PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 71, 10 August 1912, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 9. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, I/ast Night. The House met at 2.30. STATE FIRE INSURANCE. The State Fire Insurance Bill was read ft first time. SAVINGS BANK INTEREST. Mr. R. 11. Rhodes said that an impression had been created that it was the intention of the Government to reduce the .rate of interest paid to the savings bank depositors. The interest to be paid would not be altered, as 3y, per cent, will be paid on sums under £•'100, and 3 per cent, from £3OO to £(K)0. He had made arrangements to renew post office loans at 3% .per cent. BREACH OF PRIVILEGE. The evidence taken in the Sinclair breach of privilege case was'laid before the House. Mr. Massey said that members pf Parliament must be protected from such slanderous statements as were contained in the letter received by Mr. McCallum. He moved that the House express its sympathy with the member for Wairau (Mr. McCallum)', and regrets that such a libellous letter should have been written by Wm. Sinclair to Wai. Oarr, re . fleeting on the character of the member for Wairau, and hereby records its censure accordingly on the said Wm. Sinclair. Mr. T. Mackenzie congratulated Mr. McCallum on the honorable way in which his .character had been cleared in connection with such an unfortunate matter. The discussion was interrupted by the dinner adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30, and the Wairau breach of privilege matter was further discussed. Mr. Massey stated that he claimed no credit for generosity so far as his motion was concerned. He had submitted it to Mr. McCaMum and to the leader of the Opposition, both of whom 'had agreed with it. Mr. McCallum said that the Reform party had nothing to do with the petition in connection with his election. He also said that he was convinced that the heading "Wairau Reform League" to the subscription lists issued by the petitioners in (the case was a piece pf impertinence. Mr. Colvin said that he wished to congratulate Mr. McCallum on the honorable way in which lie had come out of a very trying ordeal. He hoped that if any of his friends received a similar letter they would show it to him. The malevolence and calumny public men were now subjected to were driving the best men out of public life. The sooner such conduct was discontinued the bet-, ter for the country. On the Prime Minister's motion to go into committee, Mr. Russell rose and congratulated the Minister for Finance upon the speed witli which the Budget kad been Drought down. The Budget marked an epoch in the politics of the country. He reviewed the prosperity of th« counltry since the Liberal party' had come into power 21 years ago. The underlying principle of the party was the attack on the monopolies. He instanced State fire insurance and State coal mines. He referred to the position of the present Government. They were not justified in holding the Treasury benches, he said. According to the voting of the people of the country 114,000 votes were cast against the party now in power. Th« change of government was due to four members of the Liberal party changing from that party to the Reform party. He then dealt with the Ministry, live, of whom, he said, were residents of Wellington. The . West Coast of both islands was unrepresented. Further, there was no representative of the small farming interests in the Ministry. Referring to Mr. Massey's land proposals he said that the Prime Minister would expend' a 'good deal of effort and energy before he could improve the existing laws and place more people on the land than had been placed there during the past few years. The change of government, however, he said, would not do much harm. The young people of the country were growing up and did not know Liberalism from Conservation except by name. Before mx months had passed the people would find out what was going on. They would -find the rate of interest going up and unemployment becoming rampant, lie asked how it was Mr. llerdman held, the portfolio of Attorney-General, while Mr. 11. D. Bell, who was a K.C. and his senior at the Bar in New Zealand, held a com paratively minor portfolio? -'He would watch what was going to happen with regard to the Crown law office with great interest. The creation of that office had been the cause of the malignant hostility shown to Sir Joseph Ward in Wellington. Mr. Bell: "You had better be careful"

Mr. Russell, continuing, said that there had been great charges against the Ward Government of 'maladministration, reckless borrowing, and wasteful' expenditure. In what respect, he «sked, did the policy (as far as its principle wa.s concerned) of the present Government differ from the policy of the late Government? The land policy of the Massey Government was wild and reckless. The whole of the proposals in the Budget had been stolen from the Mackenzie Government. The Reform party bad talked of an increase in the graduated land tax, but the tax proposed in the Budget only affected 108 persons. Dealing with loans, he forecasted that the amount that would be required to be borrowed by the Ministry would be £4,000,000 in the next twelve .months. There would -be, according to the Budget, an increase in the expenditure of £454, 000 ».s compared with the 1011 Budget. Looking at matters from the farmer's standpoint, the Government was for a free trade policy, and dare not consider industrial matters or the trades and commerce of the country. The Budget contained nothing about land for the landless. Mr. Fisher said that the member for Avon was unstable and unreliable, and as a. member »f a party was untrustworthy. He traversed' Mr. Russell's statement as to pending unemployment. It was, he said, without foundation in fact. He drew attention to the fact that the estimates brought down by his pairty had been prepared by the' Mackenzie Government. They had not had time to effect any materia) alterations. As far as Mir. RtissellVs references to Mr. Bell and Mr. Herdman were concerned he said that the party was to be congratulated upon havinig two such able men in their ranks—two men wlio were able to take portfolios, whereas Mr. Mackenzie had not got one to occupy the position. Mr. Russell had spoken of the geographical distribution of Ministers, but he could refer him to the Mackenzie Cabinet, of which lie was a member, and whicli contained four Canterbury members, lie congratulated Mr. Massey on departing from, the geographical distribution doctrine, which wa« unsound. Another matter .referred to lay Mr. Russell was the graduated tax. He informed the House that .'J7I persons would be affected by the tax, not the number mentioned 1 by Mr. Russell. Mr. Fisher then referred to the Vancouver mail service. He slated that the £30.000 subsidy paid by New Zealand was going to be provided in the inter;,-! nf ill's country. Members on Ihe oi'i.T -;!.!.■ of the House were not going to have protection any longer. One reform his Government was going to carn r out was Uhmt the State service would not be underpaid. The system

of appointments and promotions by Ministerial favoritism was going to'cease. The day of those things was over. Political patronage and political touting wen? Inings of the past. The Minister dealt exhaustively with the expenditure of public money. He instanced amounts which had been spent upon public buildings in Wellington. On Parliament Buildings alone he said £93.7flfi bad been expended since the ft>e; £14,430 had been expended in alterations to Parliament clubbers; £20,122 on the old wing; £52,000 on tibe new Government House, and £8244 on the preliminary works now going on in connection with the new House, and yet not a brick had been laid. They could have had a new Parliament House for that amount. The country <it large was crying for reform. The continuous Ministry'had hoodwinked the manufacturers of the country in regard to the Customs •tariff. The inaction and apathy of .the late Ministry had left manufacturers standing where they were to-day. The Budget of the Government had been favorably received by thie commons use public of the country. It was accepted a.s a plain, unvarnished policy of a Government which intended to carry out everything contained therein. Humanitarian legislation had been included in the policy, justice to old soldiers especially receiving attention. While the Reform Government remained in office no special consideration would be shown to friends of the Ministry or special persons on account .of lineage, or birth, or connection. Everyone would be on a; level. Merit alone would count for all. Mr. Guthrie moved the adjournment at 10.40, and the House rose.