PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 75, 1 July 1916, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (Per Press Association). ' Wellington, Juno 30. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. The New Zealand Insurance Co. Trust Bill was read a third time and passed. MILITARY SERVICE BILL. Hon. Sir Francis Bell moved the third reading of the Military Service Bill. He said he believed the measure had been considerably improved in its passage through the Comic.l. Hon. J. Barr endorsed this view, and expressed the opinion that an undesirable precedent had been created owing to an open door being left for the conscientious objector, mainly at the instance of three small religious bodies. His idea was that a religion worth having was worth fighting for. | Hon. J. T. Paul said that Labor stood to lose the most by the coming into operate n of the Act. He advised the utmost care would be necessary in the administration of the Act. Hon. Sir W. K. Buchanan defended the farming interest from the charge of indifference, maintaining that in the supply of wheat and meat they had been doing most valuable work. Hon. W. Earushaw regretted the retention of the conscientious objector danse, the effect of which would be like that of putting a match to heather.

The Hon. G. Carson said the Bill was wor.hy of the occasion. It had been much improved owing to the excellent work of the Statutes Revision Committee. With regard to conscientious objectors, he held that- their opinions must be respected. He said a great deal would depend upon the administration.

The Hon. Maginnity approved the Bill, but objected to the conscience clause.

The Hon. Sir Francis Bell, in replying. said the power of the Governor-in-Conncil must ho exercised in such times as these, however distas eful it might lie to those called upon to use that power. He justified the introduction of the conscience clause. The Bill was read a third time and passed.

SOLDIERS’ SETTLEMENT BILL. The Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Bill was reported from Committee with amendments, read a third time and passed. The Council rose at 9.25 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tile House met at 2.30 p.m. Mr R. McCallum (Wairau) asked the Minister of Defence if he could see his way to subsidise (he work of relieving the Jews and Armenians interned in Egypt. The Minister replied that this was a matter for the Cabinet to deal with. DEFENCE MATTERS. The House then wont into Committee of Supply to consider the Defence Estimates, £494,923. Replying to criticism of the base records department, the Minister eulogised its work, particularly that of Major Francis, whose services he valued greatly. Replying to Dr. Newman, the Minister said he would lay on the table the details of'expenditure of the war loan, but, so far as he could say at present, we had expended £8,015,000 over and above this. There were certain adjustments connected with the British Government, amounting to about £5,000,000. Most of this loan money, amounting to £10,000,000, had been obtained from London. Mr J. Payne (Grey Lynn) protested against certain prominent members of the civil service parading about the city in colonels’ uniforms purchased by the money of the taxpayer. The Minister denied that these uniforms were supplied by the Department. They were purchased by the officers themselves/ Dr. Thacker (Christchurch East) stated that the last, contingent of Canterbury recruits was 49 over its

strength, and these men, who had given up their employment, were asked to hang about for a month till they could be taken into camp. The remedy for this state of things was local camps, yet the Minister’s staff officers had truculently opposed local camps.

The Minister, in reply to Dr. Newman, said there was no deposit 01 1100 to pay to join the aviation school. The fact that a man was in the aviation school in no way enabled him to escape service. Regarding territorial officers, he had no power to compel them to join the Expeditionary Force. Mr W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) denounced the* extravagance practised in fitting up transports, contending that he work could lie done better on the o-operntive principle than by giving work to a particular set oi contractors.

Dr. Newman said he would support the amendment without going the length of ragging the Minister, as was evidently being done. He urged the Minister to refer the matter for consideration by Cabinet. The Minister, in reply, said the matter had been carefully considered by Cabinet, but ho was prepared to bring it up again for review. Mr Sykes said it was important that married men with 'children should be discouraged from going to the front. Patriotic societies should come to the rescue where an insufficient allowance was given.

Mr Allen, replying to assertions made during the debate, said the amount paid to tire Union Company was 3-3 per cent, on refitting transports, and on other ships not owned by the company 7) per cent. The labor on the Limerick had been done in London, and a gross waste of money would have been occasioned had the v essel been brought back to New Zealand to have the work done. Referring to the contention that the Estimates were excessive, he explained that many of the officers scheduled lor salaries were at the front, and were not a charge on the Department. He -jould not see how the Estimates could be reduced. Mr H. Poland (Ohinemuri) moved an amendment that the vote of £185,108 for the Adjutant-General’s branch be reduced by £l, as an indication that he separation allowance to wives and children of men at the front should be increased. He urged that the amount given was altogether inadequate. ’ Mr T. M. Wilfprd (Hutt) said he should support the proposal, as the amount of the allowance was wholly inadequate and unfair. Mr Allen, in reply, said that a higher separation allowance would tiring about a state of things the Department did not want to create, as it would encourage married men with children to enlist. What they wanted was to get the single men first. Mr Wilford replied that if the Miuis- , er did his duty he would see that the single men went first, but the real paint was, what was to bo done for the wives and children of the rnep who were already at the front? The Minister, in further reply, said be had already promised to refer the matter ofi a larger allowance to Cabinet. Tlie allowance paid in New Zealand was the highest in the world. He was not afraid of the cost, but he was bound to tell the House that it was costing the country at the present time £49,000 per annum for children alone. He reminded the House j that a widowed mother, whose son at the front was hoi- sole support, had been placed on the same footing as A wife, and was allowed a shilling per day. Mr Lsitt said he would support the amendment. He could not see why the Minister should want to fight the House about it, for if he could see that it was the fixed determination of the House to increase the allowance he should yield to pressure, and throw the responsibility on the House. Mr P. O. Webb (Grey) maintained that while it was true our allowance was the highest in the world, in proportion to our population, we were the wealthiest people in the world, and could afford to pay it. Mr Poole deprecated the suggestion that patriotic societies should supplement the allowances. It w r as absurd to suggest that our soldiers should be dependent on charity, i Mr Herries said he hoped the P lo ' poser of the amendment would withdraw it, as those fighting for (he principle had achieved their object. They had got a definite promise from the Minister that he would refer the whole question to Cabinet. The amendment was lost by 27 to 17. Mr Wilford alleged that a great waste of rations was taking place at Trent ham. . The Minister said he did not think the waste was greater than at any similar camps and every effort was made to check waste, the bulk of the rations being supplied under tender. At 11.50 p.m., the vote was passed, and the committee proceeded to discuss Class XIV .-Department of Agriculture, Industries and Commerce, £224,523