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PARLIAMENT

J MILITARY DEFAULTERS 1., SOME VERY PLAIN SPEAKING -■: REPATRIATION BILL • ; .-•; BOARD CONTROL OBJECTED TO : PUBLIC WORKS ESTIMATES PASSED I 'The'Legislative Council mot at 11 a.m. ! . yesterday. ' ; • I . The Christ's College Qrdinanco Amend; ■"■tnent Bill was -cad a third timo and pass;..ed - ■ . ' The following local Bills'wero put ;..through' all stages and passed:—New Ply- ■■ mouth Borough and Harbour Board Ex;'change Bill, Tauranga Borough Council i and Tauranga Harbour Board Empowering Bill, Auckland Institute and Mu- : setim Site-Empowering Bill, Uawa Coun- : ty "Bill, Napier Harbour Board Loans .' Enabling Bill, and Invercargill Borough Council Special Bate Empowering Bill. i .Sir lArancifsßell, Sir John' Sinclair, Sir i 'iWilliam ■ Hall-Jones tho lions. E. , W. '■-AVisonj: J. G; -W. Aitken, C. H. izard, ■ TFT F 'Fleming,' 0. Samuel, W. H. Triggs, [ 'M<\l tho Speaker (tho Hon. W. .C. F. wero appointed a. committee ; 'to consider, tho acoustic properties of tho : new: Council chnmbor, and to make ,rei commendatious regarding its furnishing. ;• Protection of Tenants. I When the Council resumed at 8 p.m. ;'• Sir Francis : Bell reported tho result" of . the conference with the managers of the ;■ lower - House regarding the amendment i of-, the . rent restriction clauses of tho ; War Legislation Bill, about which there i'had been a disagreement. Tho Council :had felt that protection of soldiers, dis- ; charged soldiers, and their wives or i. widows, ' as tenants, would militate ! 'against their opportunities of, obtaining ! houses in the future. Therefore it had ■(provided that they might'contract them- ; selves out of the protective clauso of the ■Bill. Tho House of Representatives ; wished to strengthen the clause-- in fav.our of the tenant by providing that "in jsuch a lease as that proposed the tenant ■Jnust be'cognisant of its/effect. In the : A view of fhe Council's 1 managers that would only have mado tho positioiv worse , sts';regard'J future teiuincies. It had been :.'agreed,! therefore,- to strike '.out the ."amendment which allowed future tenants :to.contract themselves out of protection. [That meant that protected persons would \ have to take the chance of being considered by landlords to bo undesirable tenants. ': The Council approved of the agreement ■made by its managers. ' jfIEFBRMATORY INSTITUTIONS BILL l|j -~ , .v ■ • . - , !■' Mi conference with tho managers of tho 'Lower House regarding certain nmeudiinente to tho reformatory Institutions i , Bill was reported, upon;'by Sir Fi'ancis ■Bell,,who said that it had been agreed, [ to., give the Minister of Justioo power to .Vem'ove a person serving a sentence of I imprisonment to a reformatory institnjtion, provided the Heiitcnce had less than .two years to run. ! Tho Council agroed to the proposition. ■; At 10.15 p.m. the Council rose until ■ 10.30 ..a.m. to-day. !; THE HOUSE .'.Tho House of Representatives met at : 2.30 p.m. ' j I ...The Native Land Amendment and Nαrtivo Land Claims Adjustment Bill waa •. introduced and read a first timo, read a i'secqnd time, and referred to the Native Affairs Committee. : : The Orari and Wailii Rivers Bill, the ■Eangitata River Bill, and the Wairau : River Bill were introduced by Governor- ;■ General's Message and'read a first time. !' A message was received from the Legie'laitvo Council intimating that the C'oimj cil insisted upon'its ainendmont in the ! Reformatory Institutions Amendment Billi On the motion of the Minister of ;• Justice (Hon. T. M.' Wilford) another ■conference was set tip.' - ; - •' . : - LICEWSfNifrBILL. ~, '■■:. The Licensing Amendment Bill was re-ceived-from the Legislative Council with •linendmonts, and. accompanied by a schedule of suggested amendments to .the compensation classes. f.teTbe ;Ministor moved that tho amend- ' aents should be agreed to. Hβ indicat- ■ ed that stßps should 'her taken to. incor- : borate the suggested amendments in'tho 'Bin •■.■•> ■;..-- ■•■: -v-: The motion was adopted. ;•!