ADDRESS-IN-REPLY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 245, 10 July 1920, Page 8

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY

A DIVISION LIST ! MR. STATILAM'S PROPOSAL. The no-confidence amendment to the moved 'by Mr. C E fetatham caused much mora anxiety on the Government benches than had the , previous; amendment of-the Leader of the Opposition. It was known that some , members of the Government Party would vote for the amendment, because they ; favoured the principle of it,: although not wishing to withdraw allegiance from ; "»«. Government. Following was- the division list:— '''..•' For the amendment:' Atmore, Bartram, .Craigie, J. M'C. Dickson, ]3die, Jorbes," • I raser, Hauan, Holland, Horn, Howard, . Isitt, KeEett, M'Combs, Mao Donald, Masters, Mitchell, Dr. Newman, Parry Poland, Savage, Seddon, Sidey, S. G Smith, Statham, 'Sullivan. Thackerl 'Veitch, Witty, Young. ' Against .the amendment: Anderson ' Bitchener, Bollard, Burnett, Campbell, Coates, J.-S. Dickson, Field, Glenn, Guthrie, A. Hamilton, J. R. Hamilton, Hams, Hawken, Henare, Herries, Hock!y, Hudson, Hunter, Jones, Lee, Luke, Lysnar, M'Leod M'Nicol, Malcolm, IMJander, Maesey, Nash,.Ncsworthy, Parr Pomare, Potter, Powdrell, Reed, R. H Rhodes, T. W. Rhodes, R. W. Smith, Sykes, Urn, Wright. ■ Pairs: Downie Stewart (against the amendment) and Ngata; E. Newman and MCallnm, A LESSONiNPROCEDURE 1 WORDS WITHDRAWN.' 'Ton are making ah untrue statement, said Mr. M. J. Savage (Auckw3 when Mr. W. T. Jennings (Waitomo) was referring to some election matters. The Speaker promptly directed Mr. Savage- to withdraw the unparliamentary expression. Mr. Savage said he wanted to explain. Mr. Speaker said no discussion could be permitted. The words must be withdrawn without comment or qualification. " " ■ ■ I understand, then, I am expected to accept an untrue The Speaker (interrupting): I tell the nonourable member, as a' new member, that wnen-an expression is used that the bpeaker rules out of .order, and -orders !?. t iT? wlt " clr 'iwn.' the member must withdraw without any reservation. f; withdrew the words without further argument. TO SAVE TIME - -A. new member, Mr. J. R. Hamilton (Awarua) asked the Prime Minister yesterday whether he would give the Houso an opportunity this session of considering the Standing Orders of the House with a view to their amendment. Mr. Hamilton said that in his opinion a great deal of time was lost, and he did not think it.would hurt members'if some of their privileges were curtailed. If every member was going to speak on every questwn, it would be a long time before the Parliament could get through the business of the countrv. The Prime Minister said that he' would be glad to adopt the suggestion. As a matter of fact, he had conferred with Mr. Speaker already on tho matter, for he considered that there was urgent need for a revision of.the Standing Orders to prevent waste of time' in 'Partial ment pricelFsugar It seems to have been suggested in some quarters that the Government is proposing to make a profit out of the sale and distribution of the snv it ' bought for the needs of the 'Dominion. Mr. Lee (President of the Board of Trade) was asked-a question-in ihe House yesterday afternoon on '-this subject. He said that the Government did net propose to make any profit on the sale of sugar, tat it had'added a little to the purchase price to cover small contingencies. The margin would bo so .small that it could not be ieasouahi'v called a profit.

