THE HOUSE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 36, 6 November 1919, Page 8

THE HOUSE

The House of Representatives met at 11 n.m". ( The amendments made by tho Legislative Council in the Reserves and Other Lauds Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Bill were agreed to. INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES, Mr. J. M'COMBS (Lytleltou). introduced the .Industrial Disputes Settlement KHI. and asked if the Prime Minister would give facilities for its passage this cession. Mr. Massov: I certainly will not. THE APPROPRIATION BILL. SECOND READING DEBATE. SIR. JAMES ALLEN (Minister of Finance) moved the second reading of the Appropriation Bill. Tho provision for the financial services, he said, vvas on the usual lines. A few new clauses and various necessary validation and authorising clauses were included. The Governor-General had remained in office beyond the usual lime, .and the Imperial Government had asked that ho should be given three months' leave on pay at the closo of his term. This payment was being authorised. It would in u\\ probability bo refunded by the rmnerial Government. Provision' was made for the temporary adjustment of tho finances of the Westport and Greymouth Harbour Boards, which had suffered through tho reduction of coal outnut, and other factors. It had been found Hint the increase of £45 had not been given to member* of the Public Service, and' Post and Telegraph Department in all cases. Tho Bill provided power to bring up the increaso to £K in the eases of all salaries up to £.175 a year.

Mr. 15. P. WE (Oamaru) asked the. Government to give increased encouragement to wheat-growing. The wheat lands of Canterbury and Olago could produce the grain required if a reasonable price were orsurrd. Australian farmers had been guaranteed , r is. a bushel for next year, and (his rate represented fis. Bd. per bushel nt the mill in New Zealand. A full supply of wheat was not being grnwn in Ilio Dominion under present conditions. Questions. Dr. A. K. NEWMAN fWellinglon Mast) asked if the Government intended to continue thcrbiiltcr subsidy. He suggested the payment of bonuses before (,'hrislmas. YV'ould the Minister tell the Houso how the war loan was getting on? TTo urged the Government- to speed up tho Mangahau scheme. The work was dragging along in a most unsatisfactory manner. Mr. T. M. AYILFORD (Hutt) referred to tho fatality at Tivulliam Camp by

which a IJoy Scout lost his lft'e. lie declared that this boy had lost his life because ni' (lie negligence of a Defence oliieer. Conditions at Trcntliani previously to thi* alfair had hcen "absoluiely astounding." He deprecated strongly the action of the Government in refusing to allow him lo move for an inquiry into this affair, and the n.-gligcncc' shown in the custody of bombs at the camp.

Leader of the Opposition. Silt .IOSICIMI WAI11) (Leader of the Opposition,! said he would refer to one or two of the findings of the Coal Commission's report. He wished to say that Ihe report showed quite clearly that his colleague tho Minister of Munitions (the Hon. A. M. Myers) had controlled the distribution of available supplies to the best advantage. Clearly • Mr Myers- had not been lo blame for Iho breakdown in the railway services. Hi'forriiii,' lo tile political situation, he ."aid Ihat from his 'side of the House there had never hcen a party resolulion submitted, nothing in the way of hostility to the Government. There had been criticism of the Government, but it had been moderate criticism. It could not lie said .that the Opposition had not played the game. He was glad that the Minister of Finance had reviewed tho financial iiosUiou, because it showed that his criticism of the previous evening had been iustilicd. He hoped the .Minister's anticipations of an improvement in revenue would be fulfilled'.

