ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1805, 18 July 1913, Page 8

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

COUNTRY CLAIMS. STATE DENTISTRY COMMENDED. Mr. J. A. YOUNG (Waikato) resumed the debate on tho Address-iu-Reply. He began with a sturdy advocacy of tho claims of tho country districts on the attention of tho Government, especially in tho matter of loans to settlers and local bodies. The Government should, he urged, see that tho money borrowed and advanced by the State to local bodies was spent in the country districts where it achieved the object of increasing: the country's facilities for communication, and thereby its productivity. To spend tho nionoy in wood-blocking and in municipal theatres and the like in towns did not add to our exports or increase the resources of the {country. He commended the Government's policy of closer settlement. He thought tho Government should give some attention to tho salo of New Zealand. butter in England, as was done by Denmark. At present our butter was exploited by rings in London, and sold very often, not as Now Zealand butter, but as "best Devonshire." The Danish "butter in England was sold at from 2s. 6d. to 3s. per cwt. more than New Zealand butter, and ho contended tbat this was because the sale of Danish butter was thoroughly supervised and organised by the representatives of the Danish producers in London, lie believed tho national training scheme had done a groat deal of good to our young men, and ho cordially approved of it. Hie pointed out, however, that in Eoino of tho sparely settled districts of his electorate, where roads tfere bad, needloss hardship was imposed on some voung men required to travel long distances to receive their training. Often they were required to be as much as three days away from home to receive, training on part of one day. He said it was miito true that Natives wore rapidly getting rid of their land, but tho wrong class of peoplo were getting hold of this land. A great cry was raised about_ the of the Government, but ho did not object to tho Government buying tho land. The people who were getting it, however, wero

speculators, half-caste interpreters, in league with city lawyers, and they were scheming all the time to get land from the Natives.. He thought that every man who took up Nativo land should bo required to forl'cat his interest unless within a certain time, say twelve months, he effected certain specified improvements. It was unfortunately only too true that we had an outbreak of smallpox in Auckland province, and it was very fortunate that the disease had not reached us in the summer time. He urged that it should |je made obligatory that the deaths of all Natines should be registered, that all tangis should be limited to two days 1 '- duration, and thnt in the case of a Native dying of an infectious disease the holding of a tangi should be absolutely prohibited. He went on to speak of the danger to public health on account of general neglect of the teeth, especially of children. iT.o commended the proposal to establish a State dental department, in each of thff chief centres, for the benefit of school children. Equipment in cach centre would cost about .£l5O, and the annual maintenance of each branch, including the salary of a dentist, would cost about .£540. Tho outlay in respect of the four centres at the end of the first year would bo .£2ißo, and the total annual outlay subsequently would be about .«21G0. Against this something would be collected in fees. THE MEMBER FOR NAPIER. A POLITICAL "JEST." Mr. J. VIGOR BROWN (Napier) began jiis speech by reading extracts from the last Governor's Speech brought down by Sir Joseph Ward. What was there, he asked, iln the speech brought down by the present Government? Mr. Witty (loudly): Nothing! ' Mr. Brown soon afterwards delivered a somewhat vague attack upon the appointment of Captain Northcroft as Resident Commissioner at the Cook Islands. lla stated that thero was practically an insurrection in the islands at the present time, but did not supplement the charge further than by asserting that a murder had been committed and nothing had been done. Asked "where," he Teplied: "On one of the islands. I don't know where." At one stage he read a telegram which he said he had received from a man in Greymouth. Its general tenor was that although Mr. Herdman had not promised Lady Guinness in words that he would get the Government to employ certain old messengers, persons present at an. interview between the Slinister and Lady Guinness had inferred "from surrounding circumstances" that he would do so. The Prime Minister asked for tho name of the person who had signed the telegram, and Mr. Brown sent it over by a messenger. While it was in transit, and as the Prime Minister perused it, Mr. G. W. Russell rocked in his seat with laughter. Tho reason for this appeared i when the Prime Minister remarked : "A very gentlemanly thing to do—tho signature is torn off —worthy of the member for Napier." . ' Mr. Brown, in his subsequent, remarks, accused the Government of all sorts of major and petty offences, and asserted that in the making of numerous appointments it had brought political influence into play.- He said that he agreed that the salaries of Judges should be raised, but believed that two of the Judges were about to retire, and- that "two members of the House" aspired to fill the prospective vacancies. The "two members of the House," it turned out, were the Hon. A. L. Herdman and the Hon. H. D. Bell (Leader of the Legislative Council).

