PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 101, 14 September 1912, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1012. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. SIR JOSEPH WARD. The Speaker read a letter from the •mi Joseph Ward Presentation Committee, asking that the House should accept a photograph of Sir Joseph Ward, to commemorate his retirement from the leadership of Parliament. On the motion of the Prime Minister, the photograph was accepted. MR. McNAB. tllo Housc that All. J!. Me Nab 'had informed people privately that tlie information he supplied recently was the last he would sipply, owing o false statements made concerning luni and his works. Mr. Fisher hoped t ,at Mr. McNab would overlook the unfortunate criticism which liad' taken place, and carry on the great national work he had undertaken. THE ESTIMATES. Defence Class, f4i)0,388. ci,? 1 '; £ indu l arsh asked that the finanBo rd Vf!' i re r StOl ' ed t0 the D(,fe,,ce hai l , fh ea r kllving all in tlie Hand.-, of the Commandant. He referred to a statement that he had heard from a member of p ;ll , iament! that Q * K 3 \ ViS -' twl and in- £ 1, °\ . rfil " nuil g h J boat at a cost of f he 1 f "! < -' (1 „ a m °tor and went to a \KU neml • for a weck ' 3 shooting. A B 11 amounting to £4O was sent in to j cml, T I-® h ° ped tlle Minister, could t now some light on this matter. ill. Allen said that the statement that the scheme would cost £SO0,(X)O annually i was quite erroneous. Unless something unfoieseen happened, the scheme would cost not more than £400,000. When the scheme was initiated there was a heavy outlay for equipment. Dealing with Mr Hindniiuvsh s nmarks, Mr. Allen stated that General Godley had never had a motor-car in the North of Auckland, nor had -he ever .had a day's shooting there. n , ''\ soll contrasted the salaries p op sed for colonels with those received by some of the leading officials in the public service, and showed that in most cases the colonels were receiving as much as £loo yearly more than the heads of civilian departments. Mr. Fisher said they were bound bv commitments made by some of the members oil the opposite side of the House when they occupied the Treasury

Mr* Allen said that every officer who came out here did so under an engagement made at Home. General Godley TfmZ ge of a bri " ade at Home at £IOOO a year, and there would not nave half the worry as he has as Commandant in New Zealand. A New Zealander, Colonel Davis, was in charge of a bngajle at Home at £IOOO ann Sally, paid bv the Home Government. He futed Mr. Russell's statements that military ofticers were getting more than civil heads. In two years' time thev hoped to replace Imperial officers with Aew Zealand-trained officers. The Estimates were his own, and he would stand by them. If they wanted efficiency they had to pay for it, and he hoped that the House would see that they did. « ¥ r ; P aill a tribute 'to the whole-hearted and enthusiastic way in which the General had thrown himself into his work." He believed that the ultimate cost of this scheme would not exceed £400,000; and that they would have an efficient armv as a result. Mr. Hanan admitted that the people wanted a defence system, but they did not want officers running up unjustifiable items of personal expense. Mr. Hindmarsh said that New Zealand did not want any of the autocratic ideas associated witli the military in England. It was the duty of everyone to protest against grafting anything of that nature on to the system. The social influence ot these men was enormous in this country, and any one who attacked it naturally had to incur a certain amount of odium.

Mr. Anderson considered that the Defence Department was the most important department in the country. . Mi. Isitt said that the force should be. a citizens' defence league, and every lad ■should know, no matter what his social position might he, t'hat there was no bar to his advance to the highest position. .Ihe Minister of Defence compared the salaries paid to officers in Australia, and snowed that in some instances they exceeded those paid in New Zealand bv as much as £2OO a year. He also quoted the names of officers appointed from comparatively lowly positions, to show that there was no introduction of caste. The only compulsory uniforms were khaki for the territorials and blue for the oil jeers. Cocked hats were not in the system. He thought that where the danger to the scheme might be. if there was a danger, was that the Minister was nil officer, and hnd been steeped for many years in military office. He suggested that the civilian element of the general community would be better assisted if the hon. gentleman were not -Minister of Defence. He advised the exchanging of the portfolios of Minister of Laihvays and Minister of Defence. Mr. Witty moved a reduction of the \ote for the Director of Accounts by £l. as an indication that the present oath was wrong and illegal. The House adjourned at'fi and resumed at 7.30. The debate on the Defence Estimate's was continued by Mr. Lee, who said that he held that if an efficient service was required they had to pay for it. Mi. A\ it.t.\ said that he did not wish to force his amendment, and if the Minister would give an assurance that no more would be asked to take the present form of oath he would be satisfied He thought that if the Minister had not been a military man lie would have used more tn<*t in this matter. Mr. Allen said that he could not now declare the oath to he illegal, else what would become of all those who had taken it ? ITe was quite prepared to see that the oath that is administered in futime is tho one in Mm Act. Mr. Witty then withdrew his amendment. Mr. Tsitt moved a reduction of the vote by £l. as ail indication that Territorial officers should not wear full-dress uniforms. Mr. Forbes advocated the elimination of gold lace and swagger from the forces. The Minister having explained that lie did not. favor showy uniforms, but did not wish to interfere with those now in the possession of old soldiers. Mr. Isitt withdrew iiis amendment. Mr. l'ayne said that he had a list signed by fifteen thousand people in and around Auckland protesting against compulsory training. Mr. Payne':- statement led to a long discussion, during which Mr. Myers said that ihe people did not know what they were signing, and Mr. Wilford challenged Mr. Payne to move an amendment, when (lie eimnirv would see where the Rouse -tood on the subject. io Mr. "Russell, the Minister -aid ilie increase of sergeant-majors bv had li"cn made because 1 hey were re- ' uin d for the efficient working of the ■'i-iieme. Mr. fsilt moved a reduction of (lie as an indication that a in one mar ■nit forward a ronscientioii-i objection to nii!il;ii'v training. M-. Allen -;\id that the Ac! already •>'•••!.• -M'■ it prtn isinii. but if lliev gave o conscientious objections how Bliinv consciences would be suddenly developed? Mr. Payne declared that Labor was

going to makf this a burning question at the ni'xt general election. Mr. Veitch emphatically protested against the idea that Labor had so little regard for the country that it was not prepared to fight for it. Mr. Isitt's amendment was lost by GO to 5.