The Butter Levy. The Hon. W. D. S. MACDONALD (Ray of Plenty) took Mr. Hine to task for his recent statements regarding the butter equalisation scheme. lie declared that lie had not been responsible for the conclusion of the agreement for tho second butter equalisation fuml, to which Air. Mine had referred. 'J hat agreement had been between the butter producers and the Prime Minister. Mr. Massey: I was in England. Mr. Hine: That ivas the whole point of mv iciunrks. Air. M'acDonaltf said that cablegrams had been sent to Mr. Massey on tho subiect. Mr. Massey: To let me know. I was very much surprised, as a matter of fact. Mr. Mac Donald said that he would accent his share of responsibility for the Boar;! of Trado equalisation scheme or butter-fat levy, but that scheme was accepted by Sir James Allen, Acting-Prime Minister at tho time, and other jnemliOTS of the National Government. Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward being absent in England. He spoke, also, of the wheat policy of the Government, saying that in his opinion the policy adopted by the Government was a. sound one to pursue in the circumstances. Mr. Massey's Part, Tho lit. Hon. "iV. P. MASSKi" (Prima Minister) said that when he and Sit Joseph W.inl left for England in August, 1911), there had been no talk of any equalisation scheme. Ho Had been surprised to hear by cable from Sir James Allen about the scheme. He replied by cable that ho disapproved of the scheme, and that lie was sure it would work unfairly. So it had proved. Tho esscn''tiul fault in tho sehemo was that the levy was on tho producers and not. on the exporter. In that season the stores wcro full of butler, beef and mutton had preference in space, and butter was selling at Is. f-:Jd. per lb. The shipping situation improved, and the middlemen reaped a. rich harvest. A deputation asked him lo remove the butler-fat tax and he replied that he did not approve of tho tax, but something should be arranged instead of it. In tho following season tho purchase of butter by tho Imperial authorities was arranged at a price equal to the local controlled prico. but with a. provision for half profits. At the time he thought there would belittle or no profits on the sale of butter in England. But an important increase in tho price of butter in England occurred, and this led to some such arrangement as the second equalisation scheme. Ho did not approve of that scheme, which put the whole load on butter. Ho had never had anything to do with the making of it, and he was not responsible for it. Ho had been blamed 'for tho whole responsibility for it, and this was not correct. He was glad that the .producers would tome cut of it all right. The Hon. .1. B. HINE (Minister of Interna! Affairs) justified his action in referring lo the butler levy in his speech to his constituents. He said that he had been replying to statements by Liberal candidates in Taranaki. He blamed the National Government for having forced the equalisation fund by limiting the local price of butter.

The Trentham Fatality. SIR JAMES ALLAN, in reply, made porno reply to Mr. Wilford in regard to (lie case of the boy Waugh, killed at Trentham. He said ho had done everything to give the fullest inquiry into this ease. A preliminary inquiry was •held, aim" it ,was decided that n courtmartial should he held. The JudgeAdvocate General had declared that there was no around for any charge against the officers concerned. The police were then invited to take action, but the Solicitor-General advised that this could not be. 110 could not give Mr. Waugh the fmoings of the preliminary inquiry, because it was an inquiry on ono side of the oase onlv, and to give the findings would have been unfair to officers who had not hail opportunities for presenting their cases.

The Bill was read a second time, committed forthwith, and reported with minor amendments at 5.30 p.m.

"Filth." Mr. H. HOLLAND (Grey), on the third reading of the Bill, made a lengthy and detailed statement regarding the venereal diseaso campaign conducted by Miss Kout in France. He read letters and reports. He referred also to conscientious objectors. The Prime Minister asked what, was the purpose of dishing up unpleasant stuff of this kind. It was positive filth.

Mr. Holland said he\ wanted to know if the Government had countenanced Miss Rout's work and methods. Mr. Massey replied that the Government had never countenanced- her work.

Mr. J. PAYNE (Grey Lynn)' said what Miss Ta2.hu had done 'had been in the best, interests of the soldiers. Facts had to bo faced in a. commoii-sonso way without vrowiicrism.