A SOUTHERN MEMBER. THE OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY. Mr. R. SCOTT (Otago Central) advised the member for Christchurch North to look to his laurels as an entertainer, for the member for Napier had just delivered a speeclli which for tub-thumping and "inimitable style" almost surpassed anything tho member for Christchurch North had ever done. Mr. Isitt: I don't think'we /shall havo much entertainment from you. Mr. Nosworthy: You will get something solid, though; some good sense. Mr. Scott declared himself in favour of close settlement, and in favour of the cutting up of lands held in large areas near railways and centres of population. . He did not altogether join in the cry about, bursting up the big estates, realising as ho did that many of our large estates were not suitable for -subdivision. He spoke hopefully of the possibilities of the West Coast of the South Island as a farming district. Hitherto it had been neglected by farmers, but it would yet, he believed, rival in productive and carrying capacity the far-famed dairying lands of Taranaki. He approved of the Government's proposal to give more security of tenure to thp holders of pastoral leases, in order that the tenants should bo encouraged to improve the carrying capacity ■ of their lands rather than to injure them permanently by trying to make too much profit out of them within the period of their leases. He advocated tho pushing on of tho Otago Central Railway. It had been the custom to refer .to this railway as a white elephant, and the country as a barren, wilderne'ss, but it was a country of great possibilities. The reason why the line did not pay was not because there was no •produce, but because of tho expensive methods on which the lino was constructed. There was urgent need for the extension of the. line,, and, also, settlers had been induced to make homes for themselves away from the railhead on the strength of a promise from the then Government that the railway would be built for them almost at once. Tho Government should redeem the promise made to those settlers, who had been waiting years for the railway. Some had despaired, and given up their holdings, and left the district. He congratulated the Government 'on having brought down a proposal to set up a Board of Agriculture, but ho hoped that great caro would be taken about the selection of the board. He had been informed that the Government proposed to ask for advice as to who should be appointed from same bodies interested in farm work. It was suggested that the Government should seek the aid of the Agricultural and Pastoral Associations, but he thought they would be more likely to get real assistance from the Farmers' Unions. He had great faith in the future of mining in Now Zealand, and the Government ought, he urged, do more to foster mining for gold and other metals. He referred to some of the reproaches hurled at the Government party bv the Opposition. The Opposition declared that the Government were the successors of the old Conservative party, that they were the remnants of the National Association. ' Mr. Massey: Mr. Isitt says that. Mr. Isitt: The Dominion says so. Sir Walter Buchanan: But you don't pay any attention to TnE Dominion, do y °Mr. Russell and Mr. Isitt: Oh, yes, wo read it.' , Mr. Scott had an opportunity of saying that the Government party were not tho same as the Conservatives of the old ti TOe - , „ ~ , Mr. Russell: All the members of that side of tho House then are in the Government party now. ' Mr. Massey: What about Sir James Carroll ? No answer. . MR. J. A. HANAN. CONCERNING LOANS. Mr. .1. A. HANAN (Invercargill) delved very deep into ancient history in the endeavour to show that the Government

