ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE.

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3146, 26 July 1917, Page 7

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE.

PARTY GOVERNMENT, Mr. W. NOSWORTHY (Ashburton) resumed the debate on the Addreas-in-Jleply at 7.30 p.m. Ho said that ho wa3 one of those who had been opposed to tho formation of the National Government. He would have preferred to have tho party go into opposition if r-.ecessa.ry. But the great majority of member's thought otherwise, and he, with them and with many members of the other side of tho House, had buried the hatchet and agreed to support tho NationalGovernment. Indeed, he believed that the most loyal supporters of the National Government had been those members on both sTdes of the House who had been opposed to its formation. His own wish was that after the war thero might be a return to party Government, because ho believed that under the party, system the country had better government than under any coalition. Ho wont on to condemn tho butter-fat levy as an inequitable tax levied without the consent of Parliament. He did not say that the Government should not have dealt with the cost of living in war time, but the ha.rd-working dairy farmers should not have been exploited for the benefit of the whole community. "If ever I camo across a. board of humbugs, it is tho Board of Trade." said Mr. Nosworthy. '5t is a. fool of an institution." He condemned the Government's wheat deal at some length, and said that the Minister of Agriculture, acting on the f.dvice of the Board of Trade, bad not treated, tho wheat-farmers fairly. The Government had paid more for Australian wheal than would havo been required to induce New Zealand farmers to ,rrow all the wheal needed. He advocated increases in tho upper t-radations of tho income tax. Ho hoped. the Government would tar v amusements, including horse-racing and picture shows, and would put a. heavily-increased (ax on beer. The hrewers at present wero absolutely escaping taxation. During three years of war the liquor interests had made no, sacrifice, and if was time I hat the House insisted upon the brewers parting with some part of iheir profits. He intended to vole for six o'clock closing. Defend! Administration. Mr. W. T. JENNINGS' (Taumurunui) paid, he was sorry the Government had not adopted his suggestion made in tho previous session to establish a, War Committee of members of Parliament. The existence of such a committee would have saved many misunderstandings, relieved Ministers of come detail vol;, and kepi. Parliament informed of the course of evonts. He believed 'bore- was need for reform in Defence, administration. A New Zealand soldier a,t tho front had been charged with desertion, and convicted by a court-martial, when the truth was that at the time ho y,-as

lying in hospital wounded. Tho conviction had since been quashed, a returned wounded soldier had been placed in the Auckland Hospital, and r.floi; ho had lain there for a year his father had been presented with ;i bill for XMHon. G. W. li-usscll: J. bopo yon will explain that if was a. mistake on the paTt of the Hospital Board. Mr. Jennings referred to the high coat of living, and said the farmers ought to be paid tho cost of produgtfon plus a fair profit. The majority of tho farmers were not, exploiters, and would bo satisfied with reasonable returns. Ho condemned tho butter-fat tax as being a tax on a. particular class. The Government, should carefully consider the position with regard to reinforcements. lie felt, it was questionable'" whether any more men should,' be sent out of Now Zealand. No married man should bo conscripted until the last tit. single man had been taken. Tho Government must, make adequate provision for placing soldiers on the. land. The sections provided for returned men should be made inalienable in order to prevent speculation. The pensions must be made adequate What wero a. few hundred thousand pounds per year in comparison with the war cost of J21.000.f100 a month? Mr. Massey: More than' that. In conclusion, Mr. Jennings protested against land aggregation. Maoris and the War. Mr. C. PABATA (Southern Maori) said that the people of New Zealand were living in peace and comfort whilo thousands of bravo lods wero suffering and dying at. the front. The country could not do enough in the way of pensions and allowances for the soldiers.' There should be no taihoa policy in connection with tho interests of the soldiers. Ho had received, many complaints from returned soldiers and widows of his own people, and had .not always been able to remedy.tho grievances. Tho' House should demand improved provision for the widows j arid children of bravo men. Tho Na- | tional Government ■up to tho present i time had not done quite no well as it might have done in various matters of | legislation and administration, and ho hoped to sco an improvement. "What is ouir land worth, what, is our wealth | worth, if we do not win this war?" said Mr. Parata. "Wo owo tho soldiers what wo possess, and we mnst not -withhold from them their due. Tho soldiers must 'have good land—Maori land and pakeka land—and they mustbo helped to settle upon it." Mr. Parata urged tho Government to deal with tho cost of living problem, and protested against any further interference 1 with the liquor trade. Tho House had been flooded with petitions in favour, of early closing, but thero was no guarantee of tho genuineness of the signatures. The' agitation was initiated by the Prohibitionists, who had "their particular madness" and would not bo content with the concessions already made to them. If the hotels were closed at 6 p.m. an injustice woidd be dono to the soldiers and the ordinary, citizons, as !well as to the publicans, and the drink would be sold in an illicit fashion. The soldiers could bo trusted to fight, why not trust thorn to have a drink when they wanted it? The Prohibitionists were liko dogs in the manger. They "would not take a whisky themselves and objected to anybody else having one." If the sale of. liquor was to bo prohibited because some men drank to excess, why not prohibit the sale of razors on the ground that some men had cut their throats? (Laughter.) Tho debate was adjourned on the motion of Mr. A. Walker (Dunedin North), and tho House adjourned at 10.45 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. to-day.