LOBBY GOSSIP

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2196, 8 July 1914, Page 5

LOBBY GOSSIP

AND POINTS FROM DEBATES

DAILY SUMMARY

It had boon hoped that the parties in the llouso ol Uepresontatives would bring their heavy artillery into play yesterday, bin thu hope was not realised. Tliu lust business in the afternoon was tho second and linal instalment of tlu> "Payne incident." The member lor Grey Lynn repented his previous refusal to withdraw the words which ho had used on Friday night, nnd on iho motion of tho l'riino 31 mister was suspended for IJip rest of the .sitting. Tho lion. V. M. 13. I'isiicr i;nvc notice, of the Harbours Amendment Hill and tho imprisonment lor Debt Limitation Amemlment Kill (.Mr. JlimlinrHli) was introduced and read a first time. Tho No-Confidence Debate was resumed by Mr. Kscott at 3.10 p.m., and ran its course quietly until titter midnight. Following speakers were Messrs. T. K. V. Seddon, U. Scott, L. M. hitt, T. W. Rhodes, 1 , . C. Webb, W. H. D. Bell, and 11. G. Ell. THE IMPENDING DIVISION. Tho No-Confidence Debate continues to arouse but little interest. There is, however, somo curiosity ns to howone or two of tho "Independents" will rote when it concludes. .Mr. Myers, for instance, is diametrically opposed to Sir Joseph Ward's proposal in regard to the Navy, ami as late as Juno, U'l3, in a professional speech to his constituents he clearly stated that "the present Government proceeded to carry uut practically the whole "of the Mackenzie (lovern'inent's policy, and as one who had always put principles before party ho considered ho would have been doing violence to hie own conscience, and misreprcsentinc; his constituents if ho bad voted purely for party reasons." He added that "ho could best discharge his responsibilities by reverting back to his original position as an Independent Liberal. In concluding, ho «aid lie had ulnars endeavoured to •leal with principles and measures and not with party or men." ft is anticipated that both Mr. Millar nnd Mr, Clark will vote with the Government, end it is quite possible that two members on the other side of the House may walk out when the division, bell rings rather than record a voto for tho Opposition. On this latter point, however, nothing very definite can yet bo «r.id. WORK FOR THE UNEMPLOYED. While members of the Opposition were shouting in the House that the Government stands for monopoly and oppression yesterday the Minister of Public Works was considering ways and means for tho relief of distress caused by unemployment. Right through tho winter the Minister has done a great deal to providn for those in nerd of work by finding employment for them in various Government works. Mr. Fmser informed n reporter last night that he had authorised the expenditure of between £300 and £100 on tho painting of Government property Mi Wellington to relieve the unemployment in tho painting trade. Ho also authorised a considerable expenditure on the painting of public buildings in Auckland. In Dunedin ho had found employment for some SO labourers, 30 of them married men. AN IMPERVIOUS MEMBER. When Mr. W. 11. ■D. Hell, in tho. course of his speech last evening, had explained very clearly and in detail bis reasons for supporting the Government's lmviil policy, and had stated his intention of recording his vote accordingly, an Opposition member (apparently Mr. Hnnnii) interjected "WhyF" Mr. Bell remarked disgustedly that he. only hoped tho ."Why?" would bn recorded in "llnntard," and would go down to tho constituents of the member who had interjected. BURSTING UP ESTATES. Pacts nnd figures about tho effect of the graduated land tax were quoted with some effect by Mr. W. 11. 1). Hell ill the- House of Representatives lust night in reply to certain statements by 111". Isitt and others that, tho Government wore the friends of the large landowners. Mr. Bell referred to tho ostnto nf tho lato .Mr. E. J. Riddiford. "Sinco March 1. 1912," said Mr. Hell, "some of tho estates have been sold —not the wholo of them, for I admit that tho beneficiaries still hold largo areas of land. Hut those amounts of land have been sold by people who know well how to work tho land, and every honourable pontlemim knows that it is more profitable, except for tho graduated land tax. to hold land nnd work it themselves than to invest their money al five tier rent. Tho total area sold—l exclude two hotel properties which do not affect the present question —tho total acreage sold s .'IG2I acrer.. The Government unimproved value at tho time of sale of this 3021 acres, ivhich have boon cut no nnd sold and tho money left on at 5 per cent., was £107,2G0." This land has nil been sold since March 1, 1912. I think (ho whole of it has been sold during the time of tho Mnssov Administration. Sir J. Ward: What did he will? Did he comnri it to bo sold? Mr. Bell: No. Sir .1. Ward: We want to seo the will. We want to know all about it. Mr. Hell: I don't propose to produco the will, but I can inform the honourable gentleman that there is no provision in the will requiring any part- of the estate to bo sold. There was nn compulsion to sell, nnd I am informed that it pays the Riddifords to sell and leave the money at five per cent., instead of keeping tlio land and earning—l don't know what a large landowner cams —and paying graduated land tax. Sir Joseph Ward: I think 1 could tell you a very different tali , . Mr. Bell: Well, there nr" tho figurei and they speak for themselves, and surely, sir, when you compare the acreage with tho Government unimproved value at tTio tirao nf sale you will sen that it is dairying land, small settlers' land, that has been cut up in every case. And as tho graduated land tnx Koes on—and I hope, it will go on—you will find that all these big estates will bo eaten up from tho fldaes. You will find that where there is land near the, towns or near tho railway stations that ran bo put to use by small settlers, that land will have to go. I am in favour of increasing the graduated lnnd tax. I liavo always said so, and fo 1 think is every honourable gentleman on this side of tho House. I mako this reservation, that I am not in favour of an increase in the craduated land tas for a man whoso land is not suitablefor cutting up. Ho added that ho would nmkc one other reservation : that ho would not favour tho imposition of a highor graduated lnnd tax on a man who was readv to sell his land at an arbitration value, because a man who was ready to do this was not blocking aettloment. ".Nobodv is Ming tho burden of taxation at present."—Mr. 11. G. KM, in tin , Huusn last evening. "Jni far it has bcon a shaiu-fiflit : very little in it."—Mr. T. W. Rhodes, M.1 , ., in the iio-ciniliilence debate. A statement made by Mr. 1 , . (.'. Webb last evening that he would vote against the Government on tho mi-innh'donro amendment was islcoliilly arelaimvd liy the occupants nf tln> Opposition benches, but, the tone (it their laughter changed a little later when the monitor lor Grey went on to itatc that In; hoped on a future occasion to b.ivo an opportunity of "voting no<on£ideuc«" iu tho Liberal I'artj.