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King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 609, 5 November 1913, Page 5

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Wei! Parliament is st i 1 members are going s*iig. position publicly profesa to heiievt that it is only a question of time for the fate of tb9 Government to be sealed. But Mr Massey and his colleagues and supporter? are cheerily optimistic in regard to the future. Much of tha criticism directed against them is mot only undeserved, but absolutely uncalled for and so much of it is based upon absolute misrepresentation of fact that, the wencier is those resDonsible for the atatemetn have the audacity to make them. But as in love and war all teems lair in the game of politics. Here in the city we are getting so used to the malevolent misrepresentations of the leadins; Opposition journal that no one thinks of taking the paper at ali seriously. And where political matters are concerned ita statements are scarcely worthy of credence. Like th« Irishman it rarsly opens its mouth without nutting its foot into it. The Opposition continues the same merry round of obstruction. Certain members of the Left seem to never weary of hearing themselves talk, although the House does. The rau-cous-voiced membes.' for Grey Lynn, who is always ready to air his eloquence, and who delighta in predicting disaster and confusion for the Government in the near future, is scarcely more rabid in his utterances than member 3 of the Opposition proper. But Mr Payne is a trifle more consistent than they are. If he condemns a measure he does vote against it. On Wednesday, when the "Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Bill." which proposes to add another million and three-quar-ters to our indebtedness, was before the House, member after member on the Opposition side got up and condemned the Government for introduc ing this "prodigious loan" (as Sir Joseph Ward termed it), yet only five votes were recorded against its on division, its opponents being Messrs J. A. Hanan, J. ,Payne, A. H. Hindmarsh, H. G. Ell, and J. C. Thomson.

Sir Joßeph Ward professed to be very indignant over certain remarks made by the members for Waitaki (Mr F.H . Smith), and Patea (Mr G. V. Pearce). In commenting upon the alleged inconsistency of the Government in departing from its professions (also alleged) when in Opposition, Sir Joseph said ha had never railway built in his district, although he bad been so long in office. But last year the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister had each had "a large and important line authorised in their districts." Mr Pearce, speaking later, condemned the wasteful expenditure of the late Libreal Administration, and said it had "done all it could to put the country in u hole by going round the country turning first sods )f railways. That, Mr Pearce said, was about all they had money for. andwhen they did get money, it was at a cost of £5 2a 6d per cent. Mr Smith, who 'followed Mt Pearce, produced a map showing "fourteen branch lines in the near vicinity of Sir Joseph Ward's electorate, besides the Main Trunk line." The hon gentleman, ha said, had complained that no rew railways were authorised in his district, but the reason was obvious. Apparently there was not a brach line running through it. There was not a lin9 in Stewart Island yet, and if any more lines were built it would bs necessary to run a tunnel under the sea to Stewart Island. The sarcastic nature of the final remark touched Sir Joseph Ward on the raw, and "he went off like a packet of crackers," and had to be twice called to order by the Chairman in as many minutes, besides being corrected by that functionary for characterising the hon member for Waitaki, by implication, as a liar. With Sir Joseph setting the House euch a bad example, it is small wonder the Opposition got somewhat out of ban£, and that much valuable time mas wasted. But the Bill was put through the Committee stage, and fair progress was made with other Government measures, including; the Police Force Bill, over which there was again a certain amount of electioneering talk," the Leader of the Opposition urging the setting up of a better Appeal Board," and intimating that he would move a resolution on the subject later. Ths Hon. A. L. Herdman, who was in charge of the Bill, found an unexpected ally in Mr A. H. Hindmarsh, who said he sympathised with the Minister of Justice, for he realised, with the Minister, that it was essential to the discipline of the force that the Commissioner should retain vary wide

powers, and that it was necessary, in the interests of the public, that the Commissions!' should retain the power tj dismiss members of the force for causs shown. The Minister of Railways does not see his way clear to "make substantial reductions in the children's fares," as Mr Veitch wanted him to do. The member for Wanganui thinks that as the "railways returned a profit of over 4 per cent, during the last financial year," it is a fair thing for the Minister to reduce fares and freights. In his last and most_allurin S' policy programme, Sir Joseph Ward stated his intention to allowing children to travel free on the railways up to five year of age, and at quarterfare rates between the ages of five and twelve. But Sir Joseph was then out "to dish the Whit??," other wiss his political opponents, and ever sines he made the proposal people have periodically returned to it. The pro position is an alluting one to pater familiaa and mater familias. but neither its Braeticability, nor its payability, appears to have bepn considered bv even Sir Joseph himself. Thare is "no profit" for the State, or the working of the Government railways, after interest is deducted oil the capital investments. Nominally they returned 4.04 per cent, on the capital invested last year. But over £400,000 expended on "addi-

the would be reduced to cent., and that would big deficit. The time is not yet, if the railways are made to pay. fIH