Ttisslv overvalued was to call the permanent head of the Dcpartmon to account. He should be told that if the same (bin? occurred again it would cost him; his position. (Hoar, hear.) If a man knew himself to be in tins position ho could decline to ho cnerccd. Mr..Hindmarsh expre'-sod n belief that the Labour partv though it might ultimately become like'the Liberal pnrty-iiol so innocent as it. should be-would exercise a good influence upon politics in New Zealand for sonic years.

No Statesmanship, The Government should have known tint their cheap money policy would send up the price of land, and they therefore should have had the land valued when the scheme was started, and should have taken portion of Hie unearned increment after that for the Slate. Instead they simply borrowed money. Anybody' who had the security could borrow ; - money. There w.r- nothing statesmanlike about that. (LausjlKer.) He advocated State bankin". It was easy enough to pass nn Act that every person over seventy should have a pension, but there was nothing •tfatesmanlik" about that. From the way they talked of it, one might suppose that the Liberal party paid the old ago pensions out of their own pockets. (Lau"hler.) There was no statesmanship the Liberal party's record on the land question—the most important question of all. (Hear, hear.) After ♦v«nt.v r*< the* hit! ha«l to o'lnift. that]«nil poller -fM * M ftafl llUiy

ure. He did not believe in the Opposition policy either, bccnusc it would only create a. large number of small freeholders. Sir Joseph 'Ward: Whafi your solution ? Mr. Hindmarsh: When I'm Prime Minister I will give my solution It is for you, Sir Joseph Ward, to do so now. Mr. Mnsscy would ho able (continued Mr. Hindmarsh) to form a Cabinet that would be moro progressive individually than the present one. If the'present.Government did not givo satisfaction, the Labour party could put a little cold steel, into it, and see what the Opposition could' do.

The Simple Life. Mr. Hindmarsh next urged that the great need of this country was simplicity of life, and that it .was for the Prime Minister to set the example, in dress,'in style, in methods of travelling, and every possible way. (Laughter.) No (to an interjector), 'he was not thinking about tho title. Re thought Sir Joseph Ward was quite right to take the baronetcy. There was not 11 man in Hint House, except, perhaps, himself, who, if he could got a.title, would not take-it. He did not think Sir Joseph Ward was to bo blamed for that. It wns a matter for himself, and he (Mr. Hindmnrsh) did not think'any Labour man in the country thought, any tho less of him for accepting the title. It might have, been a mistake from ono point" of view, out ho saw no harm in it. It would be far more effective when a baronet sot an example of simplicity.in his'life tlion when an ordinary knight or a/mero "inistor" did so. (Langht«r.) "There is nothing to laugh at. in that," added Mr. Hindmarsh. "It is , quite a .serious 1 matter. Take, a field day in NewPark. Sir Joseph Ward goes' thero .wearing a very pretty dress. I don't know what it's called-Windsor uniform, ■I think—with a cocked hat. The military are there with him, and art held up to the children as the supremely important part of the State. Why should. Sir Joseph Ward surround himself 'with generals and colonels? They are by no means the most important part of tho community. Let him surround himself with tho schoolmasters.. (Laughter.) That is the most important man. That is the man who should be held in honour. Wo know how you oan_ honour and dignify a trade by extending to it a social recognition. I hope Mr. Massey, if he is ever Prime Minister, will do his utmost to raise the schoolmaster in social estimation. Lot us on ev»ry occasion tako off our hats to tlie schoolmaster. At the next fete in Newtown Park, let Sir Joseph Word surround himself with schoolmasters—(laughter)—instead of military officors. Wo must have the very best men and women for the work ■ of education, and wo cannot get them until we treat their profession as tho noblest profession in the land." Loud applause from . both sides followed Mr. Hindm'arsh's speech.