PARLIAMENT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 11 September 1917, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

PROFITEERING BLOODSUCKERS

DISCUSSION UN PARLIAMENT,

Had the attention ef the Prime Minister been directed to an int>*view with' a business man with regard to exploitation published in the "Wairarape Age" of the day before asked Mr. J. T. M. Hornsby, M.P. for Wairaxapa, in Parliament. In that interview, said Mr Hornsby, it was stated that it was not the small retailer who was making the profits, but the big merchant; that in the course of a very few days the retail price of common salt would be more than doubled, the wholesale price having increased in one jump by 110 per cent.; and that the . tea-merchants had put their heads together and increased the pric e by 4d a lb., as against the 3d a lb tea tax. Two leading tea-merchants, it was added would have only two blends, the Is 10d tea being raised to 2s 2d. and the 2s tea to 2s 4d. a lb. "Unless some- j thing is done to stop the blood-sucking that is going on," stated the business man interviewed, "the Government mil be faced with grave trouble from the masses in th e near future." (Hear, near.) Mr. Hornsby asked the Prime Minister if he would take immediate steps to deal with the matter. The terview, he claimed, proved that profiteering was going on.

Mr. Massey said that lie would be glad to refer the increased price of salt, along with some other matters of the same sort, to the Board of Trade, "With regard to the price of tea, he had already had some correspondence with the Board of Trade. Complaints having teen received that retailers in Wellington had increased the price of tea by 6d a lb, he had referred them to the Board of Trade, asking them for a report on the matter and giving instructions that everything must be done to put down profiteering if it was proved to be taking place. The board had reported that they could find no evidence that the price of tea had been advanced by more than 3d a lb. The price of tea, they held, must be advanced by at least 4g a lb. on account of the duty of 3d a lb. What would probably happen, however, would be that the price would be advanced by 3d a lb but the merchants would reduce the quality. There Avas sufficient competition amongst tea dea'icrs to keep down the price to a reasonable level.

SECOND DIVISION PENSIONS. UNDER PARLIAMENT'S CONSIDERATION. An urgent question rclati.*g to the? calling up of the Second Division of the Expeditionary Force Reserve wai put'to the Minister for Defence by Mr W. A. Veitch, M.P., for Wanganui. He lad received a telegram from the Wanganui branch of the Second Division League, said the hon. member: "Learn that CJass A to be balloted nest month. Urgently insist legislation based on league's proposals be passed before ballot; also immediate arangements for medical examination." That telegram, he thought, showed that there was some anxiety about the matter, and he asked the Minister to explain just what the position was and relieve that anxiety. Sir James Allen stated that he had seen two members of the league, Mr. Armstong, (president) and Mr. Chaplain, the day before, and they wanted the medical examination to take place before the ballot, but he found that the department could not carry that out under the law as it now stood. He was anxious, however, to meet the league as far as possible. That could only be done by increasing the two

months now given to the First Division between the ballot and being called into camp to three months in the case of the Second Division; and to do that it would be necessary to have the ballot for the first class in the Second Division in October and for them to go into camp in January. The two members of the league were not altogether satisfied with that arrangement, because they still cluing to the idea of having th e medical examination before the ballot; and he was sorry to say the department could not carry that out. Whether legislation would be passed befor e the first ballot rested with the Government and with Parliament in putting, through the necessary amendments to the Pensions Act, Those had not yet been decided upon by Cabinet and therefore could not be brought down. He was anxious, however( to bring them down and put the legislation through before the end of September and he was sure that the Government would put it through as quickly as possible. (Hear, hear.) DEFENCE MATTERS. D,R THACKER ON DR MACGIBBON Sir James Allen stated in Parliament that he wanted to remove any misapprehension that might exist with regard to the papers laid on the table •f the House on Friday in relation to

Dr Mac Gibbon. Th e hon. member for Christchurch East had complained that he (the Minister) had misrepresented him, and had declared that in his previous reference to Dr Mac Gibbon he had not mentioned anatomy at all. That, however, was not correct for. in "Hansard," No 3, page 169, the hon. member was reported to have said that a throat specialist in Chrictchurch had been made Assistant-Director of Medial Services, with the, title of Lieutenant Colonel, and that he knew no more of the anotomy of the perfect man who ought to go into training than an ordinary man. Dr Thacker: "That is perfectly correct, Mr Speaker. Ke doesn't.'-' LAND WANTED. FOR MEN WHO BREAK DOWN IN CAMP. "Is it the intention during the present session," asked Mr. R. W. Smith, M.P., for Waimarino, "to bring down legslation to enable men who have been in camp but have been discharged before leaving New Zealand to apply for.land under the Returned Soldiers' Settlement Act?" In many cases, added the hon. member, men had left good positions and in other eases they had actually parted with their farms to enable them to go into camp, but under the present law they were not able to obtain land, as practically all the land available for selection was reserved for returned soldiers. The Prime Minister asked the hon. member to put the question on the Order Paper, as the matter was alread under consideration and he thought that he would be able to give a definite answer by Wednesday next.