The Government Wins

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 443, 28 February 1912, Page 5

The Government Wins

APDBESS-IN-BEPLY DEBATE. SPEAKER'S CASTING VOTK. The House divided on Mr Massey's no-confidence motion last night. UKdivision resulting in a tie. Tin Speaker's casting vote. went, to the Government. The division was as follows:Ayes. Messrs Allen, Andeison, Bell, J. Bollard, R. F. Bollard, Bradney, Buchanan, Buick, Campbell, Dickson, Escott, Fisher, Frnser, Guthrie (teller), Harris, Ilerdman. Herries, Mine, Hunter, Pang. Pee, Malcolm, Mander, Massey, A. K. Newman, E. Newman, Nosworfhy, Okey, Pearcc, Pomare. P. IP Kbodes, (teller), Scott, F. IP Smith. Sfalham, Sykes, G. M, Thomson, Veitch, Wilson, Young.- -oik Noes. - Atmore, Brown, Buddo, Buxton, Carroll, Clark, Coates, Colvin, Craigie, Davcy, Dickie, Ell (teller), Forbes, Glover, llanan, Hindmarsh, Isitt, Laurenson. Mc.Calhim. Mac Donald, (teller), T. Macken-.io, K. McKenzie, Millar, "\lyers, Ngata, Parata, Payne, Poland, Kangihiroa, Heed, T. W. Rhodes, Pobortson. Russell. Seddon, Sidey. IL W. Smith. J. C. Thomson, Ward, Witty.—PlP

LABOUR MEMBERS SPEAK. MR VEITCH ON MONOPOLIES. [nr Ti'.i,i'/;u.\vn. —rju>s <.ssnei aticn. 1 Wellington, Last Tuesday. Mr Glover continued the debate on the Address-in-Reply. He sain ho was in the House to preserve tho interests of the masses. Ho would bow to no one so far as hi? allegiance to worker:; and the masses was concerned. He proceeded to review the Governor's speech and applauded the provisions contained therein. One mutter which calledfor immediate investigation was the high cost of living. A commission should be set up at once to go into the mntter. He- urged t.he prosocution of the East Const railway, where there whs pome most, fertile country. Settlers there were handicapped in petting their produce away to markets through the harbours having bar troubles. With regard to the charge of maladministration levelled against the Government, their opponents should bring forward those charges and have them tested. lie commended members to review humanitarian logilsatien. Mr T. W. Rhodes declared that, he was an Independent. He had given a voluntary pledge to his electors to vote for the Ward Administration. He had also given them Ui understand that he would vote for the freehold. He stood for principles, for measures, and not for men. He would give bis support to any measure which, was in the interests of the people no matter from which side of the House it emanated. Tie had listened very attentively to a!! that had been said, and was sorry to see so much mud-sling-ing. A lot had been said against, the Government, but not. one tittle o! evidence had been addressed in support of it. Innuendo and inference had been rampant, but there was nothing specific. He wanted to .hear what, the Government had done wrong, and how the Opposition could do better. He honoured the member for Grey Lynn for having t.he courage of his convictions and breaking his pledge when he recognised that fa keep if would he doing an injury to the people. The Government had legislated on progressive, democratic and humanitarian lines, and he hoped to assist in the furtherance of the programme of the Liberals.

ME. VEITCJI NON-COM MITAL Interest was given !o the debate by Mr Veitch rising. Ho said (hat f<>r tho last i 5 years he had bad a great deal to do with Trades Onion work. He had imagined that on eomingto Parliament lie would have to acquire a great deal of polish, hut he had not been greatly impressed with Parliament. At the conference .sitting >n Wellington business was conducted in a way that would compare with the Parliament. Personal reflections were not thrown across the table as they were across the Parliament Chamber. He denied that the workers were divided among themselves, as was stated by newspapers. There never was a time when Labour realised so much tho need for union. Some thought there should be an organisstion to defend Labour in Parliament : others that organisations should be to defend Labour interests outside Parliament. He did not see why both organisations should not exist. Jt bad been said that the demands of Labour were unreasonable. It was only human nature to ask for as much as one could get. One thing was cert am : that, was that, the workers bad never yet obtained anything out of reason. It was fair to deduct; that (heir demands had never been out of reason. He stated that the Governor's- speech. far from being an insult, to the intelligence of Parliament, appealed io him very much. He dealt with several subjects contained in the speech. especially with the cost of living. He disagreed entirely with the opinion thatAhe increased cost of living was due to increased wages. In lieopinion the chief causes were commercial monopoly, land monopoly, ami taxation to raise money for public works. He admitted the hnnest.yoi the Government. ! s remission of duties on necessaries of life. but. (lie remission had been collared by commercial monopolies. He contended that it was ten times more reasonable for the State to fix the price of a commod il y than that its price should be nxed by commercial monopolists. Tnere existed in New Zealand, a system ot monopoly so complete (had. if was practically impossible for any small or financially weak firm to operate successfully in opposition to them. He | regretted that tho Monopolies Prevention Act had not yet been put intr operation. I Sir Joseph Ward: It has.

