PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 51, 30 June 1915, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

THE LECtSLATIVE COUNCIL.

Pfift Pbk«h association. Wellington, June 21)

The Council met at 2.30 p.m. Ou the motion of the Hon. W igram. the Church Property Trust Amendment Act was read a first time. The Hon. Carson moved the Ad-dress-in-Reply. He declared the speech was a model of brevity and lucidity. Its language was marvellously restrained considering the conditions under which the country was labouring. The prevalent feeling in his own breast ( was one of pride and elation to re- I member that in these years of unex- 1 ampled prosperity the spirit of the people was not impaired. We were slow to understand, but while Germany believed they could beat the world j we were content with believing we could not be beaten. The landing of our boys at Gallipoli reminded him of the glorious charge of the Light Brigade. The most magnificent thing about it was that it showed our men i were as ready to give their blood in the interests of the country as in those old I days, but what most appealed to the [speaker was the noble action of the mounted men, who had been willing j to give up their becived horses and go to join tlu'i- comrades on foot. He did not want to make reference to the pension proposals, but ho was sure they would bo on a generous scale. He had heard stories of laggards and there were many such. Many a young man had suffered miserable moments when trying to decide wherein lay his duty. The Hgn. R. Moore seconded the Address-in-Reply. He wished the world’s politics were in a more peaceful, happy, and humane position, hut the war was none of our seeking. it had been forced upon us. lie trusted Mit not a r.pple might ruffle t*;e political surface until such time as the Empire struggle was brought to a satisfactory conclusion. The people of the Dominion had responded nobly to the call for men, money, and material, and Parliamentarians should blush if they stirred up party strife. Their time would be fully taxed without importing anything in the shape of town pump politics. There were bound to be moment* .of discouragement, and we should not be too optimistic, because that would tend to laxness. He was sorry we still bad a few shirkers. He trusted we would show the world and Germany that the British people were prepared to spend money to keep up the Army and the i.Navy in such a state that we could defy the world. He thought the country should have the right to compel -vei v man to carry a rifle to defend his homo. We had a very good terri--1 torial system, but we wanted the same thing in the centre of the Empire. The Hon. Paul supported the motion, He declared there was no division of opinion as to what should be done in this great crisis. To him one of the most important matters in his Excellency’s speech was that touching on war legislation, apart from taxation. He had a strong presentiment that the coming difficulty in Britain and some extent here would he connected with food prices. It was remarkable that Germany, with her outside markets closed, was able to reduce the prices of food while we allowed ours to increase. He quoted prices to show that not since 1882 had prices been so high as at present. Ii I was to the eternal credit of the industrial classes of this country that since the war broke out there had been i erhing in the way of industrial strife, hut it was our duty to prevent the workers from being exploited. The Hon. Paul asked what justification there was for the Bank of New Zealand coming out in this year of war with a record profit. The Hon. MacGinnity considered no pension for a man who had fought to protect this country should be less than £2 a. week. The Council adjourned till 8 o’clock. THE EVENING SESSION. The Council resumed at 8 p.m. The Suspension of Disqualification During the War Bill was received from the House of Representatives and passed all its stages with slight amendments.

The Hon. Barr resumed the dehate on the Address-in-Reply. He said the war was opening some serious problems. Germany thought she had found an industrially disorganised Empire whose national' fibre had been slackened but not entirely destroyed. That fibre was now stiffening.'

'Phe Address-in-Reply was agreed to The Council adjourned at 8.45 p.m till Friday.

Messrs Forbes, E. Newman, and W. T. Jennings took the oath and wore sworn in.

The Definition of Time Bill was introduced by Mr Sidey and read a first time.

The following Hills were introduced hy the Hon. A. L. Herdrnan and read a first time: —Enemy’s Contract Hill, Mortgages Extension Amendment Hill, Regument Hill, Statutes Compilation. Amendment Bill, Trading with the Enemy Amendment Hill, War Regulations Amendment Bill.

The Speaker read a letter from the Audit Department stating that, owing to special circumstances arising out of the war, the legal limit of unauthorised expenditure fund had been exceeded. This excess had been sanc-

tioned hy the Audit Department on tiie understanding that the Govern-

ment would give an undertaking that validating legislation would he introduced this session.

| In reply to Sir Joseph Ward, the ' Minister of Finance stated the excess ■in unauthorised expenditure was due , entirely to purchases of wheat and meat. With regard to the amount spent in meat, the British authorities had credited the Government with the sum spent on their account. The pur-

chase of wheat was a matter of our ,v—

r! «x-h. fi? tried. to ch3fjfc, r th?*b to the war expenses fund, but the Audit Department blocked it. Consequently he had been compelled to increase the unauthorised expenditure account beyond the legal limit. The validation legislation referred to by the Audit Department was now. before the House.

