PARLIAMENT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 117, 18 May 1916, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

STRONG CRITICISM OF DEFENCE ADMINISTRATION. GOVERNMENT SUPPORTERS CRITICISMS. RETURNED SOLDIERS' TREATMENT. Coming us it did from behind the Ministerial benches, the strong criticism by Mr Field, the member for Nelson, of the treatment of our soldiers created a stir in Parliament last night. After preliminary reference to the attempt last session to silence criticism from th e Government side, he condemned some of the arrangements at Gallipoli, declaring he had letters alleging that hundreds of our

sick soldiers could have been saved had they got even condensed milk. They were fed on bully beef and bisbuits. He would not speak of sour bread on the transports, which the men threw overboard to the strains of the "Dead March," nor of the bad meat, but he would say a word or two about the food given to the sick men on the returning transports. These vessels were passenger steamers. The men get third-class food, not good enough for sick men. One had only to lock at them on the Avharf, seeing their pale faces ,to realise this. The steamship companies were getting handsomely enough paid to give decent food. The Minister of Defence.—The Government provides the food.

Mr. Field —Then it ought to be better.

The Minister —I refer practically to all the returning transports;. The member detailed the experiences of returned wounded being sent from Wellington to Nelson steerage.

The Minister —You knew that's al tered.

Mr. Field—lt occurred a- month ago. Some Nelson men were sent over steerage, and but %ov a Patriotic Committee member paying the purser the difference between the steerage and first class fare they would have been obliged to travel in discern fort. What is the Union Company dcilig with this money? asked Mr. Field. They have been paid enough as it is. We should have bought the Maheno and the Marama instead of chartering them, and then used them as ferry steamers after the war. The time will come when legislation will have to be passed to take, just as w r e compulsorily purchase land, any monopoly such as the Union Company or the Sugar Company, nationalising it for the benefit of the people. Nobody wants to rob the shareholders, but pay them a good price. I don't think we hav e a fair deal from the Union Company so far as the returned soldiers are concerned. The speaker paid a tribute to the fine patriotism of the men who risked disease and bullets. They did not do this for five shillings a day. A thousand a year would not tempt them. The country should treat them as they had fixated their country. (Applause).

DAYLIGHT SAVING.

; WELLINGTON, May 17. The House met at 2.30. Mr Sidey gave notice of his intention to introduce a Definition of Time Bill. Replying to a question Hon. Allen stated that the majority of the wounded New Zealanders would in future be treated in England. In answer to to a query, Mr Massey stated that the question of allowing military pensioners to participate in J the benefits of old age pensions was before Cabinet. He promised a statement prior to the close of the session. Mr. Massey, replying to a question, stated that the Government had decided to co-operate with the Commonwealth in assisting to send a relief ship to the Antarctic. It was also meeting the liability already incurred by the Aurora. ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE. The debate on the Address-in-Re-ply was continued by Mr.. McCallum, who deplored the stringent military and social distinctions which our men were forced to undergo whilst abroad. He cited cases where men were not aalowed to enter certain hotels in Cairo frequented by officers, some of whom were much inferior to the men in the social scale of private life. Men, in Egypt Avere prohibited from travelling first class in trains. He thought more attention should be paid to the quality of munitions served by our men, who should be as efficiently equipped as the enemy. Mr. Buddo complained of the prices charged the troops at camp canteens. He cited a case of fruit purchased a few miles from a camp at 2d per pound and sold at the canteen at 5d and 6d per pound, whicb was really city prices. Many similar instances were quoted by Mr. Buddo, who suggested that canteen leases should be cancelled and the State run the whole thing, or else free trade should be allowed.

Mr. Ell followed on the same lines as Mr. McCallum, dealing with the social distinctions between officers

and men. He asked that the Premier put a stop at once to the practice of forbidding men to travel in first-class carriages. Recently men were brought to Trentham from Featherstcn in horse boxes. They had to sit in those filthy boxes through the awful jtunnels of the Rimutaka the heat and smoke wer„ that several of the men fainted. He knew that to be correct, as his own son was one of the number. The National Government should put a stop to such things immediately. Mr. Wilkinson considered the National Government had justified its existence. He regretted that attacks ! had been made by some speakers on | individual members of the Cabinet. ! He was averse to inflicting heavy tax- ! ation and was against the confiscation ! of war profits. ! Mr. Webb strcngly urged the claims i of men who had returned from the | war to the fullest consideration. He 1 said much discontent existed throughout the Dominion upon this matter. ; He asserted that the National Govern--1 ment had been a failure. Men could be paid 10s or 12s daily if war profits j were adequately taxed. He condemned the failure of the Government to i deal with the cost of living. He ar- ! gued that there must be conscription I of wealth with conscription of "hen. i The debate was adjourned, and the House rose at 11.30.

After the dinner adjournment, Mr. Hindmarsh resumed the debate. Ha complained that useful Bills did not always receive fair play. He claimed that while s cm e members were ready to enact compulsory service they did not show simila reagerness to tax war profits. He urged the settlement of large blocks of land held by private owners as of paramount necessity. He estimated the war profits of

Hawke's Bay land owners at over one million. He affirmed that it was the bcunden duty of the Government to prevent unfair raising of prices of landed products in the Dominion.

Mr. 'Wright supported the National Government because it was the best that could be found under the circumstances. The ccst cf living was ever increasing. That question would have to be encountered at once. He hoped the education vote would not be cut down en account of the war. Mr. Hornsby , while not agreeing with all that had been done, would not withhold a measure of credit for the splendid work accomplished by the Defence Department. On the question of the cost of living, he pointed out that farmers did not always profit by them, as speculators and traders battened on the high prices charged to the public. 1