PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 July 1923, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

‘THE ROAD TO THE PAWNSHOP.” The Minister of Agiietilturc (Hon. \V. Noswortliy) fired what he called several cai tridges at the Liberal benches in answer to criticism of the Government's alleged toleration of land aggregation. He said, he had been turning up the files since lie had become Minister of Lands*, so as to see what was in this suggestion that money had been wasted on land purchases. He found quite a lot of interesting information about estates in the electorate which the Leader of the Opposition represented. There was the Hall-Jones settlement., bought for working men in 1895. It cost £18,117, and was mostly let for grazing, and the 10-s to the State had teen 020.108. The Normnndnlc settlement bought by the Liberals in 1003 for C 15,580, had its capital value written down by £BOOO. The Pitt settlement hud its eapit d value written down rqt.OQO while the Wnddington settle- ; ■ nont, bought for £24,187, had caused the State a ln-s of £33 000. A bal-ance-sheet ol the A\ iltord settlement in 1020 showed a loss of £50.300. and heavy expenditure on roading was necessary. “Is it not brilliant record?” asked the Minister.

‘•Amen!” interjected the Leader ol the Opposition, imitating the tones ol the Minister, who raised a good deal of laughter by assuring tin* He.iwc that lie had not finished yet. “This party." he concluded, “is said to have no policy to settle the people on the land. 'I his is the record of the party whivh wa * in power for 21 years. It they had st i.vd another ten years this country would have been in the pawnshop." (Renewed laughter).

HARD WORDS. Some hard words were used hy Mr I). G. Sullivan (Avon) in ciiticism of the Government during his speech cm the financial debate, and he soon tcimd him-clf subject to the discipline of the Speaker. Mr Sullivan was describing the treatment. <*f the Civil servants under the Public Expenditure Adjustment Act. and said that what had happened was sufficient to make the Gnvi-riniiCiU hang their heads in shame. Tito Speaker called Mr Sullivan n order, and informed him tlial In* mi,si withdraw his words. Mr Sullivan wa- at a In.- - for a moment to tin<l a suit able substitute fur his expression "then" a- applied V the Government. Mr Speaker: "!)ivs the h*m. member w ii luiraw .*" Mr Sullivan: "I respect your tilling. I will -ay that if is sufficient to make the Government hang Mis' head in shame." Mr E. ,1. i In*.*ard (Clirisiclmieh South): "There is no shame ill them.' Mr Speaker: “Order!" Apparently Mr Sullivan's selection ol n dill'erent pronoun as applied to the Government complied with the Standing Orders, for lie \*. a - allowed to proceed. However, lie soon 101 lmm error

again, (lilicising the Government s immicrat ion policy, he remarked that it was criminal to bring out 1044)0 people without, provision being made for 1 1ieii* housing and employment. Mr Speaker stated that the w< rd “criminal" mu-t he withdrawn. Mr Sullivan : "1 do so. and s:.y thatit is unfair and st upil." This condemnation laded mdra-v. any (liralent from anywhere. MIDDLE I’M*' l iiE RO\ D Nf>T YET. As I ding m Sir .1 dm Like ('Welling* ton Non hi rhea* i- no more oj timistie man in this country than the Prime Minister. "Thai is a tremendous asset to the count r.v." 1 *.* i em-M'k-ed. “If we had a Prime Miliislc! with hut little courage in tin* a II t‘it's ol Mate, then the dep'e-’sion through which wo 1 as.-ed recently would not lta<. t* ti.en over, sam. Pep ** •* I’-mt only eut lottnd the corner. We have seal, ely got into the middle i.l the road on against where the Leader c the (i; position is.” t I .aughtor.) SAVIN' ( N< i I'll I N'G. Ii i- a cnmm.m | ra, I i e v. lib mite 'i's. <! I (’;i I 11;* l in l-t* t'J’it ii i i.i i.y saving that their ..p! elicits have ;*.l nothin*.*-. I ins tendency (e. I hr;..*, cold water on mo amnio:':- oraliiri:v.l cll'orls was commented on hy .Mr W. E. Pal ry (~nd Celitr.il; la-l night. "So, 1, -talcnvn; remnikcd Mr pa':*,. trike me ; **; Icing very t heap. It i, a lazy way < I r *, I;* lug to an op. punt' ... Rid. so far as the Liberals and Refii. ui .*:*•; are < oncerwed. I am \ cry torn! 1.-d In say that both side- of the I f t-:* • Vl* verv If eerre.t." i.'.RtP'R AND REFORM. All :.! tempi at compai ; oils between til * !*>form Party’s p ■hey and that o' tin* Labour Party wa. o--;.yet! by Mr 11. T. A mist roll ; *4 I ri-t *' *,; b Fa t}. Mr Armstrong said S.ft Reierm polit w. •. i*:*.-: a .ii si 1 1 1, * tor He p.isit on in v.b.;i|| ih" larincl :- ieiiud t iii'lil-cl'. >*s. i t liiighl ha i *"•■ i |,a'*: 11l 's la 'id p lie*, *.v:i *, - ill p c. el. t i'; '* i 11 : 01 Li llg! 1 1 ■ r). R |a,d never been tri; I. and. l!a*re--I'iire. it could not he hhtnicd lor i he an | u! in.-s into which Rehnm - policy had ‘all ied the country at Hu* pre-eIM time, last year Hale were 2'2 termers h-iiiknipl out a tidal of fi!‘o baiikrnpt **i: s, and if i h.* m.-ratorium wei.* lifted to-niiii'row hall m tin* small farmers in N<*w Zealand t'otild be bankrupt, noiwithsianding l!.e opin-