Mr. Massey suggested that if the subject was going to bo discussed further the galleries had better bo cleared. Mr. Payne proceeded to mnke a valedictory speech. SITx JAMES ALLEN, in reply, said there had been conscientious objectors and defiant objectors. The nicnilw for Grey had been the champion of the defiant objectors, and his 11 Iterances and writings were full of injustices and exaggerations. The Government had not had anything to <lo with Miss Rout. He hail directed that her writings should not bo published in New Zealand. Ho had not thought iilth of the kind should be nut before Now Zealand people. Miss flout had worked in France, wh'cvo the Dominion Government had no authority. He hoped the Speaker, in tho exercise of his discretion, would forbid the publication in Hansard of the mailer that Mr. Holland had'placed before tho House that night. "Tho lion, member for Grey," said Sir James Allen, "has displayed right through this war three characteristics. Tho first is a spirit of vindictivoncss. . . . Tho second is a spirit of disloyally—disloyalty to his King, to 'his country, to tho men who went from this country to fight for freedom. Lastly, from what he has done to-night, he is a. reveller in filth. Vindictive, disloyal, and a, reveller in filth." The Bill was read a third time, and passed. THE FAREWELLS. A WONDERFUL PARLIAMENT. Tho House resumed at 10.2, 1 ) p.m., after tho Appropriation Hill had been rigned bv His Excellency (lie Governor-General. 'The Uight lion. W. I'. JI'ASSKY nnid Ihat they had reached the end of what liiul' been one of the most extraordinary sessions in the history of the Parliament of the Dominion. It had been a session of hard work and long hours, but good had been done for the people of tho Dominion. It had been an historic session, also, in that Parliament had agreed to resolutions relating to the faking.over of the Island of Samoa, and (o tho protection of tho rights of New Zealand ia

tho Island of Nauru. Ho complimented the Speaker on his courteous and tactful and able conduct of the proceedings of the House, which had ensured always tho smooth running of Wio machinery of Parliament. He olforeil similar compliments to the Deputy-Speaker (Mr. Mai. colm); also he offered' the thanks of members to all the stall of the House and to Hansard stall for their faithful work in trying days.

They had reached the end of the Par. liliill'.'llt, ill::-. I" 1 ' • ,■<•■■■■ ■■ :. II "V I

the History of the country. In the session they hud lost a familiar figure in Parliament, Mr. Colvin, by death, and also they bad lost a well known officer of Parliament, the custodian of Purlin, meat Buildings, Air. Charles i'obiuson. It would bo unlikely that such another ollicer would be found to discharge his im. porlant duties. Members had to part now, and (hero would bo. the usual at il::- 'Avcwis, nut m' !";•,;. v-f they would all part friends, and he had no doubt that they wound uicel again as friends.

.Mr. Massey again congratulated Mr. Speaker and expressed a wish and a hope that ho would long remain in his utlicc.

Sill JOSEPH WAItD, following tho Leader of the Hou.se, spuke of'tlie remarkable doings in this country and in the world within the life of the Parliament shortly to expire. He referred also lo the death of .Mr. Colvin and Mr. ltobinson, remarking upon sonic similarities of character in them. Members were about to appeal to their masters, the people, ami there must be changes in the House. It was with mixed feelings that members must separate on such occasions, lie congratulated Mr. Speaker on his conduct of the House, and offered him good wishes for happiness in the recess. He thanked the stall' of tho House, Mr. Lowe and his coadjutors, and the "recording aiigols" of "Hansard" stalF.

Mr. H. HOLLAND spoke as Leader of the Labour Party, and thanked Mr. Speaker for his courteous and fair treatment of the Labour members, and the officers of the House for their courteous assistance. In this respect also ho had to acknowledge generous assistauco from members of both sides of the House, all sharply differing from the Labour group in politics. lie wisiied Mr. Speaker a Merry Christmas, and extended like compliments to officers of the House. Mr. J. PAVis'E, who is not seeking ic-clection, took occasion to assure Mr. Speaker that although he (Mr. Payne) had been disciplined on occasion in accordance with the forms of the House, ho acquitted Mr. Speaker freely of all suspicion of partiality. He bade Mr. Speaker farewell and good wishes.

Mr. SPEAKER thnnki'il the Prime Minister and tlie Lender of the Opposition and the other honourable members who had spoken for their uoocl wishes in the most trying limes of the past five years. He thanked members also for their assistance in maintaining the high standard of the New Zealand Parliament. He welled that some'members were not returning to the House, having chosen to retire from polities. On behalf of the Chairman of Committees he offered thanks for kindly references to Mr. Malcolm. He joined with all members in offprint; thanks to the officers of the House. The usual mock division was taken on the motion to adinurn. The motion was carried by 18 votes to 8. Member's sane; the National Anthem before dispersing. The House rose at 10.55 p.m.