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PARLIAMENT

THE ELECTORAL ROLLS;

IMPREST SUPPLY JDEBATE.

PRICES OF FOODSTUFFa

COMMISSION'S REPORT DISCUSSED

The Legislative Council met at 2.30 ; p.m. , •■■■■' ■■

, The Gaming Act Amendment Bill, the" Factories Act Amendment Bill, the Registration and Control of Medical Practitioners' Bill, and the Animals' Bill were read a first time.' j The Customs Amendment Bill was put through Committee , ," read a third time, ! and passed. -. ■ ■ . ■ ;■: At 8 p.m. the Council adjourned till 10 a.m. this morning, THEHOUSE^ The House of Representatives met at 1 2.30 p.m. \ ; .' • ' ; '/.

Tho Right Hon. W. ,F. MASSEY. (Prime Minister) gave notice to move that on and after Monday, .October 5, the House meet on Mondays, at 7.30 p.m.

■. SHI JOSEPH WARD (Leader of the Opposition) asked tho Prime Minister to state what business the Government would proceed with this session.

The Right Hon. W. F. MASSEY said thot he proposed to make a .statement on the matter when he moved the motion of which he had given notice. Amendments to the War Risks Insurance Bill were introduced by Governor's Message, and agreed to. The only amendment, was one . permitting tho . Government to , give coyer for £10,000 (insteacUof £500.0) on cargo in any one ship. .'■.', . .. ;■ ■ .

THE ROLLS. SIR JOSEPH WARD, under cover of asking a'question without notice, made a speech on tho new-methods of compiling the electoral rolls. He declared that the system was >' faulty, . that peopleY names" were being left off the rolls, and that mostly the peoplo in danger of being disfranchised were working people. The Right Hon. W.F. MASSEY (Prime Minister) said that everything possible was being done, and would be done to provide clean rolls. 'All those who were entitled to be enrolled would be enrolled, and no one who for nny reason was.not entitled to vote in a district would be' enrolled'in- the district. Prior to last election the main rolls were not issued -until November 3.. This year they would be'issued long before that time. The main rolls "would be closed on.. October 7,. and after that any elector could see the roll in which he .was.interested,, and could so ensure that he would not be disfranchised; More than the usual precautions were being taken to-make the rolls' for tho coming elections clean. ■ ARBITRATION AWARDS. \ The Industrial Conciliation :and Arbitration Amendment Bill,(Mr. J. Robertson) was introduced, and read a firet time. Mr. Robertson spoke on the motion to introduce the Bill,' the object of which" is to:provido that no agreement arrived at by,a Conciliation Coun T cil should be made .binding without a secret ballot being .taken,of all the.inembers oftheuniou. ' " . '-..'.'..'7'. : "7 '.'■

The Right Hon..W..F..MASSEY (Prime Minister) said an amendment...Concilistion-, and ■■Arbitration, -Bill.- was being- pre-;, pared,'and it.'.would be passed through this session.- The pointmentipned was, very important, and he was inclined to believe-that there was a defect in bur law.. He proposed, to consider the question, and if possible would .deal with it by adding a clause to the Bill now being prepared. ' • .-,'- , IMPREST SUPPLY ; GENERAL PARTY CLASH .. RECARDINC FOOD PRICES. 'An Imprest Supply Bill was 'introduced by Governor'.s Message..'.-;:...... ■'.. ADVANCES TO WORKERS. In. reply to a question by Mr: T. K. Sidey and other Opposition members, ~ The-Hon. JAS. ALLEN 3aid,tha;t he was ; unable to promise that the maximum amount to be advanced to workers would be increased ■ from £350. to £450." Repently the 'Government had had to deal with a great many applications for £350, and ■to increase • the maximum would seriously deplete the finances.' He was prepared to consider tin .raising of the maximum to £400.

Mr, J. PAYNE (New Lynn) said that the timo had arrived when the exclusion, of certain men from the waterside ■unions throughout the country, consequent, upon the strike of- last, year, ought to be discontinued. He urged too that the taxation to ■ provide for the war expenditure ought-to bo levied on landowners and wealthy men. Mr. P.. o. ' WEBB (Grey) expressed tho hope that the Government would put through a Mining Bill before the end of this session and that it would include provision for workmen's inspectors: paid -by the Government. He said that <mr-mining laws were behind those of Great Britain, and that New Zealand mines should be compelled to have life-saving appliances in central places, with brigades taught-how, to use them. He went on to allege , f that. Mr. J. Dowgray, whom the Mihister.of Mines had appointed to the Mines .Commission, had been victimised oni' ■■. the West Coast because he had been; critical .in his inspections, and: that men tad, been systematically victimised for protesting against the conditions iof the mine.*. He proceeded to urge a special war tax. . I '.

