PARLIAMENT AT WORK

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 266, 4 August 1920, Page 8

PARLIAMENT AT WORK

/ . T OPENING OF BUDGET DEBATE

THE OPPOSITION "ATTACK"

; MR. NOSWORTHY ON DETRACTORS

£\ .The,early, part of the sittings of the House of Representatives yesterday was 4a&en,sup,.inainly with formal business of little interest. Presently tho Crimes ; Amendment' Bill, was roached. The Bill was down for committal, and it was pat-through Committee" with one amendment, an important amendment, providing that in a case under review it shall not bo competent for any Judgo or Judges to increase tho sentence originally imposed on any appellant prisoner. Tho Bill was fiibswruently passed.". As there was no other business that cculd be conveniently taken, the House adjourned at*four; o'clock until the evening, when tlhe Financial Debate!was scheduled to commence.

Owing to the atisence of the 3,eador of the Opposition through indisposition, tho task of opening the biggest debate ,of tho session fell to tho lot, of the member for Hutt, and Mr. Wilford was not at his best, Ho had a deal to say about" lack of vision on the part of the Government in its alleged failure to do things for the benefit of the rank and file of the people of the country, but he indefinite as to particulars of what his party might bo prepared,to urge the Government to do in improvement of Us financial proposals, Also he'talked of his recent travels in America. The Minister of Agriculture, roplied, and he "was rather ,ir ore direct, if less rhetorical, than Mr. Wilford. He did make clear exactly what was in his mind, and something, too, of what was in the mind of tine Government., He had no panacea for all the ills from which tho country is supposed to be suffering, and he stated some of the reasons why in his opinion a quick solution of our problems is not to be expeoted. • • His best and most direct! attack was against these detractors of the fairfame of-this'Dominion, who seek by .false misrepresentation to prevent peoplo from coming to this counwy, Mr. G. Forbes was the third and last speaker, and 'the' debate was adjourned at 11 p.m., when tho House rose forthwith. . '