THE END AT LAST The debate. 011 the Address-in-Rcply was resnmed yesterday afternoon. - , u 1 SMITH (Taronalri) "spoke ; . bneflj- of , his mm attitude in politics, and then said a few sentences about • the requirements of his "district. ;He announced that he wa3 an. Independent with a preference for the' ['Liberals as against "but he 'Pr to support any party on proposals which were going to bo for the advantage of the whole country. He had voted for the no-confidence motion of the leader .■of the Labour Party because it was a protest against the inactivity of the Government! in regard to housing. He had not cared to vote for the iio-confidenca Liberal Leader because' that mottpn had no such reason behind it, and ho supported Mr. Statham's motion because he believed in the prin- • clplo it advocated. ... . Mr A. S. MAJXOLM (Clutha) had a complaint to make of the neglect of the • South Island by Ministers. He advocated the abandonment of the present mili- : tary system anil the substitution of a cadet training system, with special provision for the training of officers and non-cominissioned officers. The real . defensjve lino of the Dominion must be a_dominant Navy. ■ All experience show- ... cd that a military system tended to take charge-of_the. country, fa*, which- it was KtaWunqd, and' that in ; every case an '.army trained, in peace time was'often of little, nse''.iri .:time of war;- Mr. -Mal- , ... colm. proceeded to argue from historical y exmples that a.citizen army trained ''/I.', for a special occasion could resist suc'deKfully a regular army/.'trained ' .••; in peaco time. Now Zealand need'not cany the burden of a military', system. f '■: r V Keferrinß to electoral matters, Mr.. Mal- \ ■ colm said that the proportional represent ;• tation-system: was mechanically perfect. " But what was the aim of representation? Good government. -Mr. (Auckland Cenral): Democratic government. Mr. Malcolm: "No. Ton are entirely wrong." Good-government was the aim, and the ideal government would be despotic, :i£ the right sort of despot could be found. _ The weakness of proportional representation-was that it gave perfect representation, and bad . government, since no party could get a majority. A , ■ a- , Parliament. representing. all shades of '■ opinion, would be entirely, ineffective. . - Continuing l tbb debate, Mr. W. T. Jennings'and'Mr. G. Witty spoke for less . than -.their allotted time on topics not all of them fresh to the dismission. Mr.-H. Atmore offered some thoughts on economic questions, and then talked about-politics. Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon asked for the appointment of a "young ,t: Minister of Mines," and the encouragement of alluvial gold Kunming'and prospecting. Mr. Hockly, the mover of the Address, •replied at 10.20, thanking members for felicitations offered to Jiimself and the seconder, , and in turn complimented .. . members on the high quality of speeches : made m the debate. The question was put and the motion catried a few minutes later. ~ Tho House rose at 10.25 p.m. 'NAURU ISLAND : EFFECT OF SftITISH AMENDMENT ..A cablegram from London, published . - yesterday, mentioned that the House of - - - Commons had made an amendment in the Bill dealing with the Nauru Island - ..agreement. Mr. W. 11. Field (Otaki> ■ ' asked in-tho House if the Prime Minis- ■— ter had any information as to the effect of the amendment on tho supply of phosphato rock to New Zealand. Tho Primo Minister replied that •he /•-. had received the following cablegram "■ from tho Colonial Secretary:— ' ,-.y?. '"In Committee in the House of Com- ■ mons on the Nauru Island Bill, Lord Robert Cecil moved at the> end of Clause 1. section 1, which runs: 'Tho agreement (that is, the agreement between tho three Governments of July 2, 1919) is hereby confirmed,' : the insertion of the words,. : to the provisions of Article 22 , c' of the Covenant of tho League of Nai tiona' Tho amendment, which was cari ried by one vote, will not interfere with . . the passage of the Bill or alter the general situation." QUESTIONS OF MEMBERS, :"'.' following questions of which the members named gßve notice in tho House yesterday aro of general intorest:— Mr. Hunter (Waipawa): Whether the "Government will consider the advisability of passing legislation to provide for a universal system as to tho dressing, of ' carcasses of mutton and beef for export; and for a uniform custom of weighing 1 and the deductions to bo allowed for not weight? Mr. Field (Otalri): Whether the -Gov- ■ V eminent will'in the'near future endeavour to make some satisfactory arrange- ■ - ment with the shipping compani'63. trad- ' ing between New Zealand and tho United ' Kingdom paront;{ arid other ' .-, near relatives" shall bo enabled to visit, 1 at a substantial reduction on tho enor- ' moua rates of passage now ruling, tho ■ . graves of soldiers who lost their lives in ' tho wax? i Mr. Powdrell (Patsa):. Whether - tho ' Government will coiisiil.or ay measuro ' whereby Stato opportunity, coi&d bo of-'-fered, firstly, to our soldiora, and, scc„t,- frnly, to our yonng men in Now Zealand ' deSixipg a start in life, such opportunity ; .-..being by way of a Government guarantee '■ to private lenders, covered bv a Sinking - fund or an insurance against risk, after ; Ramo had beon daly approved by a Gor- ■, ernmont Board of valuers? Sir E. IL Rhodes (BUesmere): Whether, 1 in order to encourage a- permanont de- , majid and ft permanent supply of pota- ' - toes, the Gorornment will place a sum '.'. on the estimate to provide a' bonus for , tho manufacture of starch from nota- , .toes? Mr. PowdreE (Patea): Wliethor, seeing , incrtisell%iw ill ! 'ltitid AtiTiij"i,-d<«iring rlands antT .the"' TUfiaj- mortgages".'.-how;', on - taruis, ( vfhroiigh being many .tlmes/soM, and as j these mortgages represent prbfits by each seller, the Minister of Agriculture will J take, steps--to protect- tho present occu- > piere and owners now holding the land