PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 116, 14 June 1909, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

BATUKIUY, JU.N'E 12. By Telegraph.—l'ress Association. Wellington, ."Saturday ;Vljf.it. I'll? House resumed at i3o. iir. liussell continued tile debate on the -Vihtrf.'.-.s-in iit-]i]y. lie opposed Uie amendment, but acknowledged the support the Government had received m connection with tile Dreadnought oiler. It was impossible lor New Zealand to defend hersell. Sue must rcn on the British Xavy. lie was not in favor 01 giving the Premier carte blaiicne at the Conferencv. Compulsory training was neither desirable nor necessari m the Dominion. The first essential in, connection witii defence was to have one

impregnable portj in ine second place We should have nawi volunteers ;i'id ride elubs, the latter to be provided with free rifies and ammunition. Tiiere should also be two ammunition lactones m the Dominion.

Air. G. M. Thomson (Dunodin North) was disappointed at the amount of irrelevant matter introduced into the debate. He saw no reason for losing the time of Parliament during the Premier's absence, and suggested as a au, tunic title for Sir Joseph Ward "Lord Bluff 01 Awarua," (Laughter.) Mr. Guthrie supported the amendment, find Messrs. Cl&rk, Anderson and X'earcc opposed it. Jr. McLaren said the burden of Empire rested on the shoulders of the toiling masses, and the problem would never lie solved till social conditions were reformed and justicti done to the poorest classes. (Hear, hear.) Touching the question of unemployment, lie did not blame the Government for the present distress. He read reports Irom various districts in the colony giving information as to the unemployed. He criticised the Government method of assisting immigration. °

Mr. Malcolm weat over the points in Mr, McLaren's speech, and declared the latter was ignorant on the land question. Members of the Opposition did not favor land monopoly. The demand tor leasehold by city members was actuated by mean greed. Mr. Malcolm condemned the .extravagance of the Government in connection with tlie opening ol uie Public Trust Office at a time when public servants were being dismissed by the score. |

During Mr. Mander's speech, Mr. Massey said Sir Harry Atkinson had nothing to do with tte position leading up to the retrenchments of 1878, and the Hon, T. interjected: "Absolutely false."

Mr. Massey demanded a withdrawal, which was made. The House rose at 5.30 and resumed at 7.30, when Mr. Malcolm continued the debate. I

Mr. Scott supported the amendment, and advocated a scheme of national defence and training ships for the youth of the Domoinion.

Messrs. Dive, Mander and Wrig'it also spoke in support of the amendment. The last caused great uproar by stating that the member for Hawke's Bay was a land monopolist, which the latter mem> her described as most unjust. He quoted an article in a Christrhurch weekly J>a£er from the pen of Mr. Russell, memV oer for Avon, giving good reasons whj\ Parliament should not be prorogued. I Mr. Graham complimented the neyf members on their speeches. He de) scribed the Cabinet as the most incongruous one he had seen during the ]as\ sixteen years. The Premier could onlv rely on two of his Ministers to lead t'nij Bouse during his absence. On the whole, it was wise for the Premier if) stipulate for the prorogation of Parliament during his absence at the Confers race. <

The amendment, that the words " and that an early prorogation of Parliament take place he deleted from the Addrfcs?-in-Replv," was then put, and on a division the amendment was lost bv 45 t'l 29. The division list is as follows:— 1 Ayea—Arnold, Baume, Brown, Buddo, Buxton, Carroll, Clark, Colvin, Craigie/ iDavey, Dillon/Hon. Duncan, Ell, Fowlds, Glover, Graham, Greenslade/ Hanori, Hogan, iflogg, Jennings, Kai'naul Laurenson, Lawry, MaeDonald, R. Moj Kenzic, T. Mackenzie, Millar, Xgata, Pat lata, Poland, Poole, Reid, Remington Boss, Russell, Seddon. Sidev, Stallwortlra E. H. Taylor, Buck, Thomson, Ward, Will ford. li

Noes—Allen, Anderson, Bollard, Bu-j chanan, Buick, Dive, ,T. Duncan, Fisher, ■Frascr, Guthrie, Hardy, Herdman, Herries, (Lang, (Luke, McLaren, Malcolm. Mander, Massey, Xewman, Xosworthv, Okey, Pearce, Phillips, Rhodes, Scoit, (J. M. Thomson, Witty, Wright.

The Premier moved that Mr. Wilfon! •be appointed Chairman of Committees. , Mr, Massey opposed the motion, and' moved an amendment that the appointment. of Chairman of Committees lie left over till next session. He cited the procedure of 11)00, when the appointment Of Chairman was postponed till the actual session of Parliament, on the oc.-a,-sion of the Premier's visit to the Imperial Conference.

On a division being taken, the amendment was lost by 44 to 27. The Premier moved the adjournment Had tlie House rose at 11.10 p.m.

MR. HOGG'S SPEECH. , THE PREMIER INTERVIEWED. ' Wellington, Last Night. I Jn the course of an interview to-night! ■Sir Josepli Ward was asked by a Sew 'Zciftind Times representative if he del •sitefl to make any statement upon thi ■speech delivered in the House on Satin 1 by the Hon. Mr. Hogg. Sir Joseph said he had heard onl; portion of the speech, but what h ■did hear expressed the views of withe .Mmylf nor his colleagues." 1