PRICE OF FOODSTUFFS. I GROUNDLESS CHARGES. Mr. G. WITTY (Hiccarton) spoke on tne subject of the price of foodstuffs, aud alleged tnat nothing had been done to lessen the cost of food to the people of the country. He. said 'that it was understood that the Commissioners had eent in their Teporfc ten daja ago, and .: that the Government, not agreeing with at, had referredit back to the Comraisj sioner, and that in the meantime communication was made with certain people who were owners of foodstuffs The Primo Minister: Who said tnat? Mr. Witty said that he was told it. The Prime Minister: The report is absolutely untrue. , Mr.: Witty (proceeding): Them thie' report was referred back by tho Govi ermnent to the Commissioners. The Prime Minister: No. Mr. Witty: Well, if the honourable gentleman had that report in hand ten days ago, what has ho been doing witi it? •. Proceeding, Mr. Witty said that they wanted tho correspondence. The report was that the Government did not agree with the Commissioners' report, and that the report was referred. back to the Commissioners. (Ironical laughter.) All this time the publio ; were paying higher prices for . their 'foodstuffs than they should Jo. Ho asserted that the proclamation regarding Hour was not general, and that Auckland was eseepted. He said, also, that the price of bread hud not been regulated, but had been left entirely to tho haker. Speaking of tho attitude of employers toward their enmloyees lie

said 'that'some of the former were making patriotic donations to the fund one day and-dismissing-employees tho next day. He complained that the Christchurch troops had not had a square deal in the matter of farewell, and that the friends of the rank and file had not been treated as well, «a. tho officers in the'matter of opportunity to bid good-bye to the men on , the wharves.

The Real Facts. The Prime Minister said that Mr. Witty's speech was full of inaccuraoies. _Tho commission was composed of ahle and impartial men. Mr. Witty: I am not blaming them., Mr. Massey: No, tho. honourable gentleman is blamiiig the Government as usual. ; A statement had beon circulated to the effect that after the Comftnission's report was received , it was referred back by the Government because the price fixed was too low. That statement was absolutely contrary to fact. It did not contain a tittlo of tnith. '

■Mr. Witty: You referred the report back. ' .',-''

Mr. Massey: That is not true. Mr. Witty .'had said that the Government' had referred the report back in order that it might in the meantime consult certain interested people. "If the honourable gentleman," continued Mr. Massey, "can prove that that statement is correct, I am willing to tender to tho Governor the resignation of the Government." (Hear; hear.) Commission's First Report. Mr. Massey read -the first report forwarded by the Commission on September 16 as follows :—

