PARLIAMENT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 248, 10 July 1915, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE. OF .REPRESENTATIVES W ELLIN GT‘ >N, duly J>. The House met at 2."0. Sir Joseph Ward asked the Minister for Public Health whether he would take steps to organise the medical pro fession in New Zealand on much tho same lines as had been dune in Australia. Tho Minister, in reply said if it was found possible to comply v th the Truest lie would do so, but ! c must confer with his colleague, the Minister of Defence, on the point. •

Sir Joseph Ward ashed :l‘ the Ouvcrn niont would appoint a legal gentleman to represent the men L interests in cow

nection with the Trent l ) un in..dry

Mr. Massey said nothing had been ■'rn cided on the point, lie would consult the Attorney-General and if it wa* thought desirable to appoint a legal rep resentative It would be dice.

The Military Camps Bill r Or. Thacker) was introduced and read a first time.

Amendments made by the Legislative j Council in tho Statutes Compilation Bill and Trading with the Enemy Bill were agreed to. Mr Allen in moving the second reading of the War Pensions Bill explained that the measure came into operation only when soldiers left the shores of the Dominion. The Bill went further than the Australian law in this respect A comparison of schedules with other pension acts was also in <n:r favour. Sir Joseph Ward said they looked upon the Bill as a national one flo congratulated the Midst,-*- upon t»i? general outlines of the measure. He poined out the difference between the. Superannuation and Pens) n scheme and said naturally a pension could not be made as large as a snperannuatto* grant. He thought there should be uni formity of pension paid to these who participated in the South African War and those who were taking part in the present war. Ho hoped in. denlinng with cases of parti.nl disablement Boards would act generously, Mr, Poland adversely criticised the schedule and contended payments to privates did not go far enough an? said we should be prepared to do ample justice to those who were prepared to fight for the "Empire. Messrs Malcolm, Buddo and FleHlmr argued in favour of more generous treatment particularly in tie case ir disabled soldiers. The House rose at 5.J0. The House resumed at 7.J0.

Mr. Fletcher Buggestcd»thr:t the pension for men on the bottom rung of the ladder should bo ineieased. TV whole country would expect Pacl'amr-nt. to adequately provide for those who volunteered for service in the ghtlrur line.

Mr. Wright said ho v.;:s wH'.'rg to pay any taxation necessary to provide

a generous pension

Mr Isitt said he recognised the Impossibility of the Government bringing down an ■ altogether lavish scheme and was convinced that when the rig!; 1 : time came the Government would be ready to do ustiee to those who had gone to fight at the front. At the same time lie must raise .i’H votes with those members who had already contended that 2os per week was alt' gether nadequate for a man who is total iy disabled.

Mr. Harris thought that‘2ss per weed: for a man who returned totally disabled was inadequate. He thought the amount should be 5? per day. fie willed the Minister to endeavour to make a reciprocal arrangement with Australia in regard to pensions. Mr Walker held that the scale of pen* »iens was nadequate. If it passed intolaw it would be followed by a fallingoff in recruiting. Mr. Eusell considered that the Minister had faithfully endeavoured to improve the pension law of the Dominion Lookng at finance, after the 12 millions loan had been expended he held that with collateral charges as the result of the war, there should be an additional annual burden of two millions thrown upon the Dominion. 'Thereinrecaution was necessary. The amount of pensions could later oa be increased If desirable. He thought that by the establishment of homes and by providing suitable light work, these disabled matt would have something more than a bare pittance. He strongly objected to taglarge discretion, left to the Beard.

The debate waa continued by Messrs-' Jennings, Buick, Dr, Thacker, Poola r Witty, McCombs, Veitch, Webb, Ana* tey, Talbot, McDonald, Hanan, MeCallum McNab, Payne and Okey. The Minister in reply quoted figures

to show that for two years under the proposals there would be required £898,000. He defended the rates ofpension paid to officers as against privates. Clause 10 would be amended providing for proof of disablement 'Be* ing submitted after seven years. The second reading was carried anil the House rose at 12.46. i