PARLIAMENTARY

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 11 July 1917, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.. tk WELLINGTON, July 10 On the House resuming at <.30. Sir Jas. Allen continues the dqbatt?|| on the Address-in-Reply. He opened by paying a compliment to the Second Division, the members of which, he said, desired no apologies on their behealf. He was unable to say when the' Second Division would be called out,, but he thought the First Division' would last for at least two reinforcements yet before they were exhausted. The Department intended to make a uniform combing-out policy, from which it expected to procure several reinforcements, so that the Second Division may not be called on for four or five months yet. When that was done, it may yet be necessary to Hi* view the standard of pensions and allowances to the Second Division. There was “a differential rate of pension in Britain, and it was for us to say whether in this democratic country we would have a differential rate betwtffr the rich and the poor man. He thought the country would rather raise the pension to the need of the poorest but that question wmuld have been set- . tied by Parliament when the time ar-I\ rived. He described the work of the Board set up to render financial assistance to soldiers, of which complaint had been made that it is too tardy in decisions. This he defended, on the grounds that in the early stages the Board had great difficulties to contend ivith, owing to the paucity of information, but all classes were now well in hand .arrears being completely wiped out. 1641 applicants had been before the Board, of which 10S9 had been granted and 342 dismissed or withdrawn. On the subject of pensions, he t claimed that our provision of pensions was higher in proportion to population than either Australia or Britain. This he argued disproved the criticism that the Board had been niggardly in dealing with claims. Proceeding, he defended the practice of granting commissions in New Zealand, as against men on the field, contending that the practice was in accordance with the wishes of generals commanding at the front. From the point of view, of thehealth of the troops, he said the position was not satisfactory so far as disease was concerned, and he warned Parliament that it would have to face the facts and do something, and do it this session. He warmly combated the contention that reinforcements should bo limited. So long as we have thojL main bodies at the front wo have tcA* maintain them at full strength by r«« inforeements, as necessities require. He had given the men at the front that pledge and never would he recede from that position. It had been Said were sending too many reinforcements. That was not so. We were only keeping up the necessary percentages. He hoped soon to bo informed by the Home authorities that the percentage could be reduced. Up to date we had sent away, and have in training, 86,402 men and nurses. Amongst these were our Maori and Island troops. These men had not asked to have the -reinforcements reduced, and in face of their courage and patriotism, what white man would refuse to go to the aid of his country. He passed a eulogism upon the Tunnellers and Wireless men who had gone from New Zealand, and who were doing magnificient service on the West Front and in Mesopotamia. 10,547 men had returned sick and wounded. Under the splendid treatment received, 1238 of these had recovered sufficiently to go back to the front. After such a splendid example of heroismb, was there, he askqd, a Second Division man who would not gladly go and relieve one of these men. He regretted Ihat casualties were very in the recent offennive. There had been 26,000 casualties. Of these 7500, lidregretted to say, would never see New' Zealand again. He did not know when the war wmuld end. He hoped it would end this year. If not, he reminded, tb# House that the spirits of the men buried in Franco, Galipoli, and elsewhere called on us to support the cause in which they died, He felt confident that no Second Division man would refuse to answer that call. He explained that the additional brigade recently formed from the accumulated reinforcements'was''formed'not at the desire of the Government, but at the request of theImperial authorities. Those men w r ere required for a special mission. Such a request the Government could pht refuse. It had been said that now America had come in, New Zealand should pull out. He repudiated such a notion, New Zealand must be in at the finish, and he would not have the world say, if he could prevent it,, thar we grew* weary and faint-hearted in fighting ongloriously for the Empire and for the cause of humanity.

Mr. Poole described the Minister’s speech as a strong definite statement of policy containing many Concessions, which had been asked for from one end of the Dominion to the other. sjU hoped it would never be said of Government in this country that theyfailed to make adequate provision for the men who risked lives and limbs at the front.