POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 173, 11 April 1918, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES

THE WAR LOAN

COMPULSION TO BE ENFORCED

STRINGENT MEASURES

An important statement in regard to the war loan at present being raised, embodying a proposal to apply compulsion in an amended and drastic form to defaulters was made to tho House of Representatives yesterday afternoon by the Minister of Finance (Sir Joseph Ward). The Minister referred to tho provisions in last year's Finance Act for the application of compulsion in regard to the war loans. The loan raised last year, he said, was over-subscribed voluntarily, and there was no need to put the compulsory powers into effect. These powers, however, still remained in force. Since Mio war loan now before the country hr.d been issued he had received communications from practically all the important centres of the Dominion stating that certain people were abstaining from siibsuribinc to the new loan because there were other people in their localities who were not doing- their duty in regard to the loan and who had not done it in resnect to past loans. Some _cf the people who had written to him had borrowed money for the purpose of subscribing to previous loans, and they considered t!ie action of the other people referred to to be very unfair. Mr. G. V. Pearce: How do they know these people have not subscribed ? Sir Joseph Ward- ''Because rome of them have been f-ool'sn enough to talk about it, and to say that they will hold hack until after the war when they will be able to get a higher interest for their money. I know somo of them myself." Contimiins;. l iP said that he had been hoping that :t would not he necessary to put tho compulsory sections of the Act into force, hut afte>- consideration the Government had decided to put these powers into force in an amended form in connection with the present loan. (Hoar, henr.) This session's Finance Bill would provide that persons who had the means to subscribe to the present loan, hut who did not do so voluntarily, would be liable to fine equal to the amount of the loud ard income +tx that they wtt renuired to pay. They also would be liable to be called upon' to uiloC.ribe to the present war loan such anounls as might he assessed by the Treasury, on tho basis of iheir uicomes as ascertained by the Commissioner of Taxes. On these subscriptions they would be paid !i per cent, interest instead of the 4} per icont. paid to voluntary subscribers. Persons whose subscriptions were tbns assessed would have the right of appeal .to the Board constituted under last year':; Act. If the Board was satisfied there was no giound for the appeal the subscription with the reduced interest and the fine already mentioned would stand. .These provisions would take the place, of the previous provision that defaulters should be required to subscribe a sum to tho .loan to four times and a naif the amount of their land and income tax.

Tho fvnricinl needs of the Dominion, Sir Joseph Ward added, were imperative, and it was surprising that there wore still some people in the country who apparently had not yet recognised that tho Empire was at war. The peoplo who had communicated with him were responsible persons who felt very keenly the fact that somo of theil neighbours had not done their duty. "SECRET SESSION," THE OFFICIAL REPORT. A meeting of members of the House of 'Representatives was held yesterday afternoon—virtually a secret session,- except for the fact that it was held in a eommitteo room and not in tho Chamber. Tho'Prime Minister, in giving the invitation to members, asked all members, irrespective of party, to be present, and the invitation was accepted by practically all tho members of Parliament just now, including <tTI Rio Labour members. The following resolution was carried :— "That this conference of members of the New Zealand Parliament approves of the representation of New Zealand at the Imperial War Conference anil .War Cabinet by tho Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, and agrees to do everything possible to facilitate their departure so as to enable them to reach London by the date appointed." Mr. Ivlassey, after the conference, said that tho meeting had been very successful. There had been practically no discordant notos— merely differences of opinion on some minor questions. Members were unanimous on tho main [Mint; that New Zealand should do everything possible to assist the Imperial Government in the crisis which made necessary the appeal of the Prime Minister of Britain. LIFE OF PARLIAMENT. TO BE PROLONGED. It is understood that one of the matters discussed at the meeting of members'yesterday, afternoon was that of the postponement of the elections. Tho report is that the life of Parliament is to bo lengthened, for another year, and that tho necessary legislation will be submitted to Parliament at this session. . . A hint was given in his speech on the Address-in-Reply by Mr. Poolo which seemed to suggest that the arrangement will be that the Government will have power to order an election after the war should the war end beforo the lapse of a year. This, it is believed, is in fact the arrangement. DELAYED TELEGRAMS. CABLES WILL NOT CARRY THE LOAD. A question about delays in the receipt of telegrams from England, especially from members of the Expeditionary Force, was asked in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. Mr. M'Callum asked the PostmasterOeneral whether bis attention had been drawn to the delays in transmission of cablegrams from England. He had had before him in which letters dispatched at the same time as cablegrams had reached their destination before the cablegrams. Sir Joseph Ward said that this matter had been engaging attention for a considerable time. The difficulty was the overloading of the cables between the Old Country and New Zealand, duo to the war. As many us 12,(l(lfl cablegrams had accumulated at one office v.ot very long ago, and the cable companies found it impossible to get the messages through. Mr. Parr: They -should not take the money for them. then. Sir Joseph Ward: Thev have not taken money for many of those tha*. are delayed. Most of those delayed are free messages, sent by favour of the cable companies. As a result we have vei'v reluctantly come to ihe conclusion that those deferred telegrams cannot he accepted. The business cannot be carried without long delay, and presently v/e will have to make an announcement that those who want quick information will not bo able to get it without naying the ordinary rates for their telegrams. Deferred messages cannot be depended noon owing to the extraordinary couaestion. Mr, V, H. Seed: Are not E.F.M.