£> '"military defaulters. irjffhe Hoxise further considered the : Ex'jieditionary Forces Amendment Bill. \ AMr, , J. .M'Combs (Lyttelton) moved (B-fIW section providing , that military de;fanltera who had 6erved sentences of imjprisonment should bo relieved from tho penalties: provided by the Bill. He said (that some of the conscientious objectors shad been sentenced first to 28 days' de►tentJ6hTthen:"t6 a year's detention, and [then to two years' detention. Many of '.these inen had dono mnch useful service jfor the State while in prison.. ,' }■' Sir James fAllen ,said.he could not ;to'cept the'amendment. He had made provision to remove tho names of religous objectors from tho defaulters' list. 'It was difficult to, define the religious objector, but the aim of tho Government would bo to Temove from the list tho ■honest-religious objectors. But many of ithe men dealt with by tho Bill .wore deI'fiant objectors. "They have saved their [own skins," said tho Minister. "There iore some of us whoso sons will never • exemei the fmnchiso again. They are buiiei in foreign soii." The Bill pro'.posed.'to disfranchise tho military de-. [faulterSj for: ten years. Hβ was not at jailv sure that they ought not to bo disfranohised for tho' whole of their lives, i They .had refused to serve their country ;in" : the hour of need. ' . : Mr. J. .P. Luko (Wellington Central)' i opposed the amendment. ; : The amendment was rejected on the .T'pices. ■ . : '■-'. REPATRIATION BILL 1 OBJECTIONS TO BOARD ! : CONTROL i' ■ - ; DISCUSSION-IN COMMITTEE. The Repatriation Bill was further considered in committee. ; Tho Minister of Defence (Sir James '; Allen) said he would introduce by Gov-'ernor-Generars "Message provisions the beneh'ts of tho 'Bill to naval ratings and granting to widows tho gratuities that 'would have been received by soldiers, 'who had fallen. J . Mr. 11. 'M'Callum (Wairau) thanked !tho Minister for extending from ,£250 !to £300 tho amount that' could be ■loaned to a discharged soldioi in order ! tp-«tar,t him in a business. Ho would iiaove in the direction of a further increase to jtSOO. ■. Mr. H. (f.' El! (Cliristcliurch) ol>jectod to the fichemo being controlled by 'ffihoard of Ministers. ■ Tlioro should lio ia Minister of Repatriation, wlio would :bo held - responsible' for tho details of I the scheme. ; Defence of Board Scheme. The Prime Minister said that tho fßecruiting Board, which consisted of three Ministers, provided a precedent for the Repatriation Board. In tho ordinary course tiio Repatriation Department ■would havo been under his charge. But .he had to go away for n fow months, and ■the board of Ministers had , been approved by Cabinet. Tho repatriation scheme touched tho duties of sovcral Ministers, and ho was euro tho boarcl do good work. Tlms chairman ! oi the board would be tho Minister to bo 'held responsible. Tho Director of Ro■patriation would not bo a. military man. ■The appointment had not been made, :but ho could toll tho Houso that tho •man likely to bo appointed had very nieai; powers of organisation and very ,Urked ability. ' ! flfambeifßi M#. Sampson? ■; Jlrj MsSseji Jt it happens to be Mr,

Sampson, he will bo a very suitablo man. Tho Hon. D. Buddo (Kaiapoi) urged tho Government to change tho sysr.om to provide for ono Minister to bo iuchargo with a civiliau committco of repatriation in Wellington, with other civilian committees in each dstrict. ■Mr. W. Downio Stewart (Dunedin West) supported ithe plea for tlio single Miuistor, ami cited tho example set by Australia in this matter. Mr. G. Forbes (Hurunui) saw no reason why tho .privileges of the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act should not be extended to all men who had been in camp, instead,of only to those who , had gone ovorseas and to those men who happened to be in camp on November 12. The Only Possible Scheme. Mr. R. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs) said th'at the arguments nguinst tho board control'were unanswerable. Tho only possiblo scheme would be lo make ono Minister answerable, and lie hoped that this system would be arranged, He was (jlud that, the men of the Motor Patrol Service had been admitted to benefits as if thoy had been in the Expeditionary Force. Also he could not meet the arguments that had been adduced in favour of the payment, retrospectively, of tho-higher allowances to niiirried men who volunteered early in the war when the allowances vere low. It was very well for a' Minister to say that, in.the erflrly. stages of thu war married men were not wanted. ' That was not (itiilo fair. Married men were, not specifically told not to go, and many of them did go on account of the urgent appeals mado for volunteers. Morally this money was owing to these married volunteers, and tho money could be found by increased taxation if necessary. , What May Happen. Tho Hon. A. T,. Ngata (Eastern Maori) "£aid ho would 'lie very glad to. support-an amendment if the member for Dunedin West moved ono, in support of one-Minister control. "It was," he said . "a jolly good thing for the country 'that we did not have n board of Ministers in control of Defence when the war broke out. It was a rotten thing for the Minister, but a goou thing for the country, , that one Minister was responsible to Parliament." The Board of Ministers, ho said, would not contain any young men—not a single representative of the men of 25 years of n"o or. thereabouts who had won the freedom of'the country. The returned soldiers knew more about requirements than any Minieters. "And," he said, "if we don't give them what they want, they are going to get it for themselves—in , about twelve months' time." (Hear, hear.) Ho admitted that tho troubles of repatriation' would not bo easy, lhore would bo.disgruntled men, men inclined to magnify their services, men with swelled heads, and to daal with them would not be easy. . Inco'nvenience and Other Things. Dr. A. K. Newmou (Wellington East) also supported tho one-Minister proposal. He said- that it would be extremely inconvenient to have a board, because it would be too slow in movement and most of .the troubles that would arise would be small matters only needing tho decision of a responsible man; Ho hoped that on every one of tho locnl committees there would bo a representative of the ' discharged soldiers. .If they could not keep easy {ouch with the Department there vould be constant irritation. It would be n mistake to select a returned officer for tho committee representative. An officer would be as much' out of touch with the men as the Minister. Tho representative of the soldiers should bo chosen by the menthemselves. . ' A 'Reasonable Demand. Mr. 11. G. Ell (Christchurch South) said tlio Government could not be blamed for having hesitated to- increase expenditure at a lime when, the duration of tho war could not be foreseen. But tho war had been won, It should bo remembered that, the pressure of public opinion on men of. military age in the early years of tho war had been enormously ■ stropg. The Government . had pleaded with men, married and single, to enlist. The men had made enormous /Sacrifices, and tho Dominion clearly could ufford now to provide, the money necessary to matte fho allowances retrospective. . '. • ' Mr. E. P. ,Lee (Oaroaru) said the war had ended earlier than most' men had'.expected. The country had been prepared to continue the war for another year or more. One month's war expenditure would covor the claim now being-mode for retrospnetive allowances, and so do justice to the men who had volunteered in the early stages , of the war, before allowances reached their present level. The Government rightly had been cautious when it'did not know tho extent of its responsibilities. But the liabilities could -be estimated'confidently, now, and tho liability for retrospective allowances should bo accepted. Mr,. H. E. Holland (Grey) complained that : the Bill merely gave-'the Government, power to do things by regulation. Parliament did not know what the Ministers would do. Tho Bill wo.s .indefinito and unsatisfactory; Hβ considered that the soldiers were being,treated unjustly. ' The Government's Powers. Tho Minister of Defence'said it was timo tlio Government was taking wide powers, ~because Uioso powers were necessary. But it was not true that the. powers were indefinite. Tho Bill gftvo Tory definite instructions to the Governmo'nt as to tho provision to be mado for the returned eoldiere. Tho Government was required specifically to provide for the needs of the soldiers in many different ways. Mr. Ll M. Isitt (Christchurch North) said that at a earlier stage- of the war,, when a strong demand had been made for improved allowance's for tho soldiers, the Ministers had told the members at a meeting that the Dominion had to fnco a, big and unexpected liability, and that they could not see their way lo provide