party were in truth tho same Conservatives who had. bitterly fought against the Liberals in the curly days of the party's ascendancy. Tho criticism of the Government by Opposition papers, ho declared, did not compare lor maliciousness and bitterness with that to which the late Administration had been subjected by the papers that supported the present Government. The Reform party bad failed to keep its platform promises prior to last election to keep down expenditure and reduce borrowing. Mr. G. M. Thomson: They aro paying your debts. Mr. Hanan said that the Ministers were administering laws which they had formerly opposed. They we're managing State institutions which they had at one time denounced. Mr. Massey: Hence these tears! Mr. Hauan: No tears at all. Hence your inconsistency. He maintained that the raising of tho last loan (by the Hon. Jas. Allen; was a vindication uf the Liberal party's financial administration. The prospectus was the most damning statement ever issued about this or any other political party. If the past criticism of the present Government party was true, they had obtained money by falso pretences. Mr. Massey: Do you say so? Mr. Hanan: I say no. He added that members of the Government had gone back on their own criticism when they were in Opposition. In 1898, Mr. Massey had said that a Seddonian surplus was one of tho easiest things in the world to manufacture. All that had to be dono was to under-estimate the expenditure and over-estimate' the revenue. He had said also that he was inclined to think that the (Seddon) Ministry would go down to posterity as the Ministry of stump speeches and sham surpluses. A Big Chicken. Mr. Russell: That is a big cliicken come home to roost. (Opposition laughter.) Mr. Hanan said that if the statement in the prospectus was true, that which he had quoted from "Hansard" was a misrepresentation. In the loan prospectus the Government put forward as an inducement, the existence of sinking funds, which they had ridiculed when they were established. Mr. Nosworchy: How many on this side opposed that Bill? He repeated the question several times, amidst mild_ uproar, but got no more definite reply from Mr. Hanan than: .."You have been vaccinatcd; I can sympathise with you." Mr. Hanan went on to state' that Mr.Hine had convicted his party. He (Mr. Hanan) was not convicting the party. The Prime Minister:• Hear! Hear! Mr. Hanan said ho was informed that Mr. Hine had said that statements wore put into prospectuses which' were calculated to deceive. Mr. Herries: He never said anything of the kind., Mr. Massey: Oh, but that's near enough for them! Mr. Hanan asked who was making New Zealand a laughingstock in the eyes of the people at Home. A Government member: Tho member ft>r Invercargill, Mr. Hanan said that in 1899 Mr. Allen had said that it was t-cller, money being dear, to raise money for seven rather than for fourteen years, and get the benefit of a drop in. interest., Mr.' Fisher, prior to the Government taking office, had said that ho would not tako office in a. freehold Ministry. A Commissioner Accused. Mr. Hanan next stated that ho was informed that one of the Public Scrvico Commissioners had had tho audacity to j throw a file at tho head of one of tho heads of Departments. A member: What Department-? Mr. Hanan said that the Departmental head to whom he had referred was Mr. Campbell (Secretary to tho Treasury). A member: Who was tho Commissioner? Mr.' Hanan: I understand it was Mr. Triggs. To a question by the Prime Minister, Mr. Hanan repeated that the Departmental head ho had referred to was Mr. Campbell. The Prime Minister: Oh, well then I can say it is not'trUe. ' Mr. Hanan said he was glad to hear : it. He was told that the same gentleman (Mr. Triggs) had behaved in such a highi handed and arrogant manner in tho way in which ho went about his duties as to give considerable offence to members of the Service. He (Mr. Hanan) had strongly. condemned the appointment of Civil Service Commissioners in this country, and to the members of tho Government who supported Commissioner control he would say that if the sort of thing ho had mentioned went on, nothing would "kill" tho Civil Serrice Commissioners more quickly in this country.

