THE HOUSE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2768, 11 May 1916, Page 7

THE HOUSE

' l'he House ofßepresentatives met at JS.SO.p.Hi. .-•.;•.. -,;.-..■ --.The following.-.Bills, were, introduced ?nd regd a first time:—Kent Eestrictioiv Bill: (Mr. Wright), Limitation of KentDuring War Bill (Mr. Wilford), Soldiers'' Voting Bill (Mr. Thomson), Abolition of ■Toll-gates ,Bill (Mr. Wilkinson), ' Police I'orce Amendment Bill (Mr. Veitch); Dojamion State: Banking Bill (Mr.-Veitch) SECRET DEFENCE^ COMMITTEE. . Mr. W. T "JENNINGS';-'(Taumarunui) asked .the. Prime Minister whether the beeret Defence, Committee' appointed last session was still in existence,-and; if so,--.whether it. was prepared' at the earliest opportunity, to take evidence from meinUers of, Parliament.: on. matters that might fairly./be/considered by the Committee. '..- ..... . '"The Eight'; -Hon.; W.Y MASSEY re- ; plied that the Secret-Defence Committee of last, session was not now in existence, but Cabinet would consider the question of wheOher it should be reappointed. Personally, he though? it might not be necessary to. : again set .up.the Committee, as most of the members of it were now members of tho National Government, and were prepared to act in that capacity. ■.•■■'. ■.....- .■•■•... •■■.•. ■-.- -

INSURANCE RATES FOR SOLDIERS. .■Mr.-'G. wITTY •(Eiccarton) asked .'the.Minister, of Finance- : (Sir Joseph Ward)' "tewer he. would, tako steps'-to ensure that those members of. the Expedition' ary Force; : who insured' their lives before tbe_outbreak -of the war were not loaded with extra, premiums ..by the insurance' companies..- v/....„' ■ . v - --. •'.. . SLll JOSEPH WARD replied thai thia matter-had received a great deal of consideration from-' the'-' Government," and' .everything ■' possible was -' being- done sq ' .tar as the Government Insurance Department, was, concerned .'to conserve: the in-' terests-of.the.-nionv.wlio had gone.to.''the' front.,. One. of the'.-Austfalian insurance companies- hadinxecl- a' low.". rate'at the beginning of the' war; •;. The Government .-S? « d I>eßn ' MKed by'hiin, on'behalf' of -tho Government,'to'fix the. rate for' soldiers as low as'Fossible,.consistent.-witv justice to fhe general, body.; of policyholders...-. Apart'from -the, official coiv respondence,- he had had many' conversations i with,, the -• Insurance ," Commissioner on the,'subject, but "there 'were some things in which they conld not follow in the'footsteps-'of the Australian office U which he-hadfreferred,""-' ■'' . ••', '•'■■-.. Hon. members:"'There are two .offices. ' Sir-Joseph Ward: I know of only one. Mr. Witty, mentioned -the name- of" a particular Australian.Office,.the AMP • Sir Joseph ,Ward:'. They regarded the ■ tow rate; tfaajc"tljey fixed.as a contribution, to the -War' Fund. '.-. Mr.. Isitt (Christchurch : North)--They have;Taised tho rates of interest on loans to policy-holders. ' ..,.■. a/"" Sir Joseph Ward .said that.he.did nof wish: to. discuss the affairs of -any insurance company. The Government was concerned only with -the affairs .of the State »)ihce.-■'..■ ■'. v ..':..

Mr -Witty, said that .-.what -he "desired was that men who wore insured before thp war should .not bo loaded 1 with an extra rate.: , ; " .Sir Joseph Ward said thai-he would loot wo. that matter."' ,:,"-•'. - HONOURING THE DEAD 'V , i THE;.HON.^.JnLLAR:. : ; . - XWllisflit Hon; W. IVMASSEY (Prima .Minister).moved' thatvthe-Hoiiso place on' record its high.sense or the distinguished services. ..rendered to New, Zealand by the late Hon;. J.- A.. Millar,' and express i( a ' (sympathy with his. widow.and family. .After -detailing 'the particulars ot his'liie •Jr. Massey recalled the fact that':the late ilr. Millar, , ; tko Ken. D. Buddo. t'flo bpeaker, and •himself, nil'took their seats uaj thß T H( ? US f- °- a '/M s«'ne-day-in Sh'M, J091.-- In looking back over these'*i vc-am iu could not recall any member who"'waa -more' genuinely liked or more-' highly re-spected-than vtlie lata ilv: Millar' " Sir'Millar, neverjaliowed party politics to \n. tertere with personal friendships, and as ■a-result-.many mem;.who did nufagiW witn his views, yet resected hiiii-'and felt genuine regret 'when:his death -was-an-nounced.' yuite"a number 'of 'prowiiyuf positions had been occupied, by Sir. Millar He was Chairman ol -X'ominittees and Deputy-Speakei'.dor a long'time, and he thought-tlio-Hbuso had never hada better or more.able, chairman than Mr. .Millar His control of the Departments of Railways, Labour, Commerce, and Murine at dillerent times was masterly; and he recalled the impression mala upon himself by the wonderful.grasp of detail revealed in Mr. Millar's handling of the tariff revision in 1907/, !He was. broad-zniaded and liberal to a degree, and hb death was a loss to the whole Dominion ' • SIE i JOSEPH -WiAUD' said he desired to add .his, testimony, to the 'memory of the- late Hon. J. A. Millar. His. death removed one who occupied high positions for a great many years., Ho took a prominent part .in tho.'industrial disturbances of the 90's, and-helped to bring about conditions which benefited the wage-earners as' a whole. In private life 1;;5' kindly'. and genial attributes won for him many friends,- and the fact, that he had been returned for so many years by the same constituency was ample evidence of- the esteem in which, he was held. ■ The motion was then carried. THE HON.'JOHN DUTHIE. A. similar motion was moved by the Prime Minister ■ iu r'espeot of the late , Hon. John Duthie, member of the legislative Council, and a former member'ofthe House of Representatives. Mr. Duthio, said Mr. Masscy, -was ,one of the most prominent iigures not only in the House. olEeprcsentatives"bnt in. the country, A straight, strong man, lie was respected, and enjoyed the confidence for a''very lengthy, period not only of the people of Wellington, ".but "of a largo proportion of the population of tho Domiuion. His knowledge of finance and •' his general' knowledge of trade and commerce. were of very great value to Parliament. His advice was very.often eagerly sought on matters connected with trade, public affairs, and local administration. He took a' great" interest ' in the.'- local affairs of "\Yclliiiglon, as" he always lcoked upon it as the model' city and leading city of the Dominion, and its' affairs' were very close to his heart.. A native of Scotland, lie was possessed of the characteristics of his will, strict integrity and untiring energy, and he left a good name, and aibigh reputation.. He had no hesitation iu saying that the late Mr..Duthie's name,would be remembered in the affaire of the country for a very long time to come. Although to those who knew him casually ho might have seemed stern and unbending; to $iose who knew him well he was sympathetic and generous. He knew of many iterances whero Mr.' Dutcliie's generwity. eame to the foro and was never referred to in print or laid before tho country. Now that ho had gone to his rest-be would