the extra money. They went so far as to say that if fhe House insisted , ' it would have to find other Ministers to carry out its ■wishes. Hβ thought lie was right in his statement of the position. Mr. MAB9O.7 1 : Perfectly right. Mr. Isitt added that the position had now changed. The making of proper provision for tho soldiers wae a responsibility of tho Houso, and ho considered tliat tun money neeesshry to. make .the increased allowances retrospective ought to be provided. Mr. _C. E. Statlmm (Dnnedln Cen'tral) said it would bo niggardly on the part of the Government, now the war wns over, not to mako up the allowances of. men who volunteered in the early stapes of the war to fhe amounts paid in the later stages, after conscription had been introduced. "Fir ,,, " "■■>. a Devil," Dr. ThiH->- ""'ri-.tclinrch East) fell foul of (lie Chairman of Committees by fwyim.' lliftl; ii memlipr of Parliament hnd lo fight liko a <lovil(o ijet through tlio rod tape of the Defence Department. The Chairman, without giving a ruling, indicated thnt ho did not approve of tho expression. Tho member insisted on' repf>atini."il-, and when ilirenled to proceed with, hie siioech snjd ho intended to "stick to 1 the Scriptural word." Eventually ho moved to take tho ruling of the Speaker. The Speaker ruled, after somo discussion, that the member should not have declined' to proceed with his speech when directed lo do so. Tho nuestion whether or not tho phraso had freen parliamentary remained unanswered. Tlio Speaker said everything depended on llio manner in which the words had been used. The Last Word, After there had beon raoro debate on tho rotrospectivo allowances question, The Minister of Defenco Reminded tho Houso thiit ho had that day told members of thfl Houso and members of Iho Returned Soldiers' Association that the matter would bo brought before Cabinot for consideration. . It was not possible for him to say moro than lliat on the question. _ Mr. Massey Protests, Tho Prime Minister, at shortly after nine o'clock, mado a vigorous protest against what he considered tho unduo prolongation of tho debate. "1 had assumed," snid Mr. Mnssey, V'that members generally were anxious that New Zealand should be represented at the Peace Conference. I hope this is not organised opposition. Voices: No , . Mr. Massey: "It appears so to me. And if New Zealand w not represented at the

Peace Conference it will be the fault of lliis House of. Representatives. I am not going to leave this country until these questions arc settled." Mr. Massey said that he <lid not suggest that there should be no debate, but sonio members wero unreasonable. A great deal had been said nbout the Board of Control of Hepatization. If members wore not satisfied with tho propositi lot them knock out the clauso and have dono with it. Sonio other scheme could bo put in its place. Mr. Brown: 1 suppose we can oxpress our opinions. Mr. Massey: "Yes; but there is no need to fake twenty-four hours to do it." He declared that a great deal of nonBL'neo had been talked about divided control, 'fhe demand of those who insisted that there ought to be one Minister responsible did not constitute an objection to the board proposal. Tho chairman of the board would bo responsible for tho conduct of the board. Personally ho could see'nothing wrong with tho scheme, bnt tho House need not' waste timo about it. Let the board bo wiped out, mid come other scheme could be dovi*d. Members spoke as if they thought the Government was not' prepared to do justice to • the soldiers. He would ask them lo consider what had been done well iv> I ill the present. ,A good deal was said nbout what had been done in Canada and in Australia. He knew something of what had bcon done for tho returned soldier in those countries, and he said positively that although tin's country was email in population by comparison with those other dominions, it had done more for, the returned soldier' thnn 'cither < ne c/ thorn/. Mr. Brown; We want to do better , . Who ara the Talkers? Mr. Massey made a gesture of inipatieiice. "The plain truth is," ho said, "tlmt evor siuco tho war commenced .there have been members of this House who have tried on every possible opportunity to prevent us from doing our duty as a Government in connection with the war—and not only in