A Government member: Isn't that what you want? Mr. Hanan said that ho wanted democratic rule, under which men would accept their proper responsibilities. He went on to declare in general terms that political patronage was rife in. Australia under Commissioner control. Mr. Wilson: Make a charge. . Mr. Hanan said that if the hon. gentleman read the Australian papers he would have his eyes opened in the matter. He believed the Civil' Service Commissioners in Now Zealand were doing work that would havo to be undone. They were introducing methods that would not work and' machines that would find their way to the scrap-lisap. Mr. Hine Misrepresented. Mr. J. B. HINE (Stratford) said that the member for Invercargill had misrepresented him in his reference to a statement which ho had made in his pre-sessional speech at Stratford. His statement about prospectuses on that occasion had no reference. to Mr. Allen nor to tlie Ministry, nor to any New Zealand Ministry. His remark was directed specifically at a little coterie of gold mine promoters who were heckling him. THE MEMBER FOR MATAURA. MR. HANAN'S WHEREABOUTS. Mr. Or. J. ANDERSON (Mataura) said that the member for Invercargill had made a good speech from the point of view of the Liberal party, but they did not quite know where Mr. Hanan was. Only tho other day he had attended the "Red federation" Conference as a Labour delegate. The Liberal party. wa9 dropping to bits, and the last one to drop out was the member for Invorcaryill. Mr. Anderson, alluding to the tactics of somo Opposition newspapers, said that a supporter of the other side had said to him, "You fellows lied for years to get into power, and now we have to lie to get you out." Mr. Russell: Did you accept that? Mr. Anderson: I am not going to say whether I accepted it or not. I always tell the truth myself. On ,tho subject of railways, Mr. Anderson expressed a hope that whon the Government brought in its District Railways Act, it would give settlers power to' carry on lines at their own expense. The Government, he thought, should Tetain its' hold upon the Bank of New Zealand and obtain in future a fair share of till? profits of that institution. He would like to Fee tho graduated land tax increased still further. It seemed to him that the system of purchasing land for settlement was not satisfactory. The limit upon borrowing from the Advances to Settlers' branch hfid been fixod too low. With land at its present price a InTger sum than .£750 should be advanced.

THE MOVER IN REPLY. BEATING UP THE OPPOSITION. Mr. C. A. WILKINSON (Egmont), the mover of the Addrqss-in-Reply, roso to reply when the Hoiiso resumed after tho supper adjournment. At the outset he stated that he was not in any way responsible for erroneous charges made by Tim Dominion against Sir. Seddon, M.P., at the time of the Egmont election, and had not made any use of them in his candidature. He advised the party on the other side of the House to put. its affairs in order, advance a policy, and elect a leader. • lilr. Russell: You will get both in due course. Mr. Wilkinson said that ho was prepared to take his part on either side of the House, and if he found himself 011 the other side, lie would not complain. Mr. Wilkinson continued that ever since Sir Joseph Ward had assumed the leadership the Liberal party had gone back all the time. It was just possiblo that Sir Joseph Ward might bo appointed again to lead the party, but it would be found that, he was unable to stem tho tide against it. He had failed to do it with a following of 65, and could not expect to do'if with a party of, say, 35. He pre-, dieted that henceforth moderate Liberals

would Tally to the support of the Government. •He urged the Oppositionists to still battle away, and do what they could to re-establish their party, with a view to regaining power some day. Mr. Itussell: Will you Join it? Mr. Wilkinson: Well, I don't think I could join it if you were in tho Government, sir! (Laughter.) Mr. Massey: That is what the country soys. Mr. Wilkinson, referring to tho Mackenzie Ministry, said that he would liavo been ashamed to belong to a Government that was formed practically in defiance of Parliament, and was .ashamed to meet the House. Mr. Isitt: You have never had tho mandafe of the people yet. Tho Prime Minister: We have. There is tho proof, the man who is speaking. Air. Wilkinson condemned the way in which tho Liberals had clung to office, and contrasted it with the immediate resignation of the Australian Federal Ministry when it was defeated at tlie polls. He hoped that when the Government got into that state there would be no humbug and no delay in leaving office. The Prime Minister: Hear, hear. An Inconsistent Reformer. Mr. Wilkinson complimented Mr. Isitt upon his oratorical effort of the other night, but accused him of certain grave inconsistencies. Mr. Isitt, a strong NoLicense advocate, had said that he would assist the other side of the House by everj- means in his power. For twentyone years tho party on the other side of the House had upheld tho three-fifths principle in, this country. The threefifths majority had beeii introduced by Mr. Seddon to defeat the aims and objects of the No-License people in New Zealand. Mr. Russell: Absolutely incorrect. Mr. Wilkinson: No, it is correct. Mr. Russell said that it was an injustice to a dead man. Mr. Wilkinson said that it was not his intention to do any injustice to Mr. Seddon, but that was how it appeared to him. For twenty-one years the party on the other side had thwarted the wishes of the No-License party. Mr. Isitt: Hear, hear. Mr. Wilkinson: Mr. Isitt says "Hoar, hear," and vet he still upholds the party. Mr. Isitt had said that tho liquor trade was a pirate ship on the sea of commerce, not fit to be mentioned in the same breath with a respectable draper. Mr. Isitt: Hear, hear. Mr. Wilkinson: Then why do you associate with brewers on that side of the House? The party on the other 6idc included two gentlemen actively engaged in brewing and spirit trade'; and yet the member for Christchurch North associated with these men. although he had said that he would not insult a respectable draper by mentioning him with them. Monopolies. Mr. Wilkinson said 'that' the member for the Bay of Plenty had asked him to cross the House if lie wanted to fight monopolies. To'this he would Teply that, the Liberal party had. maintained a monopoly of power for 21 years. It had also held for that period a monopoly of appointments to tho tipper House. This Government had broken down the first monopoly, and was about to break down thij second. Mr. Wilkinson commended the pluck displayed by Mr. Massey in holding his party together during long weary yoars. The Liberal party had established a railway monopoly and had refused to let settlers .in his district and other districts construct lines, although they were willing to bear the cost. Tho sugar monopoly, tho tobacco monopoly, and the shipping monopoly were others which had grown up under the Liberal flag. When it came to changing his position in the House in order to put down monopolies it would not be of much use ffoing over to the other side. Mr. Wilkinson gave tho Liberal party credit for making some praiseworthy reductions in tho Customs tariff, but taunted it with letting the rich man's motor-car in free while it taxed children's boots and numerous other things in constant demand by poor people. The Raven of His Party. He next devoted a littlo attention to Mr. Laurenson, whom he pleasantly described as "tho raven of his party." Mr. Laurenson had attacked the appointment of Mr. Boyd Garlick, but had felt no scruples about appointing himself to a position at .£IOOO a year. He (Mr. Laurenson) had said: "Wo have three months to run, we needn't meet Parliament, it is good enough for me."

