PAELIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 297, 11 September 1919, Page 6

PAELIAMENT

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BILLS j A LIQUOR PROPOSAL . COUNCIL ADDRES3-IN.REPLY CONCLUDED' The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. yesterday. ■The Hon. J. MACGR3GOR, continuing the dobato upon thu Address-in-Re-ply, said thai lie intonded to refer to tho iircsont political situation, a subject that had received little prominency in the speeches of others who had taken part in tho debate. Ho quoted the sentenco reported to have been uttered by Air. Banna' in another place to the effect that the tirno had arrived ior the abandonment of the worst features of the party system, and. that the pu'litical parties were bidding against one another "with reckless proposals for the expenditure of loan uiouey." As a "striking commentary" upon this uttoranco (with which he agreed) he quoted also the words of one who lad 6].oken at the re--tumed soldiers' meeting upon gratuities. The person quoted had claimed to possess an assurance that "if tho Prime Minister would not recoivo a deputation, another political leader would do 60." With tho a,boTO quotations tor his text, Mr. MacGregor spoke upon what 'he considered to be the ovila of the three-party system. He claimed that it was the duty of tho leaders of both the main parties to lay aside all considerations of party j Mid all considerations of personal ambition, lest the country should be driven I >nto tho amis of the Labour Party. He ondeinned the trade union nioveuient in \ T ew Zealand'to-day as being led by a aw extremists. The extremists, he'beieved, would be the p»oplo in whose tands the powex of a Labour Govern-' tiont would rest. He claimed that the 'ory essence of tho Labour movement in sfew Zealand, as of that in Russia, in Imerica, in France, and in Australia, ras the doctrine s of the class war. ■ Hon. Mr. Paul; You will be right if :ou say a section of the Labour movenent.

'i iio Ho. J. B. Gow, mover of the motion, replied. The debate closed at 4.10 p.m. . Tho Council rose at 4.15 p.m. It will sit this afternoon, and after "dealing with certain Government business will probably adjourn till Tuesday or Wednesday next. ■■