messages being delayed in preference to those that arc. paid for ? Sir Joseph Ward said that _ thoseE.F.M. messages that were, paid for were not being delayed in proferciico to other paid messages. He had been trying for quite a time to get over the dilliculty in the- interests of the soldiers, and as soon as a final decision was arrived at general publicity would have to bo given to it. He was afraid that E.F.M. messages would have to lio stopped, for people sending them should not bo allowed to remain under the impression that they could be got through. Difficulties had been represented by the- Post Office and Defence authorities more than once. He could not say whoro the block had taken place, but there were thousands of messages which had been delayed through no fault of the cable company. Mr. Poole: Some of the cablegrams are eight weeks late. Sir Joseph Ward: As a, matter of fact I have seen one that was nino weeks late, and many of them are three and four weeks late. Dr. Thacker: I havo got ono that hasn't camo at all! (Laughter.) Sir Joseph AVard: That is a case I will specially inquire into. I am rather interested to know what a cablegram looks like that has not como at all. (Laughter.) RATES OF INTEREST. GOVERNMENT TO CONTROL THEM A question which drew from the Minister of Finance an important statement regarding interest rates was asked in tlie House of Representatives yesterday. Mr. Isitt asked whether it was competent for life insurance companies to 11101X31130 the rate of interest on mortgages now existing, but requiring to be renewed. Insurance companies lent money on policies. Ono company, he knew had taken occasion to inform loan-holders that on expiry of a loan it can be renewed only at n higher rate of interest. Sir Joseph Ward said that there would be gazetted presently an amendment of tho War Regulations which would give the Government power to control all interest rates. Legislative authority would be asked also to provide that local public bodies' loans should come under the moratorium, just as private individuals' loans on mortgage. The object of the new proposals was to keep down rates of interest, and the matter raised by Mr. Isitt would come within the operation of this part of the law. He thought that during next session of Parliament it would be necessary to make some adjustment in the method of charging hicomc tax on mutual assurance companies. But nobody could' bo allowed at this time to force up the rates of interest. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE. FIRMER PRACTICE THIS SESSION. Of late years the practice of asking questions without- notice in the House of Representatives has been very general, amounting almost to an abuse of the privilege. The privilege of asking a question without notice is ono exercised only with the indulgence of the House, but the House never raises objection. Mr. Speaker never forbids a question unless it is improper, and in the end tho decision as to whether a question is to ho answered has rested with the Ministers. . Yesterday the Prime Minister told the Houso that Ministers proposed during the present short session to answer only those questions without notice which were of urgent importance. He would suggest that Mr. Speaker be the judge as to whether a question was urgent or not. If a quostion was urgent it would be answered, and if not it would have to go on to the order paper. Mr. Witty: AVill it, be answered then? Mr. Massoy: If the Houso adjourns before next question day ( that is next AVednesday—and there is no earthly reason why we should not finish on Friday night—the question will still be answered in the ordinary way on the order paper.

Mr. Speaker: As ifar as I am able I will say whether a question is urgent or not, but I think a Minister is more able, as far as the Department is'concerned, to say whether a qnostion is urgent. At any rate, I will do my best. 4 DR. THACKER'S LETTER. AND HIS COMPLAINT. Dr. Thncker had an opportunity of telling what be meant later. He said that ho had received letters without contents—pirated letters—from the front. Holding up an envelope, he said: "I have just received this one from Mr. T. E. Seddon, and it is marked here 'Received without contents.' This letter has been deliberately pirated. It has not. worn open. It has been torn open. It is the second time that this has occurred to me. I know what that letter contained. It was a copy of a cablegram sent from the Old Country, so that when 1 said I had a cablegram that has not been received it was correct, because- it camo in this letter. (Laughter.) I want to ask the Postmaster-General whether ho will have inquiry mado into this question of pirated letters from soldiers at the front." Sir Joseph Ward: If the honourable gentleman will forward the letter to me I will bo glad to inquire into it. Dr. Thackor: It is only an envelope. There is no letter. Sir Joseph Ward: Very well, will the honourable member send me the envelope? A REFORM CAUCUS. A caucus of the members of the Reform Party was held yesterday morning. The Prime Minister presided and all the members of the party were present or accounted for. Tho Prime Minister, in a statement at the conclusion of the caucus, stated that the business of tho session had been discussed and that the general feeling was in favour of expediting the proposals of the Government and bringing the session to a closo without any unnecessary delay. A proposal to hold a caucus of all members was heartily approved. A LIBERAL CAUCUS. A meeting of the Liberal Party was held yesterday morning, at which there was a full attendance of members of the party present or accounted for. save one. (This is the oilicial account of the meeting.). S'r Joseph Ward explained generally the reasons lor the calling ol' the present session, which were that the Prime Minister and himself had been asked to attend the' War Cabinet and imperial Conference. The meeting carried the following resolution:—"That this meeting of the Liberal Party desires in every way to express its approval of Sir Joseph Ward's mission to tho Old Land, and to represent New Zealand in conjunction with Mr. Massey at the War Cabinet and the Imperial Conference, summoned by the Imperial Government to consider grave war problems which are confronting the Umpire at the present juncture." A resolution was carried offering congratulations and rood wisdics ■'o Mr. WUford on his appointment to the Cabinet as Minister of Justice. It wart unanimously decided that an expression of deep sympathy with the widow .-Hid family of Mr. Charles Paiata should be conveyed to Mrs. Pa rata. The party decided unanimously 'hit Mr. George Forbes, Chief Whip of the party, should continue in that position.