WAR LOAN BILL

The following Bills were introduced by Governor’s message : —Suspension of Disqualification During the War Bill. Public Revenues Act Amendment Bill, Validation Bill, Cook Islands Bill.

The Premier asked the House to take the Public Revenues Act Amendm cut Bill as the matter of urgency. The Bill was practically a War Loan Bill. Great inconvenience would he caused if it was not passed.

Sir Joseph Ward objected to passing the most important Bill of the , session without having seen it. No copies had been circulated. Mr Massey said the Bill would he circulated shortly, when members could consider it.

Sir Joseph Ward said the Bill contained many matters outside the warloan. He suggested these clauses be deleted and the loan clauses allowed to stand by themselves. The Premier then announced ho would not go on with the Bill that day.

.MEMBERS ON ACTIVE SERVICE

The Hon. A. L. Herdman moved the second reading of the Suspension ot Disqualification During the War Bill. He explained the measure Was designed to protect the interests of Messrs T. E. Y. Seddon and Downie Stewart and the Hon. Dr. Collins, M.L.C., who Were joining the expeditionary forces and who, if the Bill were not passed, would forfeit their seats the moment they enlisted.

Sir Joseph Ward doubted the accuracy with which sub-clause 2 of clause 2 iiad been drafted. He thought that after a lapse of twelve months any member of the Defence Department could stand in the House,and still retain his position in the department if elected.

The Hon. A. L. Hardman said he would have the matter looked into, and if necessary the clause could be amended at a later stage.

The Bill was passed in committee stage with a minor amendment. The Minister moved the third reading. The Premier congratulated the members for Westland and Dunedin Central on the action they had taken in going to the front. So far as the interests of their constituents were concerned, he felt sure both sides would combine to look after them. With regard to recruiting, he was pleased to say it was going on most satisfactorily.

Messrs Seddon and Stewart briefly thanked the House for the compliment paid them. The third reading was passed without further debate. The House rose at 3.35 p.m. till 7.30 p.m. NATIONAL GOVERNMENT QUESTION. The .House resumed at 7.30. hTe Prime Minister stated that in order to prevent any misunderstanding on the point he wished to say before he proceeded with the ordinary business that he and his side of the House were prepared to consider any reasonable proposal in the direction of establishing a national Cabinet in this country, as had been done in England. Such a proposal would oidy extend to the period of the war. He wished members to give this their most careful consideration during the next few days.

Sir Joseph Ward said the Premier’s statement had come somewhat as a (surprise. Prior to entering the Chamber he was not aware such a matter would be mooted. Under tbe circumstances he could not give a definite

reply on the spur of the moment, but he could assure the House it would receive the most earnest consideration of Ins party. There would be nothing wanting on their part.

A DDRESS-IN -REPLY. Mr C. J. Parr moved that a respectful address be presented to the Governor in reply to his Excellency’:speech. He said this was not the time to devote a great deal of attention to domestic legislation. A great war—the greatest the Empire had known —dominated the position. He welcomed the assurance of the Leader of the Opposition that he was prepared to assist by every means to abandon all party recrimination. He had been told by prophets that the war would be over by Christmas, but that prophecy had failed. We were now able to see what we were up against. That was another reason for our best men coming together to form a strong government to help to bring about the dream of Sir George Grey, who saw in the Pacific a great British domain. New Zealand’s share in connection with the war was excellent. It had been asked whether we were doing all we could. He thought we were. Our contribution in the war was as much as a small country could be reasonably expected to do. On the subject of taxation, he thought the people were prepared to pay, but the wage-earner must, in view ot the increases in the cost of living, he let off, and wealth must be made to pay. Mr W. Downie Stewart, in seconding the motion, said it was hopeless for us in New Zealand to fall into the habit of thinking we can live in a state of isolation. There was this, however, about the war, that it brought together more closely the parts of such an Empire as ours, and there was snch an identity of interests that all parts of the Empire had no hesitation in coming into the struggle. He felt the result of this would I)e that after the war some form of national government would be evolved . A war tax should first fall on war profits. In his opinion the war profits were being made in the country, but it was difficult to impose an income tax' on the farmers. An increase in the land tax would not be adequate in proportion to the profits made, so he preferred to see an export tax imposed. Sir Joseph Ward desired to say the Opopsition did not intend to debate the Add ress- ill -Rep Iy. The necessity resolutions were then passed, and at 9.10 p.m. the House rose until 2.30 p.m. to-morrow.