PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 61, 3 July 1914, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wellington, July 2. The Council mot at 2.30 p.m. A message from the Governor was received to the effect that Hons, Rigg and Jciikinson had been retired by effluxion of time. The Land Agents Bill was read a second time pro forma, and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. The Hon. H. I). Bell moved the second reading of the Master and Apprentices Act Amendment Bill. The Bill only refers to farm apprentices whose passage to New Zealand is assisted by the Government. Tt was proposed that the Government should become responsible for the hoys and take the place of a parent in making arrangements for the employment ol the boys during tbo period ol their indenture.

The Council adjourned at 5 p.m

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Mr Veitch introduced the Proportional Representation and Effective Voting Bill. He explained that the Government was committed to the principle of proportional representation in the Legislative Council, and if it were good enough for that body, why did they not apply it to the popular Chamber, unless they were afraid of it?—Mr MeCoombs, member for Lyttelton, on rising to make his maiden speech, received a cordial reception. He wanted to see all the restrictions removed from the just representation of Labor. He wanted to sec the House elected on a basis that would secure not majority representation, but majority rule. He quoted the figures' of last election to show that the Massay parly had 367.000 votes polled against them, and only 130.000 in their favor. They were, therefore; in the minority in the country. The House should he a true reflection of the minds of the people, and for that reason the House ■ henld pass the Bill introduced by Mr 'Veitch.—-The Bill was read a first time.

The Napier Harbor Board Empowering and Loan Bill (Mr Campbell) was read a first time. PUBLIC DEBT EXTINCTION. The Minister of Finance laid on the table a return showing the operations of the Public Debt Extinction Act of 1910. Mr G. W. Russell congratulated the House, and the country on the satisfactory working of the Act. r I he Premier and .Minister of Finance had ridiculed the Act when it was passed, find described it as a farce. Mr Massey contended that that was not the magnificent thing the member for Avon made out. He proceeded to describe the seizure of the sinking funds under the Act, and the best that could lie said lor the Act was that it was doing no harm.

Sir Joseph Will’d defended the Act. He said fcliat’he did not believe that when the people understood the many benefits of this legislation they would over permit its repeal. The financial position of the country had never deserved the scathing criticism levelled against it by the party in grower. The real difficulty of the present (lovern- a ment in the matter of finance was the falling-off in the deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank. Hon. Mr Allen had £1,400,000 less to work on than he (Sir Joseph Ward) had, and no financier could do with that amount less to work on, as well aw one who had it to operate with. Instead of honestly acknowledging the real source of the difficulty the Minister of Finance Isought to cast all the blame on him (Sir Joseph Ward). Hon. .las. Allen said that he took full responsibility for the issue of the prospectus issued in London. He did, not agree now that the surpluses enumerated in that prospectus were true surpluses, inasmuch as cash lor sales of laud were included in them, and that 'was not sound finance. He quoted Hansard to show that Sir Joseph Ward was not always in favor of sinking funds. Ho also argued that if it were, as Sir Joseph Ward stated, that he had £1,400,000 less to work on, that was a complete explanation of why he was not able to lend settlers all the money they wanted, and on top of that he had to discharge the commitments left by his predecessors. the address-in-reply. The debate on the Address-in-Reply was resumed hy Mr Young, who reviewed the circumstances which led to the Massey party coming into power. The House resumed at 7.J0 p.m. Referring to linance, Mr Sidey said [that the Consolidated Fund, the real I barometer of the country’s prosperity, was in a splendid position when the (lovernment came into power —a sterling testimony to the careful administration of the Liberals—ami the (government had never dared to criticise that fund. All their criticism had been levelled against the Public Works Fund in its relation to the Consolidated Fund. He claimed that the Lihcrals were not the first to apply the proceeds of land sales to the Consolidated Fund and taking credit lor them in the surpluses. He quoted the late Mr Ballauce in favor of the system, and defied the Minister to prove that had any other system been in vogue Jit would have made any difference to the Liberal surpluses.

Mr Mander justified the borrowing policy of the Government as necessary for the development of the country. In a growing country an increase of expenditure was inevitable, and that was the host reply to those who eritic';ed the administration of the Government. The graduated tax had Peei, increased, and another turn of the screw would he given, if nepessarv, later on. Large land-gwneW

wore reading lire .signs of the times and wore cutting up their holdings and distributing them amongst the smaller settlers. The land lans had been liberalised by the Government, and a great step torward had been taken in opening np the gum lands of tin 1 North for fruit-growing purposes. Mr Bayne said that tilt* feeling in the country undoubtedly showed that the Massey Government had notice to quit. He declared that previous to last election a hand of paid liars had gone about the country misrepresenting the Liberals and Labor. He attacked tin* methods of the Government. It was a disgrace to political life that Sir Joseph Ward, a leader with a long and honorable record, could not be deposed without resort to such dishonest methods as had been adopted by the lieform Party. (All that had been said about the Liberals had been proved false to the last shred. Mr Okey contended that the presence of the Government that night showed I lie feeling of the people. Mr .Massey had no fear of notice to quit. To increase the screw of the land-tax would effect the small settlors, wno were tiie backbone of the country. The Government’s land policy was the most liberal ever enjoyed by the country. The debate adjourned, on the motion of Mr Glover. The House rose at 11.12 p.m.