PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1917, Page 1

PARLIAMENT

' July 25. The Legislative Council, mot at 2.30 p.m., II on; T. Macgihbon was granted a ] week’s leave of absence, and tbo Council decided to send him a message of congratulation on the attainment of the fiftieth anniversary of KU marriage. The Leader of the Council (Sir Francis Roll) 'announced that the’ Address* in-Reply would We presented next day to the Governor-General. THE HOUSE > i ' • Jdili - f The House met at 2.30. p.m.. Replying to Mr.' J. Payne, the Premier said that any rumour to the effect ■;hat lie and Sir Joseph Ward would shortly be leaving for Great. Britain to represent the'Dominion there'as High Commissioner and as permanent Minister in London respectively was absolutely incorrect, 'fso' far as" he personally was concerned lie had no desire to leave New Zealand and he was quite sure that New Zealand could not do without him. He further stated that- there would he no change in the High Coifimissionersjiip 1 for' 'some time tel come. Replying to Mr. '£}. J. Anderson, the IJon/W. f). S. MacDonald said that the question of cool storage had boon before Cabinet for several days. Temporary arrangements had been made,with the Wellington Harbour Board to store from 45,000 to 55,000 crates of cheese! and a conference would he'held next Wednesday with representatives of the freezing companies, when the whole matter would be fully gone into and aii' endeavour made to ascertain'what space was’available in the Dominion. " Rt. Hon. W. F, -Massey stated that lie had received notification from the Imperial authorities that they intended to acquire the whole of next’ season’s wool clip a<t the same price and in the same manner, as last year. He'‘proposed to submit, the proposition to the Agricultural Board hhd'io take •flute/’ advice as to whether it wa s necessary to call a conference of wool growers. He' desired to say that a letter In had received made it clear that shipping ’ facilities were likely to become increasingly ’difficult. and this was the'factor he had considered'when fixing the price. The Premier also 'Stated that if found necessary the Government was quite pro pared to start State butchers’ shops, a.' had been done in Auckland. So far tlit Board of Trade had reported that the necessity did not exist. The 'Wairoa - Harbour Board endowment B‘ll (Sir .John was ’in trodncetl and read a first’ tihle. ’ The Minister oU Mines laid on ;the. table, the annual report of the' Mines' Department which provided a lengthy discussion on mining matters. Replying to question. i Ministers said: That it -was impossible to commandeer all alien labour in the Dominion because many aliens are, natives’of countries which are our Allies or are friendly to Britain. That the question whether a certain article recently published In the ’’Tablet.” is seditious lias been referred to the law officers of the. Crown. That in the event of a general election being held in this country that. the necessary legislative provision will ho made to enable our soldiers abroad to record their votes: That the scale on which reinforcements are sent by New Zealand is exactly that asked for by the Imperial Government. It is‘tlie same’ a*! ’ that stated in the House of Commons last year as proved by experience to be necessary for the British ii my in France per’inonUi for infantry and less for other arms. ! ' ’ ' That at present it is not possible* to return mien to ISTew Zealand wlm have "served three years at the front. Tlitit last year’s final sheep returns showed an increase of 298,942 breeding owes as "compared with t|ie preceding year. ' Oiilv interim sheep returns for (his year have vet boon published, hub’ it is expected that the final returns will show' a further increase in (li'c

iiuinljor " of brooding ewes and a sulistantia] increase 'in the total number of sheep in' t|ie pominioh, as compared \yitli' hasty year. The whole matter of dealing with n oxt season’s production of freeing stock If a present, receiving very careful consideration. WELLINGTON, July 25.Tjie House met at. 2.80’ p.ih.' 1 ’ ‘ : * Mr. Vigor •■'Brown"' (Napier) addressing the-Premier said, that ago he had asked whether-the’ Govern ni'ont was* aware that' ; "Mr! 7 Malcolm Ross the offifcial war correspondent h'Jis' acting as military censor 1 at the front. He Was' now 1 prepared to Hand to f ile Premier ah envelope of a fetter ihcc-iV-" edgin''the l pominioh : showing clearly that’ it lfa'd bbeii censored by'Mr. Rossi He thoiigh't’it ijuitn improper‘That!'this man. who was rccWivii'ng‘ : £lo6o per annum to act 'aS' * should he. employing ll his' t ime censoring ' let : tors. ! ' :5 *' 1 The Premier on receiving the dir 'Vel'opc, replied that lie’ conid oiily rs- - ivliatc lie had alreidj ; "’shffa'.'\ He kn'Av nothing of five hiattor tint 'lie Would inquire into ‘it. ! The Address-in-Reply was continued by' Messrs'.’Okey; Walker, Lee Yduhg Malcolm.' ' ’ { ' 1 "’At the conclusion of Mr. Malcolms speech' the Sp'ealleh ' put r the : UlrierfcL I inOnt"-nidVed’:hy' ; 'Mr. Mb'Cdfnhs” ’which | war*loSE :-f dtf the, trrr

Speaking in reply on his original 1110fcion Mr. G-. H, Smith (Pahiavun; declared he had no sympathy ✓ with people who said that New Zealand had don© enough m the matter of remforeemeoits, > "but he took up the portion that the size of The original bodies should be determined by the Governments at once and ’ having fixed that on a basis-of a proper percentage of our share of service t,o the Ernpirt we should send reinforcements iii that proportion and no more. •t* The motion that a respectful address he presented t,o flirt GovernorGeneral was 'then carriecf on the motion of the Premier. 1 The names of **Messrs Dickie and Reed were added to the C&mrfiittee set up to consider pic operations of the American Meat Trust. * TVxe House rose at 9.30. p.jn.