{ be'remembered as "Honest John Duthie."

SIR JOSEPH WAED, in adding his vrords of tribute, said that death had created a breach in the ranks of tho older branch of merchant piuicers, among, whom Mr. Duthie had been held in high estima. tion. He was a man of firm resolution and once having made up his mind nothing could-1 induce him to turn back. Even those who differed from him recognised his earnestness and undoubted ef. forts for the betterment of the country. "M«. B. A. WEIGHT (Wellington South) said that as one of the members for Weilington City' in which Mr. Duthie had been so closely interested, he could not let this motion pass without some tribute. Mr. Duthie had been a man' of sterling principles and fearless opinions. Ho was one of the few men who would stand up and tell a community the exact truth. For this fearless straightforwardness he was highly respected. Those.who differed from him politically always recollected that ho was a strong man upon wktmi they could rely, and.a man whose word was his bond This fact was so far recognised that even the workers who alleged he was a cam. talist voted for him because he was a fair employer, of labour. I- - Dr. NEWMAN (Wellington East), as a ■ life-long .friend t.f Mr. Duthie, testified to his exceeding worth. He was a man of great knowledge, of great reading, and ot very_ wide views, and he took the most comprehensive views upon all things. He achieved great success as a business man and later turned Ins attention to civic life.. He .made an excellent Mayor, his one S ei %, to fi pUsh *i° Git >' * f Wellington ahead.- On. finance he was an authority, wJI'V? ln ih t H ? USD h6 »«*>. some suDJecte J ' BPee ° he3 iD debats ° n finanoial - .The Hon. JAMES ALLEN testifier to L 7L e 1 6 r Iler ?! IS „^ os P italit y. emended by the liament." tWo to ' & ° meiahm of The motion wag carried.

?i ; ,MB, E; G, B. MOSS. ' ri >e -Eight Hon. W. F. MASSEY, in moving the resolution regarding .the late Mr.'Moss,.referred to the fact that Mr :Moss came, of a political family. His tote father had- represented Parnell in the_Honse for many year's, while Mr. E. G. B. Moss himself had been member' for Qhinemun for three years; It had been one ot. his .ambitions to represent Parnell, but his failing health had compelled him to retire from the contest when he last intended to be a candidate for that w Y ¥?' sej paid a ™nu tri. qualities '' SSS ' man;r ' estima blo

in secondingtha motion, said that the changes wroufrht by a few years were demonstrated by -the fact that of all the members who -were m.the House when he first - became a member only four now remained .fOMND (Ohinem'uri) a'lso paid a. tribute to the late Mr. Moss. ■

: MR. W.F.JBUCKLAND, -The. Eight Hon W. V. MASSBY, in referring to the late Mr: W. P. Buckland,' said that the deceased, who was native of Auckland; was well known as a useful and eealous public man in both, national and 1 -local;affaiis."': < ,"-.- SIB. JOSEPH WARD, in his tribute ft s $ enial and,facetious side pi Air.:Buekland's character', the latter* : characterisation': being especially demonstrateH by his introduction of his Washers ond.-Manglers Bill. ••■• \ MR, A, DILLON. .The./PRIME MINISTER moved \ similar resolution in regard to the late Mr. A. Dillon, ex-member for Hawke's Bay. . Although not a great talker,- he said, Mr. Dillon was one of the most use. tut and popular members of the House • SIK JOSEPH WARD said that'amongst the members of his own party the late .Mr. Dillon .was affectionately known as .'Dad. ... •-•;..;

The ;Hoh.' Dr. M'NAB, Minister of. 'Justi'ce,'- ; who delivered a' warm" culogiuni' ori_. the'former member for Hawke's Bay, Baid that his memory would last longer amongst the people of Hawke's Bay than •the term of- his-own life. It was only ■Mr... Dillon's .voluntary retirement from the political :arena that prevented liim dv-in«; as lie i had ' lived as member for Hawse's Bar.- ■.;•'-.; Mr. G..HONTER.:(Waipawa) referred to -Mr..' Dillon s -reputation as an '-upright' and trustworthy'public man,'and .as an' expert farmer. . 'The Hon. 1 ' D.BUDDO (Kaiapoi) also supported the motion. , The motion' was carried.". ..The Bouse ro'so at i.ii p.m.