An Oppositionist: Did lie appoint himself? Mr. Nosworthy: He jumped in the cart. Mr. Wilkinson, in his later remarks, advocated tho establishment of a permanent Defence Committee to confer with the Minister for Defence. He expressed the belief that tho report of tho Forestry Commission would bo of great assistance to the Government in dealing with an important problem. They had heard a good deal about the troublo at Waihi, but it was significantthat nothing on the subject had been heard from the member for tho district. Evidently Mr. Poland was satisfied with what the Government had done during that trying time. 1 About Soup. Employment was plentiful in the country. Tho party opposite had said that when the Massey Government camo in soup kitchens would have to be established. As a fact, wages were higher than they had ever been in New Zealand— they had no soup kitchens, and were not likely to have any. Mr. Nosworthy: The Opposition are in the soup now. Mr. Isitt Explains. Mr. ISITT said that he had been unjustly and grossly and ungenerously misrepresented by the member for Egmont. Here Mr. Isitt was called to order, but he was permitted to say that tho member for Egmont had inferred that lie was perpared to sacrifice temperance reform for party and political considerations. Not a man cn the Opposition sido of tho House was unaware that he would support temperance reform in face of any party or political considerations. The No-Confidence Motion. Mr. J. CRAIGIE (Timaru) was permitted to explain, after some discussion on points of order, that his graduated land tax amendment of last week had not been drafted by any member of the House as had been inferred, but by an outside expert, who had since informed him that its wording was logical and clear, and conveyed the meaning intended.' 110 added that ho would take another opportunity of placing it before meml>ers. Tho Address-iii-Reply motion was affirmed on the voices at 1t.3 p.m., and tho customary motions regarding Committee of Supply and Committee of Ways and Means were passed. Premium Bonds Validatiorf. Mr. A. HARRIS (Waitemata) moved tho second reading of the Premium Bonds Validation Bill, a private measure. Some discussion took place between the Prime Minister and Mr. Russell as to tho course to be followed, the latter contending that 110 hasty action should be taken in regard to the Bill, inasmuch as it proposed to legalise a certain method of investment which, he understood, if not illegal under the Gamiujr Act, was of doubtful legality. Eventually it was agreed that the Bill should be set down for second reading on that, day week. Tho House rose at 11.15 p.m.