"The steadying .influence upon .the wheat and flour market in this Dominion; hitherto operating by the.fact that these commodities could be imported from Australia having been removed •by the prohibition recently imposed bv the Australian (Government, we think' that maximum prices for wheat and flour should now be fixed under tho provisions of the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Act, without delay. We suggested that these prices should be as' follow:— ■,-.'. , "(1) Good milling wheat, 5b.. 3d. per bushel, f io.b. at nearest shipping ports. "(2) Flour, £13 per ton, f.0.b., at the ports of Lyttelton, Timaru, and Oamaru breakwater. ; .. ._-:• "Our reasons for this recommendation are as follow:— -'■ : , ,-' »: "We/find from the evidence before us that'most of the, larger millers hold considerable stocks of wheat, sufficient to enable them to supply for some months to come the normal'demands of their customers for flour, i and that the bulk of this wheat was . early in the season at prices then ruling, which were, .much lower : than the suggested maximum price. Some, wheat, h'owever, is still held by fanners and merchants, but> in the absence, of statistical information,' it is difficult to form any reliable estimate of fthe quantity 6o held, but it is'safe to.say that it is small in comparison .with-' the. quantity held by millers.' There) are, however, millers who have small stocks of wheat, and wHo consequently are compelled to purchase wheat from time to time in order to enable them to continue their operations. Such millers find that there are only a few sellers of wheat on the market who refuse to sell except at high prices, which the millers, are obliged to pay; or to close their mills. Immediately upon-a; sale being dfected, the high price so paid is quoted as the market price of wheat,, and the price of flour is raised by millers generally in proportion to the advance in the price of-wheat, according to the quoted price of the day. The.effectis that stocks of wheat hold by the; large"millers.are artificially enhanced in value by the operations of a.-few small buyers. As the price of flour, is raised in proportion to the increased price of.-wheat, regardless of the fact :that the-bulk of. .the ,wheat. held by the millers has been acquired at prices which would enable them, to .sell, Jour,, at' remunerative, rates, "although''miich''lower than, the artificial' market price. created, by. such dealings as before mentioned. ••. "The prices suggested by us, if fixed under the Act, would, we think, give to all holders of wheat and'flour (whethor; millers,' farmers;' or; merchants) full value, for. their product, but. would partially, if not ; wholly, exclude profits .that are.referable solely to the war, and which, we think, not unreasonably; may bo regarded as illegitimate. Wβ have not tjjougbt.it necessary at present to make any .recommendation with regard to the price of bread, as we think that it willue governed by the price of flour, and different prices would require to be fixed for different'localities in order to prevent injustice , ." ' ;. -• Policy of the Commission. Mr'.' MASSEY said, that when the report; was received it was referred to the Crown Solicitor, with the object, of drafting. an OrdeT-in-Council. It was found to be diib'cult to draft an Order-in-Council 'for New Zealand owing to the large number of ports and a great deal of correspondence between the Solicitor-General' and the" Commission •took place. Mr. Massey read a letter written by the 'Chairman of the Commission, Mr.' Justice Stringer, to the Solicitor-General in regard to the latter, s suggestion that the maximum prices under the Act should be fixed 'with reference to the "standard price" as defined in the Act. The Chairman stated that the Commission did not think the course suggested practioal, forthe reason that there were so many' transactions in both wheat and flour on both July 31 and August 1 that it would be difficult to: ascertain with precision what was actually the "current price" on August 1. ■ The lotter continues: "The Commission thinks, therefore, that definite maximum prices should be fixed as , suggested by us in our interim report.; I nave, therefore, gone through your draft proposed Or-der-in-Council, and , now return it with such- alterations as we think will meet the case.' As to Clause I—as altered this will meet all cases likely to occur. It will not matter where the wheat is stored: the prico will he ss. 3d. free on board at tho port nearest to which the wheat is stored; nor is it necessary to say 'cash' on delivery," for wheat is always sold for cash, and if these words are introduced it would be necessary to 6ay what increase should be charged if terms of credit are granted, and these the Commissioners aro not able to fix. As to Clause 2: The term 'usual trade terms' will meet cases whore by tho custom'of the traded which may vary in different places, discount for cash is granted. Aa to Clause 3: The great bulk of the flour is sold in Canterbury and North Otago, but if it is sold clsewhoro, say in Wellington or Auckland, •his clause will meet such cases, e.g., the prico of flour in Auckland will be *.o.b. price at either Lyttelton, Timaru, or Oamaru, plus tho freight and insurance to Auckland., . Prloes Revtaed. Telegraphing on September 26 to the Primo Minister the Chairman of tho Commission said: "In. view or returns obtained from millers as to wheat and flour held by them and of average price paid for wheat, commission on further consideration desire substitute 4s. 9d. for wheat and £1110s. for flour as their recommendation." . , Mr. Massey said- that when ho received this second report he saw that there was a discrepancy. between tho prico recommended for wheat and that suggested for flour. . The prices suggested in the first Teport would have left a profit of Bs. a ton on the wheat ground (taking 48 bushels of wheat aa equal to a ton of flour), assuming that tho pollard, etc., paid for tho cost of grinding. The second recommendation, however, left a margin of only two shillings per ton. He accordingly referred the matter hack to tho Commission and drow attention to the discrepancy. He received a reply from the Commission expressing thanks for point-

ing out tlio discrepancy and substituting £11 15s. for £11 10s. as the price of flour. ,

