PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 32, 1 November 1918, Page 6

PARLIAMENT

THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY WAR AND ITS PROBLEMS REINFORCEMENTS DISCUSSED, Tho Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m., the Acting-Speaker (tho Hon. W. C. I l '. Carncross) in the chair. Leave was granted to the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken to introduce tho Privato Estates Bill. Tho Bill was read a first time.

The Hon. J. B. GOW resumed the debate on tho Address-in-Reply. Mr. Gow referred to the great unity which had been brought about in the British Empire by the arrogant actions of Germany. It was also a matter of uride and thankfulness that the people pf America and Britain had been drawn together' again after a long period of snvorajics. He deprecated unfair criticism of tho National Government, put up a good record during the war. iSoldters should be eY.couragcd to go on tho land and become good farmers. The matter of afforestation should also receive strong attention from the Government. The producers of the Dominion should not be exploited by tho shipping authorities, or by the operators in the Old Country. These things could only bo guarded against by'approaching the Imperial authorities. A. vigorous publio .works policy was essential to ensure the, progress of the Dominion.. There should be more co-operation between the Departments of State and the local governing bodies of the country. Referring to the labour uure3t in the country, lie considered that anything in the nature of a "go slow" policy was to be condemned, as it was a vicious principle. Bettor facilities should be provided .for the education of children in the country districts.

Preparedness for Future Wars. The Hon. W. H. TRIGGS paid a tribute to the way in which the National Governinent bad carried out its duties to the country during the-war. It had been impossible to devote that attention which was desirable to domestic legislation owing to the energies of the Government having been concentrated on the war. The National Government was not homogeneous; it was a temporary junction of two political parties, and not a complete coalition. Under those circumstances it was inevitable that there should be some hesitation and compromise where they would wish promptitude and decision. It was to the everlasting credit of the' Government that New Zealand had done its duty to the Empire in the war. The supply of men had been kept up, and they had been well fed and equipped. Unlike other' countries, New Zealand had been free from corruption in its war activities. That statement had been borne out by tie Defence Commission's report. The Government and the Alinisler of Defence might well be proud of that report. He was not one of these who believed that this war would be the last war, and he maintained that the British Empire should ever hold itself in a state of readiness to meet any emergency. It was too much to hope that other nations would agree to the continued supremacy of the British Navy as a fixed part of the settled order of things after the war, and the Empire should always be in a state of preparedness. There was a great dear of sham and make-believe about the education system of the Dominion, and not enough attention was given to essentials. The teachers were underpaid, the salaries failing to attract the best intellects into the service. More attention should be paid to tie teaching of history, economics, and civics. He desired to pay a tribute to the Workers' Educational Association for the work it was doing. Repatriation of the soldiers was a subject of the very first importance, and a special Department should be set up to deal with this matter under the guidance of an able and sympathetic organiser. The settlement of soldiers on the land should be part of a comprehensive system of colonisation after the war. Large areas of land which were at present lying . unproductive should be used for the purpose. 'He disagreed with the formation of soldiers' settlements, believing that the men should be encouraged to settle along with other ueople in order that they might be induced to forget the horrors they had passed through. The methods of colonisation carried on iu Canada should bo studied by the Government with a view of applying some of the best of the principles in operation there to this country. The Hon. G. J. GAKLAND said' the work of the Dominion's soldiers would redound to their everlasting! glory. He earnestly hoped that the question of afforestation would receive the careful consideration of tho Government.' Except they, bo of a very casual character, experiments in kauri planting should not be carried out in the South Island,' for he did not think they would be a success. Hydro-electric power schemes should also be put into operation. The latent resources of New Zealand should bo utilised to the uttermost, but he was strongly opposed to the powei- projects being placed in the hands of privato individuals. He regretted that tho GovernorGeneral's Speech made no reference to the Public Service. Tho service was seething with discontent because of tho increase in the cost of living. Overcrowding of schools, especially in tho humid climate of tho north, should be abolished. The supply of qualified teachow was insufficient. More money should bo paid for education. Salaries of teachers were too low to attract qualified men and women. There was too much overlapping in the secondary school system. Technical high schools should supersede the old-time grammar schools, and boys who spent two Or three years 'in learning .trades at such technical schools should receive recognition from employers.

Praise for Defence Minister. The Hon.. H. L. MICHEL said tho visit to England of the Prime Minister and Sir Joseph Ward had materially helped to solve the slugying problem. Ho thought, that in order to deal with post-war problems it might be better if party differences were sunk and the best brains of the country brought together to try to solve those difficulties. The Minister of Defence had often been misunderstood and misrepresented, but the fact remained that.he had come through the ordeal of tho Defence Commission's impartial inquiry with flying colours. (Hear, hear.) There had been no corruption in connection with the expenditure of i4f1,000,000 for war purposes, ana that was a fact which showed that politics in the Dominion were not so bad as they were sometimes thought to be, and that the Government was clean compared with those of some other countries. He contended that every means should bo taken to improve the country's gold production. Keferring to the cost of living, he said it must.be realised that the high prices in New Zealand wero not peculiar to this country. All over the world thcro was a shortage in production. If the Federation of Labour had been able to raise tens of thousands in the past for the purpose of keeping men idle in order to right wrongs, some real, somb imaginary, surely it could.raise, say, dCIOO.OOO to start co-operative stores, and thus .help to solve tho cost of living for themselves? The high prices ruling in other countries wero responsible for the high prices charged for articles imported into New Zealand. It was possible to conscript the incorno of individuals, but it was not possiblo to conscript the wealth of the country. Those who'raised the catch-cry, "Conscript tho wealth of/ tho country," really meant to confiscate that wealth. | To do such a thing would be disastrous. He suggested that tho Government should set up a Department from which should bo issued weekly an official statement explaining the reasons for the increases in certain lines Such official statements h-onld relievo tho mind of the public on matters of importance, and "would serve as a means of combating false catchcries. Some people urged that tho Stato should take over tlie control of tho means of production. That would not solve the problem of tho cost of living. Tho Council adjourued at 5 p.m., on the motion of the Hon. W. Earnshaw, until 2.30 p.m. to-day.