Parliament, but out of it. Mr. Brown: What do members come here for? Mr. Massey: They don't come hero to embanrnss the Government. . . . Anil the men who have adversely criticised tho Government on every possiblo occasion are the men who have done least to help the countiry to do'its share in the war. I don't want to name them, tut it may be necessary to do it some rfay. All , . Brown: I would like you to. Mr. Massey "Tho honourable member's constituents will judge, him. I don't need to judge him." Referring to the matter of tho debate, he said that the Minister of Defence had given a pledge , that the , question of the payment of allowances re. (respectively would bo referred , to tho jCabinet. That would be done, and no more could bo said on the matter until Cabinet hnd considered tho question, ,Mcmbeivs of the Government were juetas anxious to be generous to tho soldiers as the rest of tho people of New Zealand coiiild possibly bo. . Mr. Parir: Reasonable meuadmit that. Mr. Massey said, that in addition to their desire to be generous the Government had to exercise responsibility, and had sometimes to refuse demands or to put the brake on expensive schemes, He asked members of the' House to bo reasonable. If the Government did not do as. they wished the Government to do, the remedy was with members. But he could give the assurance that in. dealing with tho soldiors tho .Government would not follow a policy of cheese-paring. Mr. C. H. Poole (Auckland West) said ho had no sense of guilt in connoction with the opposition spoken of by the Prime Minister. The Bill before the House was not a policy one, but a matter of machinery which had to bo considered carefully. Ho was not opposed to/ the Ministerial Board as long as a strong Minister was appointed to devote tho greater part of his lime to the duties of chairmanship. Mr. J. V. Brown (Napier) t complained that the Government did nothing unless it was forced to do so at tho point of the bayonet. The very men by whom the Government'was refusing to , do the right thing had ]>een the men who had made it possiblo for the Primo Minister and the Minister of Finance to liiake their numerous, visits to England.. Continuing, the member criticised the proposal of the Minister of Defence to send to England an army of officers from New Zealand to demobilise the troops. Badflorinn No Good. Mr. W. Nosworthy (Ashburton) said that while h<; was as much interested in the welfare of the soldiers as any member of the House, ho did hot see that any good could r como from tho pro- j sent badgering of the Government. Ho was quite satisfied that the Government would do the right 'thing. Mr. G. Witty (Kiccarton)' expressed i surpriso.that the Prime- Minister had attacked tho. members and had said they were stonewalling tho Bill. He maintained that nothing could ho secured unless members forced the hands of , the Ministry. Tho men of the Expeditionary Force had fought for the country, and thorefpro members must in turn light for them. Ho urged the Government to put its curds on tlw table and not treat the members lilaj school children, At 9.30 p.m. fhe Primo Minister moved to report progress, and the Speaker resumed the chair. Conscientious Objectors. Mr. P. ERASER (Wellington Central), speaking on tho third reading of the Expeditionary Forces Bill, asked for tolerance in the treatment of conscientious objectors. He said that many of the; military defaulters were animated by llio highest motives and were men of tho highest moral character. Tho Hon. T. M. Wilford: Do you contend that the men in gaol aroi of thnt typo?, i Mr. Eraser: Some of them are. Mr. , Wilford: Would you like mo lo read the letters they have written from gaol f . '''... Mr. Fraspr: If the honourable Minis-, ter is capable of such an act—the reading publicly of private letters—yes. Mr. Wilford: Are.you loyal? Mr. Eraser: "I consider 1 am just as loyal as' the member for Hufl, and more loyal to the people of this country." The position was >thnr, rightly or wrongly, some men > had decided that to' take human life was indefensible. A member: How would they defend their country? Mr. Eraser: Some of those men would not oppose an iuvading army. . If a German army, or any other army, camo to their homes they would rather bo' shot down and have people shot down around them than tako lifo themselves. They would .beliovo that Eventually justice, and righteousness would triumph. Mr. R. