THE-GOVERNMENT'S POLICY DEBATED.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1520, 16 August 1912, Page 6

THE-GOVERNMENT'S POLICY DEBATED.

ATTACK AND DEFENCE.

SPEECHES BY MESSRS. WILFORD, VEITGH, . AND OTHERS.

4 PLAIN WORDS FROM THE BACK BLOCKS.

.The tone of debate in the; House of Representatives: was moro lively yesterday than on previous sitting days this week. ','Only'twenty:minutes '■ were devoted to formal business. Tho subject of Panama G'anal dues was again raised, on this occasion by Sir' Joseph Whrd. The Prime Minister said that he could give nolother reply'than,'He had given to another leader i of the Opposition. (Mr. G. W. Kussell)i. : \; that"he. hoped to make a statement to ■ the House on tho subject in a few' days. J Mr. Isitt' asked whether the Govern- . ment, having announced its intention of ; introducing a new form of penalty for refusal to Tender military'service, would order ft suspension "of all prosecutions ■ pending the amendment of tho law. Tho Minister for Defence replied that the enforcement of penalties for breach of the !' law- would continue, but that the Bill to amend tho Defence Act by altering ;. the penalty would be introduced as soon as possible. . - The Financial Debato was resumed at 2.50' p.m. by. Mr. G. Hunter, member for Waipawa, who scored well, at opening, , in'somo light passages with the OpposiI tion and entered a speech which was listened to with close attention by . the-House,'. •-,•• . : The member for Waipawa was, followed by Mr. T. -M. Wilford,'who det scribed the Budget as a great illusion, speaking in a somewhat melodramatic stylo he asserted that the Government ; had already committed a number of ser- ! ions blunders and had gulled the House with fine-seeming, proposals which were ! illusory in fact. Mr. Wiiford, as he often does, kept the House amused with'aj (series of quipji and jests. . , v i vMr. Nosworthy, Junior Government !.'■ Whip, followed with a fighting speech in V defence of his party. He drew-some interjections from the'other side of the ; House,-■ but continued to ffammer away ! , with- facta • which he dofied; anyone to disprove; • '-" ,' ' ! The next speaker was Mr. Veitch, Labour member for Wanganui. He abstained from party criticism of the-Budget, but complained that it contaiued no : statesmanlike proposals for dealing with . . labour unrest. Ho remarked that he did not. approvo tho proposal'.to make tho Upper House elective, believing that it should be abolished. Much of his speech ' Mr. Veitch devoted to an exposition of '.... Labour policy. | ;. As interesting a speech as had been contributed to the debate was delivered by Mr. C. K.. Wilson, member, for Taumar-T j nmii. He had' sonfe brisk exchanges, at ; . opening, with members on the other side i of the Hoiise, but retorted on his opponi ents with such ..telling effect that they soon elected to let him alone. Tho House ; listened with- apparent -sympathy while Mr. Wilson painted a vivid picture of the ' hardships endured'by men; women, and children in the back-blocks and condemned the inaction of the late Liberal Administration which "had,; *e said, need- ; , lessly and enormously 'increased the hardships of pioneering. Mr. AVilson conclud- , ed an eft'ectivo speech with a vehement declaration that the men on the other side of tho House would not dare to op- : pos6 the samo .progressive and Liberal proposals ndvance'd in the Budget, i ' - The Opposition did not put up a speaker j when Mr. .Wilson concluded and Mr. Anderson, tho 1 * member for Mataura, car- ) ried on the debate. He supported the . Kadical proposals in the Budget ' and strongly upheld the freehold tenure. ! Tho^House roso at 30.50 p.m., the adv .lournment being moved by Mr. T K Sifley.