PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2802, 21 June 1916, Page 6

PARLIAMENT

LAND FOR SOLDIERS REMARKABLE COLLAPSE OF FINANCIAL DEBATE MILITARY SERVICE BILL REFERRED TO A COMMITTEE The Legislative Council met at 2.80 p.m. N.Z. INSURANCE COMPANY TRUST BILL. The Hon. 0. SAMUEL moved tho second reading of the New Zealand Insurance Company Trust Bill, w.hich, he said, was designed to give this company similar privileges in relation to trust work exercised by other companies. The Hon. J. T. PAUL said there was a significant omission in the Bill which should be rectified. The Perpetual Trustees and Agency Company Act of 18M had a clause which required a signed statement of its position and the business done'to-be made half-yearly but this Bill had no such provision. He had no objection to the New Zealand Insurance Company tuking np a new lino of business, but ho wanted to see its Business carried on under proper lines and on equal. conditions with this other company. The Hon. 0. SAMUEL agreed that tho position had been put fairly. Either a similar provision should be inserted in this Bill or the responsibility upon the other. company lightened. One reason for this omission in this company's ca6o was perhaps that it was an insurance company.

Mi\ Paul: But it is going to do trust business.

Mr. Samuel: Yes, but insurance companies are required to give full information, and that may be held to cover the point raised. However, it would be carefully looked into and inquiry made. The Bill was read a second, time. MILITARY SERVICE BILL. REFERRED TO. A COMMITTEE. SIR FRANCIS BELL said that he did not intend to proceed with the Military Service Bill in Committee, but intended asking the Council to refer it to the Statutes Revision Committee. Thero were a number of minor which required to bo made, and also some more important alterations could more effectively be made there. •The. Hon. J. T. PAUL said he desired to refer to a matter whioh had been mentioned in debate on the Bill, because he was anxious as far as possible to keep 'the standard of their debates high. In the reply of the Leader of the Council certain remarks wore made concerning himself. The newspapers reported the incident in two ways. Three papers said, "It was unfortunate that it should have fallen to the lot of the hon. member to oppose the Bill when he was the only member of the Council who was within the military age defined by the Bill." Another newspaper said, "It was strange, etc." "In either case," said Mr. Paul, "'I suggest—though I am not thin-skinned either in regard to criticism or debatethat the matter'was not put fairly to the Council. If it oan be suggested that I opposed this Military Service Bill because I come within the military age, then—if I wanted to pursue that line of logic—l could say—but I will not say it— that every other member of the Council who supported the Bill did-so because he was outside military age." This, in his opinion, would be a most unfar suggestion to make. Hon. members would remember that he had spoken most strongly on the question of the conscription of wealth. He could say. that certain members opposed that because they wero wealthy men; but that would be a most unfair argument and he would not use it. He would suggest to the Council and to the public that it was possible for a man to conscientiously, oppose the Bill : independently of the number of years ho - had lived. He in Dunedin and throughout many paTts of the Dominion, and before all grades of men and women, and the position he had put be-, fore them in regard to the Empire and the necessity for our helping in every way had been 60 fair that not in any case had either his own-position been controverted by interjection or anything said in reference thereto. It remained for him to come back to the Council to find a dishonourable exception to his universal experience. Ho was prepared to say without any exception whatever that tho dishonourable exception referred to was not the hon. gentleman who leads this Council.

The' Bill was referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. ■ ' expiring Laws. The Expiring Laws, Continuance Bill was read a second time, on the motion of the Leader of the Council. .The Council rose at 2.58 p.m.

THE HOUSE The House of Representatives sat at 2.30 p.m. . > Mr. C.. H. POOLE. (Auckland West) gave notice to ask the. Postmaster-General ■whether he will consider the advisability of reducing to sixpence the charge made for .telegrams sent by or to soldiers undergoing training in camp, FLAXMILL WORKERS'THREAT. Mr. W. H. FIELD (Otaki) asked the Minister of Labour whether the Government intended to take notice of the publicly announced threat o* certain persons .claiming to represent the flasmilf workers that they will resist the operation of conscription by striking. He stated that it appeared possible that a ffreat many flaxmill workers who were respectablo married men with families ran a risk of being involved in industrial trouble if this threat were fulfilled. The Eight Hon. W. F. MASSEY: All I can say at present is that the document referred to.by the honourable member has been referred to the Crown Law Office. IMPREST SUPPLY. An Imprest Supply Bill was introduced by Governor's Message, and put through all stages and passed without debate. SIB JOSEPH WARD (Minister of Finance) said that there was nothing new in the'schedules of the Bill, except one item of .£SOO under the Swamp Land Drainage Account.