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs): They aro cowards. Mr. Frasor: They aro not cowards. Mr. Wright: They are cowards. Mr. Eraser: Then Christ was a coward. I am not denying that tho doctrines of Christianity and of noii-reslstanco are impracticable at. the present time, Mr. G. J. Andorson (Mataurn): Are all those men of that character? Mr. Eraser-. "Some of them s\tc. Rome of them are men of very; peculiar opinions. I don't stand for thoir • opinions, ibut I hope- I ain able to understand their point of view." Mr. Erasor said that conscientious objectors had been punished, and usually punished severely, for their principles, which might or might not bo right. Parliament should not extend the punishment by ton yeni's' deprivation of civil rights, which ought to be regarded as a sacred right of ovory citizen. Mr. 11. HOLLAND (Grey) said that he opposed the Rill bueauso it was "Prussianism in oxcelsis." Ho talked a good deal about conscientious objectors, defining tho different classes of objectors. Ono of his objections to tho Dill was that it extended conscription for a period of six months. There was dangor of militarism being fastened'permanently upon t.liis country. Mr. R. A. WRIGHT (Wellington Suburbs) replied to some of tho statements of Hi!) last speaker—statements not here recorded. He said that if tho , New Zealand Government had not adopted compulsory military servivo wo should em this have 'been where the honou'rabln member wished us to be—under I he hoe) of the Gorman oppressor! Members Aggrieved. When II r. Wright was dealing wilh remarks mndo by Mr..Holland, Mr. 11. G. Kll (Chrislchurch South) rose to a point of order. Hβ complainod that Mr. Holland had said that members of tho House had been sheltering behind their

sons. Ho protested vigorously against Biieli a slur upon members. Tlio Prime Minister: Ho ought lo bfl ashamed of himself! Mr. Holland: 1 did not say that. Mr Ell: Tlio honourable member for Nelson (Mr. T. A. H. .Meld) will bear mo out. Tlio Speaker: I ask the honourable, member for Grey if lie made use of those words? ' Mr. Holland: I did not make use of those words. Tho Speaker: The honourable member denies having used the words. . Mr. T. W. Rhodes: I distinctly heard Iho member for Grey make use of tho words. I feel it very keenly. -Some of us have had sons who made the .supreme sacrifice. Can tho member for Grey say that? I feel it very keenly. Aro we to be insulted? Mr. Holland: I did not say it. Mr. Rhodes: No man would say such a thing! . \ : Mr. Ell: T never folt more disgusted in my life. Mr., Rhodes (to tho Speaker): I ask for your direction in this matter. Is ■(hero no way in which we can get justice? Aro wo to be insulted in such a manner? Tho Speaker Paid that if Mr. Holland denied having used tho words he did not know what steps could be iaken. Mr. Holland again denied using the words,.and tlie incident eloped. Mr. T. A. H. FIELD (Nelson) dealt at length with l\r. Holland's attitude to the war as expressed in articles written by that gentleman. The Defenco Minister. Tho MINISTER OV DEFENCE in roply said ho had heard tlio member for, Grey sayiti" that tho older men had fought tho Kaiser at a distance of ten thousand miles.. He resented that sneer. He knew that , tho fathers of New Zealand would gladly havo died to save their eons. Ho could name many members of tho House who had asked lo be sent to tho front. Mr. Holland had said that the rovolutionary Socialists, under certain conditions, would fight. Would the member bo a bit more explicit and say what thoy would fight for, and who they would light against? Would they fiifht for their King, for their country? Mr. Holland: i'or his country. Sir James Allon "No." He was asked to fight for his country and ho refusedWhen wo aro told that revolutionary Socialists will tako up arms, .wo want to know what they will fight for. Tho member for Grey had tri«d to mislead the Houso and tho cuuntry. There was no provision in tho Bill to 'extend tho Military Service Act for six months. Tho Bill simply provided that military disciplino should bo maintained in the forces during tho demobilisation period, which might Extend over a year. Hβ respected