ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2147, 3 July 1920, Page 3

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION

The Address-in-Reply debate was continued on Thursday, when the Loader of the Opposition, moved his no-conlideneo amendment. The Leader oi' the Opposition devoted most of his time to explaining why he moved the amendment. His speech was moderate in tone. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie followed, and made a comprehensive statement of the soldier settlement and repatriation work of the Government. Subsequent speakers were Mr T. K. Sidey, Mr E. Newman, and Mr H. M’Callnm. The debate adjourned at 9.30'p.m. MR. NEWMAN’S SPEECH.

Mr Edward Newman’s speech was, in general, on the lines of his recent, pro-sessional address. He said ho had waited patiently to hear reasons justifying the holding-np of tlui business of the country at the present juncture. No such reasons as incapacity of the Government or broken promises had been given. The problems before them were sulficienlly serious to justify their departure from old customs. Were not housing, industrial unrest, need for increasing production, and the financial position serious enough'? They had new members, many of them young and well equipped to help in solving the problems, and yet they had (he spectacle of the older members holding-up the business. He admitted that (he present electoral system was fall of faults; but he did not know of any that was not. In any ease, if the Government won on the system, there were at least four members of the official Labour Party who would not have been here on a system which made an absolute majority necessary, lie hoped they would find some belter system, but he would not support anything which would do away with the conn(rv quoin. The satisiactory feature from his point ofview of the (‘lection was that they had a, sale Government for three years. Regarding the cost of living, he argued Unit many aspects of this question were beyond control of tins conn! rv. these including bundling charges at ports, shipping rates, prices outside the country, and rales of exchange. He expected Unit shipping freights would come down as ships were built, exchange would right itself automatically, and as the currency position was set right in England, it would improve here. By ourselves we could do practically nothing in dellation of (he cLirreney. Through the Board of r l rude (he Government had kept down the price of bread, butler, sugar, groceries, petrol, limber, and other articles. The Government had been criticised for buying high-priced land tor soldiers; but when the soldiers were first coming back there was a general demand that they should not be compelled 1" go nito the baekbloeks, but should have good land near the railways. In addition to the lign'res given by the Minister, (hey had land available which would settle some 1,409 men. He was quite prepared to admit that the work in housing had been disappointing; 200 houses had been built, and 500 were in course of erection. The (rouble was that they could get. neither material nor men, hut the position should he improved now regulations restricting unessential building had been made.

He Imped improved conditions would he given to the Public Service, and he thought it was in the interests of the Service and the country that there should bo as little interference as possible by the political head. At the same lime ho wished to reserve Ids opinion as to whether Hie Ministerial head should not have a say in the appointment of the head of a department with whom he had to deal.

The Hon. J. A. Hamm : “Ho should have a say.”

Mr Newman, in conclusion, asked wind Government could replace the present if the no-eonlideneo motion were carried.