ion expressed by the Hon C. J. Parr. Reform thus stood condemned on their

own figures. What sort of tenure had these unfortunate farmers at present ? The Labour Party did not stand for confiscation, and it did not stand for robbery. The Labour Party would not rob any individual, or body of individuals, of anything that rightly belonged to them. But, it did stand for a policy that would stop the robbery now in progress.

LOST C ONFIDKNCE ? "The Reform Government has lost the confidence of the people of the country,” declared Mr R. Masters (Stratford), in the House ol Rcpre-cn-tatives. **]l holds office through the support of iwo or three men who do net altogether .«oe eye to eye with it.” THE PRESS AND INCOME AND LAND TAN. Polities of now••■papers in New Zealand were under discti—ion for a briei -pace during the Eiiiancial debate yes* i onlay. When Mr D. G. Sullivan (Avon) was referring to tiie remission rf kind tax. he quoted what the "Evening Post said on the point in 1921. that was that "as a specimen of political humhug it would take a lot of heating.’ Mr Sullivan said “The Post” could not be accused of being unsympathetic with the Government; in fait, it -upported the Government even more strongly than some of the avowed Re form papers. ‘•We shall have to exempt newspaper proprietors from any remission o' taxation,” remarked Mr Massey, amidst laughter. "Is that a threat b” asked the Loader of the Opposition (Mr T. M. WilI'ord . **| don't think it would he met-sary lor tlie Government to Ihreaicn the newspapers.” observed Mr Sullivan. . .Ml* Will e.rtl: "That might he* ungenerous.'' Laughter).

CNN ATI'I! A!. Tl<i House <il' !?.• pri-■ mt;>iivcs has a si ill atmosphere i !' a rondinp-rncnn, i*- s complete calm only bcinp: broken by liic ■') .".‘a I* r ill' die moment, for till' new ofcmV 'lit nf dm Chair stonily repri i n ten it jil ion ■ Nothin;;' save Inuphier nr an ncasinnal "Hoar, hear’’ l- t: ■r• iii loi! v. it lioin a chalhuipe from Mr Speaker. Tim depressed Parlianii'ii! ury atmosphere i- remarkable, an I menihers do not know whether In he proud nl l heir mnirl heliavioiir or to rosem the strict di eiplino. interniPt ions doid;t !e-s canse w aste of time. Vat tl.ev ] ■ iphten iniore.si, and most mi'inhors do inn objei l to tlieni. Mr Sp.alter. houvver, lia.s a ripid rule ■i 1 1 i. i i In impartially enforces on Prone M in : -l er an ! jii'ivnte incndicr alike. TI i r, soli i- a quiet LcpislnUu e.

TALKIN'!; IX .MILLIONS. Air 11. T. Arnislronp iCliri-tehure': IT"-i) nils more limn seepiical of the (o- nini'Til'- imen; ion-' in respect to ilurinp i lie I'm ini ini debate. "The Prime .Minister has keen tnlk,i:p; in millions and millions and tadlion-." said Air Arm-troiip, "ln.it alter thi'- - n tint vid I e all cot out. Von could inti stick d’.' Piime Minister el die I pint,lie. of this session, no inn:: ■ i Low ms nv million - yon to! I him you required 1" im d the need. o' i! . farmers im- lie i< mills; ear. i dm ( lo isl clnu'ch ( ji\ Council linmpiii dial cvcrydnnp was solved in I'cpanl lo hmisinp. We nnpl'ed for an ad vance, and ii tools its ahont twelve iinmtlis he fori.' we pot any tliinp. Then we po( CIO, 0(H), the next, year CnOOO, and i lie 'third year nothinp at all." ' Lanphters