POLITICAL.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 1 August 1917, Page 4

POLITICAL.

THE FRIENDLY OPPOSITION. FIRST PARADE. (Special Correspondent.) July 30. The Vigilance as it may be convenient to style the friendly Opposition that has arisen in the House, made its first demonstration, in force on Friday evening when the Government brought down its second. Imprest Supply Bill of the session and loosened the tongue of every member with advice to give or a grievance to the air. The Hon. D. Buddo, who had shown his personal goodwill towards. Ministers by accepting their invifation to second the Address-in-Reply,. led off by announcing that the worm had turned —that The private memberno longer was going to be ignored in the working of the parliamentary machine. The member for Kaiapoi proceeded to put quite a number of pointed questions to the Minister of Defence and refused to believe it was impossible or even expedient for Sir James Allen to take the House ijito his confidence. d -"•V WHAT Tb WANTED.

The member for Mataura, speaking from the opposite side of the House, was no less frankly jcrjticgl than Mr.. Buddo had been. He wanted a committee set up to investigate the administration of the Defence Department and he protested against the recommendations .of the Efficiency Board, “consisting of..some of the most brilliant- business ,men in the country,” being withheld from the House. Mr.-Wilford: struck a rather higher note and spoke l with the air and assurance of an accepted leader. He was satisfied, the House was not going to open its mouth, ; shut its eyes and take whatever wasogiven it. He appealed to the Government to give up pottering and trifling;: with big questions. The House and the country wanted a definite, courageous policy and strong impartial administration. If the Government would bring down an adequate programme and earnestly carry it through it would have the ready and generous co-opera-tion of the House. ’•

MINISTERS IN REPLY. The Minister of Finance followed Mr. WilfordAa compliment which the member for Hutt doubtless appreciated, and assured the critics of theiffeovernment that he and his colleagues were just as conscious of the magnitude and difficulty of their task as were the friends who had been good enough to offer them aayice. This ’was not the time for hazardous experiments in taxation or in any other department of finance, Sir Joseph went on to say, but he thought he might promise the labuse, without anticipating the contents ,of the Budgehthat the needs of every class of the community as well as, the needs of the country wpuld he very carefully considered. Later,, in the] evening Sfr James Allen dealt withivarious charges that had been levelledragainst the Defence Department, showing, among other things, that cases; of sickness in. the camps had been largely reduced, and foreshadowed legislation which would be introduced this session to compel “shirkers” tcT do . their duty. THE UTTERMOST PENNY. The feature of Mr. George Hunter’s contribution to the debate on the Imprest Supply Bill was an appeal to the Prime Minister not to press Tor an advance in the price offere'd by the Imperial Government for this season’s wool crop. The member for Watfpawa did not wish ; it to go forth to the world that the sheep-farmers of the Dominion were seeking to screw the uttermost penny out of the Mother Country for a commodity she needed in winning the war. Mr. Massey scarcely could help being impressed by Mr. Hunter’s presentation of the case. He had intended to convene a conference of wool-growers, but now thought it would be sufficient to consult the Board of Agriculture. Members who have not been altogether pleased by some of the hard bargains the Government has driven with the Imperial authorities are hoping Mr. Hunter’s appeal may bear further fruit.