Mr Witch, continuing, said he had not heard of it, I)ut was glad to learn Mint was so. Ho thought there was a ilriw in (lie Act in that there was no provision in it .for preliminary investigation prior to taking action. The

j ensi. of living was ho immensely in- | tliionroii liy commercial monopoly that j it was :i subject which would have to jhe <ir; ; i! w'ilh. Anything could bo dealt with if courage and determination wen* brought to bear. He hoped '.vlrii'iirvi r party came into power it would promptly and sincerely take the math')' tip and deal with commercial monopolies An to taxation for public workM every year, from £600,000 to .'.viio.niHi was transferred from th« Consolidated Revenue to the Public Works Fund. It seemed like good im.-uH'o, and looked at purely as a mattor of finance its soundness might be gohd linancc. What he objected to was that money was contributed from the earnings of the rank and file and was spsnf in developing the country to thi< immediate and considerable benefit of landowners. "At the close of last, session," he proceeded by way of illustration, "we had a proposal that the Government should buy two million acres of land adjacent to the main Main Trunk line. If the land had been acquired before the railway was built we should have had the railway for nothing." (Hear, hear). However, he believed in letting bygones be bygones, a bargain was a baragin, and should bo respected. The Labour party never repudiated a bargain. In connection with the freehold question he had a proposition to put forward, namely, that the State Bhould be allowed to repudiate its bargain made with freeholders. If leaseholders were to be given the freehold at the original value, why not allow the State to resume at the original value iand which it had parted with. (Laughter). He assured members that, the Labour party were not unreasonable and expressed a hope that when they were called on to give an account of their wjrks—he did not know whether in three years or thrte months hence --(Laughter)—it would be admitf.ed that the Labour members had not. borne themselves unworthily. Pealing with railway matters, he in id that the railway men had re- t reived concessions from time to time, but so;. iy they hud a grievance in that, mutter they had placed before Psrlisimnt last session. It should have been referred to some tribunal, failing Parliament having time to deal with it. In conclusion he said (bat workers were leaving the Arbitration Court, because it failed to give them satisfaction. Arbitration was right in principle. The court had been established to abolish sweating. and had done so thoroughly. At present the court's business should be to invest igat.e monopoly. Both employers :<nd employed were being squeezed by (he nionopolisist. Mr Veitch was warmly applauded by both sides.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. MR. ROBERTSON'S PLEDGE ' Mr Robertson hold that the whole point, of tho Opposition's criticißtn was directed against the Administration, and if there was a change therein as had been promised, there could, as far as he had been able to Bee from the imposition's criticism, be no ob,eiM ion to the Liberal policy being pursued, lie held that Labour was not rei eiving its due for services rendered. When compulsory military training had been allowed to paBB without consulting the ountry democracy existed only for party purposes. He desired to make his position clear in regard to Ids pledge o . He denied eiving a pledge to those simply opposed to the Government. He had said lie would assist to overthrow the Administration, but had stated he WBB insi. a: strongly opposed to Mr Massey's party. A no-confidence motion was not simply to turn out Sir Joseph Ward's Government, but to put Mr Massev in power. Ho novor would ass ; s,t 'in doing this. He was in the position that he must keep the spirit and break the letter of his pledge or vice versa. He chose to break the letter and keep the spirit of his pledge Mr At more said ho came into the House a free man. He had refused nomination by both parties, and stood as an Independent. He stood aa a protest against the American system of "Spoils to tho Victors." Members' votes were too much influenced by party considerations. Referring to the land problem, he criticised, the leaseholders' position, and said that (he uaearnp.d'increment could always he obtained by means of taxation. He holi.'ved in each man having a small freehold, lie asked the Opposition if it. was prepared to tako up the Governmenf'M land policy and also apply its policy on native lands to ordinary lands Mr Massey: Treat them bath alike. Continuing, Mr Atmore said he ,iid not holievo tho people desired ,'UHiihcr election. The best brainß of both parties should get together and solve the present problem, leaviug parly considerations aside. Ho asked for a definite pronouncement from Mr Massey on the graduated land tax. Mr Fisher reviewed the history of the Ward Administration, retailing !,hinders made by the Premier, and the causes leading to ill-feeling in (he Liberal party's gambling legislation which was responsible for the defeat, of the Liberals. Mr Ilanansaid the Opposition wcro possessed of a sordid desire to gain the Treasury Benches and personal aggrandisement at any cost. They we're an off-shoot of the old Tory party, and held their views. At midnight tho division boll rung I for Mr Massey's amendment. Tho voting resulted even- 39 voting for ! and against the motion. ! The Speaker announced that, in conformity with constitutional practice ' l„- would vote with the party in power. ' Thai, made -10 :!9 againßt Mr Masnev's amendment. ; Mr Massey congratulated Sir Joseph i Waul on the win. The Premier thanked Mr Maßßey i and his party, and Independent memners who had voted for him. The llouso adjourned till 2.30 p.m. on Thursday.