LAND FOR SOLDIERS BILL IN COMMITTEE PURCHASE OF DEBENTURES. . Amendments to the Discharges Soldiers' Settlement Bill were introduced by Governor's Message and referred to the Committee on the Bill. The Kight Hon. W.-1\ Massey said that the effect of the.amendments would be to give the Minister of Lauds authority to expend .£IOO,OOO, instead of .£50,000, to assist soldiers who have obtained sections to carry on improvements or to purchase, stock or anything of this sort. Consideration ot the Bill in Committee wa9 resumed. ' The l'riine Minister said that there had been some ' differeuco of opinion about Clanso 7 of the Bill, providing that all or any part of the payment to be made to the owners of land compulsorily acquired under the Act could be made in debentures. He had consulted with the T'inance Minister and the financial authorities, and they had advised him that the clause was not necessary for, the pre- j sent, and he would move to strike tho clause out. If afterwards it should become necessary it could be reintroduced. Mr. J. Payne urged again his amendment that the interest, on debentures should not be free of income tax. Sir Joseph Ward said that anyone who supposed that tho Government would be anxious to issue, debentures at 5 per cent, free of income tax was making a grave mistake. Never before had money for kindred purposes been raised at a higher rate than 4J per cent. Most of it had

been raised at 4 per cent. But no man living hero, or elsewhere knew what the rate of interest would bo after the war. He warned honourable niemberi not to try to impose restrictions which would tie the hands of tie Government, and perhaps make it impossible for the Government to get enough land for the purposes defined in the Bill. So tho object of the Bill and the object of the House would bo defeated. He suggested that the Committee should be satisfied with' the Prime Minister's proposition that the whole clause should be struck out, The Prime Minister said that the clause was intended as an emergency clause. At present the Government could buy for cash all the land it required, but no one knew how long tho war would last, and the measure was intended to operate for a long time. It never .was intended to bring the. clause into operation, so hnx as the country was in its present satisfactory financial position. Dr. Newman said that on careful con. sideration he was strongly against any property whatsoever being exempt from taxation. Mr. Payne: Hear, hear. , Dr. Newman: Oh, that's all right. I am not in sympathy with you over there. Mr. Payno: Never mind; you're with US. : Dr. Newman further urged the Treasurer not to make any concessions, but if money were wanted he should borrow it straight out. Mr. Payne's amendment was negatived by 37 votes to 9. Mr. Hindhmrsh then moved an amendment that where the debentures payable to a man were more in value than .£SOOO, no exemption from income tax be granted. Mr. Massey explained that it was intended to strike out tho whole clause as it was agreed that it was not necessary at present. Mr. Hindmarsh withdrew his amendment. In-further debate the Prime Minister said that it was hoped that; one settlement would begin to supply tho dairy factory in their locality on December 1 next. The Hon. D. Buddo moved an amendment to allow soldiers now at the front to participate in the ballot under this Act as well as under the -Land Act. . The Prime Minister said that relatives or friends of soldiers now at the front .could apply on their behalf, so there was no need for the clause. If he accepted this clause he was afraid there would be too many applicants. The proposal .was rejected on the voices.- ' . A new proviso was added to Clause 5 to the effect that where land taken for settlement was more than live miles from the four oentres the Minister ot Lands could reduce the prescribed maximum within.the meaning of the Land Settlement Act, IMS, to (a) 100 acres of ' first-class land, (b) 250 acres of secondolass land, (c) 825 acres of third-class land, and (d) not more than 625 acres of any class of land; and further that where the land was within five miles the Minister might reduce the maximum to 50 acres. • The Bill was reported from Committee with amendments.

THE FINANCIAL "DEBATE." SENSATIONAL COLLAPSE. . One might report the Financial Debs*. in this sentence: "Financial Debafi There was no Financial Debate." ■■■'if When the Houee.met at 7.30 to ,; , is the _ debate on the second Budget of the National Government, the Speaker pnt the motion formally moved by Sir Joseph Ward, "That I do now leave the chair in order that the House may go into Committee of Supply," and as nobody rose to speak to the question . (upon which, every member is entitled to speak for an hour), the Speaker 6imply declared the motion carried and left the chair, while members gasped at the disappearance of their, chance. The House went into Committee on the Estimates. On the first item of the Legislative Department's .vote—.£l9so for the Legislative Council—there was very little discussion' as-members had hardly recovered their breath from their previous surprise. Mr. G. W. Forbes suggested'that the Minister of Education should receive a salary for the very excellent work he was doing. Mr.. L. M. Isitt endorsed the suggestion, and said that it was.beneath the digntiy.of this country to have^a.Minister doing such work without remuneration, even though he had been appointed an extra man in a National Cabinet. At 7.00 the first item was passed, and the Prime Minister immediately moved to report progress. This.being duly cap ried, the House rose at 7.55.