STOP PRESS NEWS

Horowhenua Chronicle, 3 August 1916, Page 3

STOP PRESS NEWS

TO-DAY'S PARLIAMENT.

Wellington, This Day

After theToiegraph Office closed, Mr Talbot proceeded to quote figures to show that the cultivation of wheat in New Zealand was approaching o crisis, and that if the production of the cereal was to be continued some «ssistance wotild have to be given to the growers. Undoubtedly the additional cost of living had. adversely a fleeted' the worker, while nierc-hiaiif and produce! had substantially benefited. Mr Walker was opposed to an increase of the duty on wheat anil ' flour. Mr Mil 6<iid that while everything that might have been done had not "been done to reduce the cost of living, when one compared the cost of livi-nn here with that in Australia or Fn<rTnid there practically hod been no increase nt all: we were lucky people to he is well oft' as we were. He did not agree with the war bonus to Civil Servants getting more thdn C2l."j per annum, bit strongly urged that fhe casual labourer in both public and private employ should be similarly treated. He would not support the amendment moved: it. wns practicably a want of confidence motion regarding the National Government. Mr Payne severely censured the Government for failing to reduce the cost of livin'T, and doclaror I that if I Parliament could succeed] in turning tTiern out it would be doiii'j: the greatest possible service to the dominion. A division was taken at 3.10 a.m. when tin- amendment was, rejected by -12 votes to 6.

The Hon. .Mr Mnssey, in reply, thanked Mi Brown, mover of the motion. for having nivon the House an opportunity of dee!arin<_r its emphatic opin'nn in favour of the National Guvernt> ent. Legislation to reduce 111<co.st of *ii 11U. could li:ivo bo--n ?;! 1>; 1 ■ 111 <]/>«'» if tin- time of tlio Mouse lsjul not been wasted. .Vs to t!io debate. it was the '.vorst ho lind ever heard in the Hour but it had pricked me-l e| i';e cost of living bubble. The ame'idH'iis such that no .solf-respect-iie Govi rnnieiit could it , .n !> t "- than ont' of no-confidence. whirli. if carri-d. wouldi have compelled tin l Govern -iii-iit to tender :i - ' Fort in; t- ly the fTou.se hod 'nken ea'-e tills ivi 11!f 1 nnt ho I'l-' I?i>'■ in.; io criticism <>f tin- whei f niireh so. hi- i uotoil reports fioni tlio Governir, n; £ 1 a*■' > t i;"; ■•. • u -• : '• ' and which .sliowod the necessity for the lovoriimeiit uo'iiu to ('ana<!-> for supp'ios. Ats event-- had 111ril<■■ 1 out the wheat was not required.: loit if ii had been wanted, what wotul have been said if the Government h<ul not take-, tiii.-j precaution r iSpeakuiy ot the nituie, lie could see plainly that in a iew ,y earts time our wheat- would

be o duiuniihuig quantity unless sumetliiu;; Was done to encourage wheatglow uig, and it would be a sorry diay tor New Zealand ii we had to depend on nstialia lor our wheat. Lie deproc .ted attacks on die Board of Tutu and quoted iigure.s trom -«tatisto allow that the coat oi Jiving iu J'..igland now had men To per cent ; yet there was less (.ouipiu int in Kuglanti than here. To combat the coiiteuton that the Government ought to lis. maximum prices, he alio quoted Frei.i-h and Roman history, and the bpee ii of the Hon. Jlr RuiK-imau. I'm-. dent of the British Hoard of Tl'i-ii-i to show that such tampering of supplies had resulted in disaster. It people would only read the opinions expiossed during the cour.se ol debate, they could only come to one couchieioi: : that the Government had not fail* 1 in its duty, mid that taking, all iu ; 1 there was not much reason to con lain at the cost of living. The motion that the paper be laid on ihe table of the House mud he printed.. was carried, and the Hoimo lose at 1.15 a.m. .\i ) UN IMG TRAIN BLOWN OFF TTlii LINE. Wellington, This Day. The Railway Department ndvises that the ti.4o a.m. train from Paekakatiki to Palmerston encountered « terrific gale .'it Makerua, near ShtiTVnon, at 9.30 o'clock this morning. All the carriages were blown off the line, but

the engine did not leave the rails. An elderly lady passenger was injured. Particulars of tho accident arc meagre as telegraphic and telephonic communication is interrupted. Zurich, August 3. Gaedke states that the Germans must prepare loi Iresh lighting, and, a slow, imperceptible change in favour' of one side or the oilier, unless they wish to expose themselves to disillusions. Germany s enemies were increasingly restoring their effectives, and were even stionger than in the beginning of the war. Germany mus! remember that (•lent Britain's uav<il supremacy uas not destroyed, nor even .shaken, by tile glorious Skagerack victory. London, August ?. I no House of Commons nelJ an aliuigbi sitting. j.t was evident that -Ur .I. fJedniond had given tho Irishmen their heads, and then? was much angry discussion at the continuance of martial law, they demanding Sir John Maxwell's recall.

Mr Pemberton Billing and others sharply criticised the air defences reports reaching members of the Hou.-e of Commons. Tt was suggested that our aircraft defence had no~t reached expectations, and angry feelings were displayed at the fact that seven Zeppelins were able to tour seven counties and return safely to' Germany on tile eve of the second anniversary o! rhe war. Major JJaird. on behalf oi the Government, indicated unpleasant su.pri es in store for tiernnwi raideis. ft was impossible to disclose them at p.isc.t. Lord. Robeit Cecil said the uovci n:tie it had asked tho United States to a--certain the constitution of Captain Kiyatt'.s court-martial, and also demand the repatriation of live stewardesses of the Brussels. Sir i>ouglas Haig reports thnt we further progressed eastward of Poziores. An Italian communique confirms the .-.eri.iusness of the Austrian defeat at Ast'co oil the .'list July. It further stMtes that as reprisal- for the Aus trials So'iiliina: open towns, four to.'ts of expiosives were dropped, on torpedo a:id submarine works westward of Fiume. Berlin. August 2. A column:: iquo rep ■> is that (he enemy nenel.rated Marinroiirt-C'lerv road. Capetown, Aiojaist 2. The Rontritira is a total wreck.