Government Purchase of Australian Wheat. Mr. Massey also referred to the Government's purchase of a quantity of Australian wheat to which previous reference has been made. He said lie had placed an order in Sydney for 250,000 bushels of wheat and had succeeded in.getting 45,000 bushels. Tho market then closed, ■ and ho could not get any more except at a price which lie considered too high. Part of the 45,000 bushels was in New Zealand being stored in Auckland and' Wellington. Part of it was etill in Australia. When the export of wheat . v from . the Commonwealth was -prohibited, it seemed that the balance of the purchase might not be available, but he had that day received unofficial intimation that the embargo would not apply to contracts. Ho therefore expected to get the balance of the wheat that he had purchased. The Government did not desire to make any profit on this wheat, and it would bo sold at about what it cost. He had also cabled to America aeking for a price for eight hundred tons of flour, Dut had received no reply yet. He contended again that the Government had done everything that was necessary with regard to the price of wheat and flour, and that it would have been very dangerous to take drastic acr tion without setting up a commission to inquire into the facts. To do so would have created a state of panic. He wished again to express the opinion that if there' had been' no war there would still have been dear wheat and flour. Now they wished to . prevent these commodities from becoming dearer, without depriving those whose business it was. to sell wheat tfrom getting a fair profit. • Now the Commission were going to deal with the prices of meat, sugar, chemioals, and other articles required in the daily lifo of the people of this country.

Unemployment, Speaking on the subject of unemployment, i Mr. Massey said it was now quite ' evident that the war would go on into the next English summer. It therefore behoved the people to settle down to their normaj duties without taking any more notice than jxjssiblo of the war. -If they did that this country would get through without much difficulty, because they would get a good price for their products. It was quite. certain that New Zealand would very rapidly recover from the effects of the war —far sooner than most of the other countries concerned. From a business,a commercial and a financial point of view and from the employment point of view New Zealand was in a better position than Australia. He quoted ■from a speech by Mr. Hainan, tho Premier of New South Wales, delivered early in September, showing that it was the intention of the Government there to put all Government employeos on public works on half-time so that double the number of men could bo kept employed. Ho (Mr. Massoy) sincerely hoped that we would not need to obme to that state ol things in NewZealand. There were many peoplo who instead of finding fault with thoir own country should thank Providence that they lived in such a fino country as New Zealand.

Space for Frozen Meat. SIR WARD (Awarua) said he believed in preaching the doctrine of confidence, but it was useless to say that people should carry on thoir ordinary. ,-. business; in. the ordinary way when-there< were speoial causes exists ing which caused dislocation. One of the difficulties facing the country was the probability, that our prolucts would not be carried abroad for some months ahead. - . • ■ ■': . ■." ■ The.Hon.' J. Allen: No. .. Sir J. Ward repeated that it. was true, that'there was. a .difficulty, which was not to be met by the.simple assurance of the Minister that every-thing-was all .right. Tho loss of this' Kaipara and the loss of the troopships for one round voyage would mean that' one million carcasses of meat would bo left in ,New Zealand. :■ ■. ■ . .. .'

Mr. Massey:' No.. I'll. put you right, presently. ■■■'■' -...-.'■ Sir J. Ward said the Government should allow the people of New Zealand to know more about what, -was going on. Where'were the steamers coming from which were to carry our frozen produce Home? He did not believe it would be possible to avoid tho stoppage of trade.. . ' '

Mr.. Herdman: Do you want tho troops to remain here, then? Sir J. Ward: I don'f say anything of the kind. ..■■'■■ Mr. Herdman: What is your remedy ? Sir J. Ward: The honourable gentleman is always putting questions of that sort. (Laughter.) Sir Joseph Ward had no remedy to offer, and nothing to suggest. Ho asked the Prime Minister what ho proposed to do regarding the electoral laws.

The Prime Minister: You will get tho Electoral Bill in a day or two.

Sir. Joseph Ward said that the should have had the Bill before. He said that ho did not agree with the suggestion that a war tax should, be made, especially when the. amount of money required was quite unknown. Moreover, he, did not believe that such taxation would, be necessary at all. Even if he did think it was needed; ho would not press the Government on tho point. ■

■ The Bill pasßed all stages at 2.15 a.m and the House 'rose.

Permanent link to this item
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19140930.2.55

Bibliographic details
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Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2268, 30 September 1914, Page 7

Word count
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3,187

PARLIAMENT Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2268, 30 September 1914, Page 7

PARLIAMENT Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2268, 30 September 1914, Page 7

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