PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1915, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph.--'Press Aasoeiation, Wellington, Last Night. In the Council to-day, Hon. Q. Jones called attention to allegations that parcels for soldiers at the front were not being received, and moved that prompt and effective steps should be taken to secure delivery of pajcels to those for Whom they were intended. Hoh. Sir F. 11. D. Bell said the matter of investigation into these complaints had been placed in the able hands of Lieut.-GoL Rhodes, and he thought that after proper investigations had been made there would be, little room for further objection. He felt sure the Government was doing everything in this connection that could be done under the circumstances.

The War Regulations Amendment Bill (No. 2) and Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill were read a second ui»e.

Hon. Sir F. H. D. Bell moved the second reading of the Alien liuemv Teachers Bill. He denied that the Bill aimed at an particular individual, although the Bill was the result of agitations in connection with that indivdual. He ex> planed that the Government had no desire to be tyrannical, but its policy was that aliens not naturalised could not be employed in the Government service. He claimed the support of Parliament in carrying out tliat policy. Hon. W. Hall-Jones approved of the. Bill. Hon. J. (.1. W. Aitkcn would not vote against the Bill, but thought it would have been wiser if it had contained a. proviso similar to that of the British measure, giving aliens the right to declare on which side they were uu. He was content to leave the matter in the hand.., of the Government.

lion. T. McGiUjou cordially approved tlie Bill, and was glad the Government had taken the matter up. Hon. A. McGinnily, as a member of the Victoria College Council, said the resignation of Professor von Zedlitz was in the hands of the Council. He admitted the Bill gave the Government a necessary power, but he asked the Council to Consider the matter without reference to iProfessor von Zedlitz, with whom the Council of the University might be trusted to deal. The Bill was read a second time.

The War Regulations Araendineent Bill passed all stages, and the Counties Amendment Bill was tom}idered, and progress reported. The Uouneil considered in committee tiie Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Bill, and Public Bodies Empowering Bill, which were reported with one or two» slight amendments and put through the* final stages. The Inglewood Borough Endowment Disposal Bill was read a first time, The ' New Zealand University Act Amendment Bill was introduced, and the Alien Enemy Teachers' Bill was considered in committee, and passed without amendment.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, Oct. 7. LOCAL BILLS. The House met at noon, when the following local Bills were passed: Tauranfca Foreshore Vesting and Endowment; Otago Harbor Board Empowering; Dunedin District Drainage

land Sewerage Acts Amendments; Devonport Borough Vesting; Springs County 'Council Reclamation and Empowering; Lyttelton Borough Extension. Progress was reported on the followling:—Mow, County and Mangawhero I County. ! The Prime Minister gave notice to introduce the Arbitration Amendment 'Bill, dealing with alleged victimisation on the waterfronts at Auckland and Grey mouth, and he gave notice to introduce tho Factories Act Amendment Bill, permitting variation of the rules regarding overtime in milk-condensing factories. The Prime. Minister introduced tho Industrial Arbitration and Conciliation Amendment Bill, which was read a first time, and lion. G. W. Russell introduced the Public Health Amendment Bill »nd Hospital and Charitable Aid Institutions Bill. Leave of absence was granted to Hon. - Dr. Pmnare on urgent national business. A Bill to consolidate the Magistrate's Court Act was introduced by Governor's Message. An amendment to the Post and Telegraph Act, introduced by Governor's message, was read. COST OF LIVING. Sir J. G. Ward moved the second reading of the Coat of Living Bill. It was needless to say the subject of food prices was a complicated one, and he was satisfied that it was futile to try to fix maximum and minimum prices. Every country that tried that system had found it fail. The real object of the Bill was to prevent exploitation. As matters stood it was impossible for a man with small wages and a family to pay his way. Commandeering was one of the methods suggested as- a remedy for this condition of affairs, but ~ this could only be done successfully to a limited extent, because if the markets of the world fell the Government might have to maintain high prices, Wank would be ruinous. He had been making inquiry into the matter, and while the cost of living had not increased at the same rate as in Australia and Canada, it nevertheless was considerable, , amounting in case of food supplies to ' 34 per cent., and in rentals to 20 per cent. He could not say who tbeßoarjl would be, but he did wish to say that the success of the whole scheme depended upon the personnel of the Board. They would require to be able men and men of integrity, well paid and free from political influence. He outlined the functions of the Board, and then proceeded to traverse the recommendations of the Cost of Living Commission which sat in 1913, stating that the Bill was largely founded upon those recommendations. Mr. T. M. Wllford said lie regretted to see that a Bill, which was the outcome 'of the combined wisdom of the National Cabinet, did not contain a single clause that would substitute State control for bargaining in foodstuffs. He failed to see that the Board had any. powers. There was ample power to inquire and report, but nothing to empower it to do anything. The Board was only a commission, and an expensive one at that. What this Bill achieved would depend entirely upon what the Government would do after the Board had reported. The Board must have immediate power tot act, without reference to anyone. The moment they discovered exploitation they should have power to go to tlte nearest court and have the exploiter o>y the heels. "You might,'' said Mr. Wijford, "as J. well expect to catch a flea in a t*ttrap as to catch an exploiter under this , Bill."

Br. A. K. Newman Mid that 00 the first reading of the Bill he had formed the conclusion that it was piffle, aid he had not yet got very Jar frotn that stage. He went on to show how aome of the State commercial departments and kept down war risks, Ha «Had the fact that the State had interna*! had kept down war risks. He etted what Britain had done at the outbreak of the war in purchasing sugar and keeping down the price, and suggested that if the State here had . purchased 50,000 'boxes of butter at, say, Is 4d, and put it into cold store, it could have been sold during the winter and so kept down the price of this article. Stato trawlers would have brought cheap flah, and the same could have been done in regard to wheat if action had bten taken in lime. He thought the Bill would do good, but the whole Baceeas on failure would depend upon the men put in charge. Mr. J. McComhs said the National Government, of which so much had heen expected, had failed -miserably in grappling with the cost of living. Mr. C. H. Poole said a number of members had hoped the Bill would have been brought down earlier in the session, as it was difficult for members to give that close attention to the subject which it deserved. He hoped Board of Trade would include oae intelligent representative of the maases. lie was disappointed that the Bill did not promise to give immediate relief to people from exploiters. Mr. P. C. Webb-assorted that the extension of the principle, of State ownership promised the best means of securing i a reduction in the cost of living. Mr. J. 11. lline t,aid the Government could not control prices. Heavy t»ar prolilo had been made last year, but tbe cost ol production had now gone up. For instance, the price of bushfelling and grass seed had gone up 100 per cent. Mr. 1.. M. Isitt said that the products of the country were foodstuffs and wool, the very things that go up in value during a war. It was notorious that many producers had made large sums of money since the war commenced, lie confessed that he was disappointed at the proposals in the Bill. The Government had done nothing to divert the B'/a millions that were expended in alcoholic liquor and horseraeing. In London "shouting," under the new regulations bad decreased by 40 per cent, ft was a solemn duty on the part of the Government to turn that money from non-productive to duetive channels. ,