ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1794, 5 July 1913, Page 6

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

MR. M.'CALLUM'S PARODY. Tho Address-in-Roply debate was resumed at 8.5 p.m. Mr. It. M'CALLUM (Wnirau) complimented tho mover and seconder on thoir speeches, and stated that tho speech of Mr. G. H. Thomson on tho previous ovening was one of the most valuable he had ever heard in tho House. Ho suggested that the member for Dunedin .North might with advantage bo added to tho Cabinet. Mr. M'Callum acknowledged that the Government had done something in the way of settlement in his district by expending Jilio,ooo in tho purchase oi a large estate. At the same time, he contended, it would be better to increase tho graduated land tax than to entor tho market as a competitor in this way. Mr. M'Callum compluined that appointments of Government nominees on local bodies in his district were being made, not upon his recommendation, nor upon that of decent Reformers, but upon the recommendation of the band of political assassins who had promulgated the Wairau election petition and endeavoured to keep him out of Parliament. Mr. M'Callum pleaded for tho avoidance of such expressions as "loading a cleaner life financially," used by the Minister for Finance at Dunedin. It was an unworthy remark to be made by a very worthy gentleman. Tho member for Wairau asserted that his party did not impute evil to the other side. On tho subject of Customs duties, ho said that he favoured reductions of duty, on clothing and boots. "The New Protection" penalised the people of a young country. If the betterment pr'inciplo were adopted, railways could be built practically without any borrowed money at all. It was urgently necessary that the salaries of school teachers should be increased. Training colleges and technical schools outside the small oentrcs, also required attention. The Governor's Speech was unworthy of the fino tone in which it had been) read by his Excellency. The Speech was not, in his opinion, genuine, and there were important omissions. An announcement should have been inserted that the Public Service Act would be extended to the whole of the Public Service. At present it applied to only 7000 out of 24,000 employees. Mr. M'Callum went on to read a hypothetical Governor's Speech, in which no made his Excellency state that his present advisers wore opposed to the policy of raising short-dated loans when money was dear, and long-dated ones when it was cheap, because this was"finesse" and unfair to the money-lenders. Mr. M'Callum went on for some time in a similar strain, amidst approving laughter and applause from the Opposition. The Prime Minister: Do you think it is good taste to put such words into his Excellency's mouth. (Oppositionists: Order!) Mr. M'Callum: I am quite sure his Excellency would have been flattered if I had put it in his hands before reading it. He went on to suggest further additional clauses to the Governor's Speech. One of the "clauses" stated that tho Government had freely rewarded its friends, and another that it had presented the only titular distinction of importance in its | gife to ono of its best supporters—one of tho largest shareholders in The Dominion and one of the largest landholders in the Dominion. "Sir," said Mr. M'Callum presently, "I am done." Government members: Hear, hear I The Prime Minister: Oh, you are done!

A COUNTRY MEMBER. LIGHT RAILWAYS CRITICISED. Mr. G. HUNTER (Waipawa) congratulated Mr. Malcolm upon his appointment as Chairman of Committees. He went on to remark tliat tho hon. member for Avon had taken great exception to many things that were in the Speech, and to many things that were not in the Speech. Previous Governments had neglected for many years to bring down a Local Government Bill. Tho late Government had brought down a crude and ill-considered measure, which was afterwards greatly improved by a conference of experts. Tho legislation cf the present Government had been progressive and humanitarian. "To the remarks of| tho member for WaiTau, which. to my mind somewhat resembled a parody upon his Excellency's Speedh;" said Mr. Hunter. < "I do not propose to refer at all. It is a question of taste, and members must be fnikled, in this Parliament, eaitirely by their own view as to what is Rood or wiat is bad taste." The member for Wairau had cited an instance in whicli a supporter of the Government was appointed to the Wairau Land Board. He oould cito an instance in which the Government Iliad appointed a strong political opponent to a similar position because he was considered a suitable person to fill it. He was entirely in accord with the provisions regarding compulsory military training, but some better arrangements should be mado at the camps for tho permanent accommodation of the men. Good cooking also was necessary. His experience did not bear out the remark in tho Speech, that there was plenty of work in 'the rural districts. This was not the enso in liifl own district, but so far as he knew no more men were out of work than were 'usually unemployed at this timo of "tho yeaT. Mr. Hunter commended the appointment of the General Manager of Rail ways on the ground that it would probably put an end to discontent in the railway service. I? groups of settlers were permitted to build lifjht lffanch railways the same gauge should be employed as on the standard lines. Probably roads would be of more service to settlers than light lines. During the timo the present Administration had been in office, Mr. Hunter continued, they had completely justified their existence, and if they continued on the same lines they would remain in office for a ffreat many years. •

A LABOUR MEMBER'S ATTACK. WAIHI REVIVED. Mr. J. ROBERTSON, (Otaki) condemned tho operation of tho Lands for Settlement Act as a process tliat was in favour i(ll the time of the man who succeeded in monopolising a largo area of land. Cost of living could not bo Yeduced merely, by manipulating the Uustoms tariff. Ho suggested that the Government should set asido a day this session for the discussion of tho report of "Cue Cost of Living Commission of last year." Did the Minister for Defence, he asked, really believe that tho Defence system was firmly established. As a fact, disapprovaf of tbo system, and discontent at its operation were spreading throughout the country. Mr. Robertson went on to deal with this subject in detail. Mr. Robert-' son contended that by the action they had taken at Waihi, the Government had set their seal upon lawlessness and disorder. He put the blame for the death of the man Evans who 'was killed at Waihi upon those who were charged with tho maintenance of order. Instead of maintaining order the police had permitted provocative tactics to be employed. Tho Miners' Union Hall, houses, and a store had been entered illegally by the police. Mr. Robertson contended tEat insufficient Inquiry had been mado into tho death of Evans, and that all evidence tending to show that he had met his death in any other way than from tho policeman's baiton had been suppressed. Ho read the reports of doctors, who had examined the body of Evans, though their evidence was not taken at the inquest. He contended that these reports were in conflict with the evidence tendered by Dr. Craig at tho inquest. Ho asserted that tho police had secured tho committal of an inconvenient witness to the Avondale Mental Hospital, in order to get him out of the way. The Hon. A. L. HER OMAN gave this an absolute 'denial, and said that Mr. Robertson had himself told him that he ha'd been eavesdropping at Waihi. Mr. Robertson: "1 give that an absolute contradiction. I think tho Minister should withdraw it." What had happened was that, standing in file doorway of a hotel at Waihi ho had heard tho coroner and the Crown Prosecutor (Mr. Mays) ridiculing the evidenco at tho inquest on Evans, and saying that the result was a foregone conclusion. Both officials were awaro of his presence at the time. A Government official sent to Iluntly to inquire into tho formation of a union there, went to tho office of tho mining company to inquire, about it. This showed that tho union was a creature of the employers. If revolution meant violence, tho present Government was tho most revolutionary that had ever occupied the Treasury benches. Its tactics almost justified retaliatory violenco on the part of the workors,