PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 31 October 1917, Page 1

PARLIAMENT

[Wilt PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYItICHT.] WELLINGTON. Oct. mli. THE COUNCIL.. The Council met at 11 a.m. NEW MANAGERS, The Council appointed new managers to confer with the House ol Representatives on the 'amendments to the Expeditionary Foreo a Amendment Bill, as follows:—Sir Francis Bell, Sir Walter Buchanan, Hons. Aitken and Fisher. The Council appointed managers lor the third conference—-Sir Francis Bell, Hons. Samuel, Morgan, and Earnshaw. The Statute Law. Amendment Bill Was passed. At flic third reading Hon Barr explained a clause providing lor the employment, of discharged soldiers' was not dropped at the instance of tin. Labour members, who w,cro willing to make such a provision in proper form.

THE HOUSE. 'll ip Hoi isp mot at 11 a.in. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Replying to Air. Mander, tho Alinister of Defence said the qnest,ion of utr ilisinjx tho service of the .logo Slavs had heon under consideration several times. These people hold a mooting at Auckland to dcide what course they would pursue and Government wore waiting a full report of that meeting before coming to a' decision. He hoped it would be. possible to make arrangements to use the. service of Jugio Slavs in a corps being raised in Australia of'in some war work in New Zealand. The only question was to lip sure of their loyalty. .MOTOR PATROL MEN. Replying to Mr. Wright, the Minis-' ter of' Defence said Government had made provision for men who joined the motor patrol service so far as pensions mill urn vision for their wives and children was concerned, but could not see ids way to go so far as to raise the paw of single men to the New Zealand level, nor could they go so far n s to extend .financial assistance to men of

that- service. QUESTION OP LEAVE. Replying to Mr. Wilford, the Minister of Defence said as a general rule, men who lin'd final leave, but who were not ready to depart, have been allowed to return to their homes without pay, to participate in farm work. IN THE NAVY. Replying to Mr.,Poole the Minister of Defence said the position of the New Zealanders who lin'd joined the Imperial Navv would be considered by Government. but! lie desired to point out that the men were not on the same footing as the men who joined the Motor Patrol, they having joined the Navv without the knowledge or consent of Government. CASUALTY LISTS. Replying to Air. Field (Otaki), the Minister said so far as he knew, the casualty lists published were complete up to the date of publication. Sometimes cables were delayed, but as a general rule, the lists were complete. A CONFERENCE. Mr. Speaker, at this sta'ge, announced that the Legislative Council had agreed to hold a second conference with the House on the subject of the Expeditionary Forces Bill and the House adjourned at ILL) for that purpose.

A NOT HER GONFERENC E. The Mouse resumed at 12.10 p.m. Sir ,1. Allmi .submitted the manager’s report to the effect that the second conference between the representatives of the Council and Mouse bad been unable to come to an agreement. He moved the Council be asked for another conference and that Hon. .Myers, Sir J. Carroll. Mr. Parr, and the mover bo appointed managers to confer with the Council representatives. ENQUIRING MEM.BERS. Mr. .Jennings asked—is this farce to lie continued;-’ Two conferences had already been held on the question which was a simple request of a majority of the. House. Dr. Newman asked if members could attend the conference. Mr. Speaker having ruled that :<:,y member could attend the conference, be quoted authorities. The question hail never been previously raised in the House, but that was the position. Mr. Massev considered that better work could he done if the conference was confined to a few members. Mr. Buiek aswed bow long the farce wa's going on? Mr. Wilford said there could not bo manv more conferences as there were only LI members in the Council. Sir ,T. G. Ward took the opportunity to doily there, had been friction and verbal fighting in Cabinet over the question. The report wa s absolutely untrue. Ministers bad boon united in r.he effort to overcome the difficulty of the position. The motion was agreed to. WOOL FOR SON. Mr. Ell asked whether women who were knitting for soldiers could get wool from the mills at cost price under State control. Tfon. Myers (Minister for Munitions) replied that lie had made arrangements that whereas wool had enst 8s lid per lb. it would now be supplied .through La'll v Liverpool depots at -Is fid per lb. UNABLE TO AGREE.

When The House resumed in the afternoon. the Speaker announced that the third conference with the Legislative. Council on tile subject of the exemption of clergy and teachers from conscription, bad boon unable to come to anv agreement.

Hon. W. F. Massey, intimated that it was intended to ask for a further conference, but be proposed to ask the House to adjourn till 7.30 p.m. to enable Cabinet to consider tho position'. AMENDMENTS AGREED TO.

The amendments made by the Council in the War Legislation Bill were, oh

the motion of Hon. Hcrdmau, agreed to.

Hon. Hanan moved that the amendments in the Statute Law Amendment Bill bv the Council lie agreed to. He regrefed the loss of clause 19, suspending industrial-awards, to enable disabled soldier.; to enter trades for tuition purposes. The motion was agreed to. The House rose at 3.40 p.m. TOWN PLANNING. The House resumed at 7..30 p.m. The Town Planning Bill was introduced bv 'Governor’s message. Hon. G. AV. Russell explained it was only desired to get tile Bill printed and circulated, in order to prepare for a, scheme of town planning jtfter the war. TEACHER’S EXEMPTION - DROPPED. Hon AV. E. Massey announced it was not intended to proceed further with the Expeditionary Forces Amendment Bill, exempting clergy or teachers from conscription. The Bill would be dropped for this session. ADJOURNED

The Premier intimated that he proposed to ask the House to “consider the Supplementary Estimates, but -as there was no prospect of their being ready before midnight-, ho moved that the House hdimirn till 9.30 next morning. The House rose at 10.40 p.m.