PARLIAMENT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3577, 13 September 1920, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

TAIHAPE LIBELLED. if AN UNANSWERABLE DEFENCE, Last week Mr R. W. Smith, Member for Wairaarino, felt it his duty to. refulte wrong impression sought to be established in the House last week about Taihape, by the Member for Lyttelton. In hi s remarks Mr. Smith said: —

“I do not propose to diiscuss thereturn that has been plactd on the table. I desire to correct a false Impression that I think might have been conveyed to the House by the Honourable Memebr for Lyttelton. The Hon. Gentleman stated . that the population of Taihape in 1911 was 1557, and that the convictions for drunkenness amongst those 1557 were 143. wl hisotsrseua fwy

were 153. I wish to assure the Hon. Member that Taihape is on of the most prosperioug towns in this country, and there is no better behaved community in the Dominion. It is the centre of a very large district, and is on the southern border of the King Country. The reason why there are so many convictions at Taihape that the nearest hotel on the northern side ig some 200 miles away. The whole district between Taihape and Te Awamutu is know as the King Country, and is therefore dry. The whole of that country in recent years has been in course of development, There has been there, and is to-day, a very large floating population, amny of whom at holiday times, and whenever they have a day or two to spare, naturally gravitate to the place where there is a little enjoyment; the place where they can find ~prosperious and genial people, and so they go to Taihape.-” An Hon. Member; What is the enjoyment?

Mr R. W. Smith! My friend on my left, Mr Isitt, wishes to know what the enjoyment is. He can easily find out, that is quite a simple problem to solve. If he will join me now, I am prepared to give him a start. As I have said, Sir, I wish to remove the false impression that was conveyed by- the Hon. Member for Lyttelton. His remarks would lead one to believe that tbe people of Taibapc do nothing but swum in drink, which certainly is not the case. I sugest also that when in future the Hon. Member for Lyttelton is pleading the cause, which I know his whole heart is in, he quotes some patriot other than Mr Philip Snow-den. as one whose doings and suggestion? should be followed. I have not beard that Mr Philip Snowden was decorated by the Allies for his loyalty or for any services he rendered the Allies during the great crisis.