the religious objector and the truo conscientious objector. Provision was made in tho . Bill for the rejil religious objector. But it would bo a dangerous thing to say that every man who announced that ho hod a conscionco was allowed to c-vade' his duty and his responsibility. Some, of the "so-called ivoro built up on. Heaven knows what! They were not based on tho Bible or on religion. Ho had heard somo of flte conscientious objectors eay that they would bo just as well off under German rulo as undor British rule. Wore those n'.cn worthy of British citizenship? Had they any claim to civil rights in a country like New Zealand? Ho considered that tho present was an opportune lime to lot it bo known who were tho true citizens of tho State and who would defend the State.. He was leas ooncernod abon revolutionary Socialists, who would fight only for what they wanted, than ho was about tho men who would fight for their country'and for all tho, country meant. A Few Questions. • Wβ had had to protect ourselves in the last four years against tho worst wiemy that had ovor attacked' mapkind, and what would havo happened to us-if we had nil been consciontous objectors? Was it fair that indemnity should bo asked for these defiant objectors? Was it fair that men who had risked, lifo, risked the future of thoir families, to go to fight, should coino back to find the fruits of thoir labour and sacrifice being enjoyed by'defiant objectors, mon who wore disloyal, who wero arrant cowards in many cases? Wero these objectors, who wero unworthy of tho rights of citizoitship, to bo allowed to enjoy tho ricflits which tho eolider had denied himself in order to defend his country? Any man, who had real religious scruples could bo taken/off tho defaulters' lisv, but he, as Minister, would not take off the list tho namo of any man whojwafi a coward, any man who had develpped a conscience sinco the war broke (pit. Something had been mode of an offer by some of these objectors now in doteniion to come out ,to nurse sufferers in tho epidemic. But all these men had had an opportunity of taking, other service of a like character—with tho ModioaT Corps. Mr. Skyos: They-would not do that. Tho Minister: Why would not; theso men take that service? ' Mr. Sykes: Too dangerous. The Minister snid that seryico with tho medical corps was not military service. To save and care for the poor wounded men was a service which could be undertaken by any man, howovel , great Mb objeption to tearing arms. If these men with consciences had wished to make a ■ sacrifice they could have accepted service with tho ambulance. '. Tho Bill was read a third time by 54 votes to 2, tho minority consisting of ■Messrs. H. Holland and P. Eraser. REFORMATORY INSTITUTIONS. The managers appointed by the House . to confer with the representatives of tho i Council regarding amendments to tho ! Reformatory Institutions Amendment Bill reported that they had reached agreement. The amendments wero ap- . proved. ' , PUBLIC WORKS ESTIMATES. At midnight the House went into Committee of Supply ,and' proceeded' to deal with tho'Public Works Estimates. Mr. H. M'Callum (Wairau) asked for ■ increased attention lo country roads. The suggestion irns mado by. Mr. O. Hunter (Waipawa) that in tho recess tlio i Minister of Public Works might con- ) eider the question of bringing down a ! scheme under which motor-car owners should bo called upon to contribute to- . wards tho upkeep of the main arterial roads of tho Dominion. The matter was ' important, ho said, and consideration should bo given to , it. [ .Tho Estimates were passed shortly after 1 o'clock. I The Minister of Bnilways presented the i , panel , known as the D 3 List. l The House rose at 1.10 a.m. to sit againat(noon to-day.

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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19181207.2.83

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Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 62, 7 December 1918, Page 8

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4,960

PARLIAMENT Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 62, 7 December 1918, Page 8

PARLIAMENT Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 62, 7 December 1918, Page 8

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