PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1917, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES' . - • "•<

By Telegraph'.—'Press Association ' Wellington, last NigM The Houso met at 2.30. Replying to Mr. McCombe, the'Prentfe* sa'id that so far as he knew,- there was ' : ' no embargo on the export of butter to America. In view of the fact that butter ;■ was being sold in the chief centres at ■ : less than the maximum price fixed Ibv' the Board of Trade, it had been dodd- ; ed to remove the maximum for, [ present. It could be re-enacted at % later date if necessary. «• : -'v Mr. Walker ajked for a week's leave" vV of absence for Mr. Webb, the member ' for Grey, but as objection was made by some members, the 'Speaker that Mr. Walker must give notice of ' motion. *, • 'y* Sir Joseph .Ward staled, in with the charges made against the ' postal officials by the 'Rev. Howard Elli- r ott, that the Government had to hold an inquiry, and that Mr. BlApp, the senior magistrate, had been to undertake the investigation. i' !

ADDRESS-m-REPIiYi, I The debate on the .Addresa-in-BASf was resumed by Mr. Craigie, who wed the Government to make Adequate'snd immediate preparation against the day, when our soldiers /would be returning. He advocated a drastic graduated fend tax, which would, unmistataibly burst up big estates. He strongly favored oc.ock closing. What tho cpuniry expocted from the Ministers who had feeeij Home and seen the heart of thingswas a strong leadership. He urged greater self-reliance in finance and a moot gen* crous treatment for returned soldiers, to do which a direct levy should be made on wealth in preference to taxation. Mi*. Anderson urged the Oovennwent when bringing down taxation propoaato thia year to either amend the anomalies in the excess profits , tax or repeal it and substitute an increased income tax and graduated land tax. He contended that the property of all shirkers should 'be- confiscated. He coiftplained' ©ait medical officers passed men as fit,'and after they ihad sold their property or closed businesses to go into camp they were turned doiwn when they readied Trentham, with consequent loss and anno jance. He condemned the .butter-fat levy as an unfair class tax. **, Mr. Tsitt deplored the movement' which resulted in the clamor for a reduction of the reinforcements. Our first duly was so to, arrange our affairs that the men and Women iwho "were anxious to do any sort of service should %o • able to take up their work and lieve the younger men for the fronti Economy was preached by Ministers;-butt nothing was done. The speaker spari a< : considerable time in denouncing tie e£" forts of the liquor trade to capture 'the labor movement, .and then proceeded; tO» criticise the. Minister for Railways for carrying beer on the railways wheaie; refused to carry building material*! fiat; also censured the Government for refus-.' ing to place before the House tho reports of the Efficiency [Board, lor no other reason than tihat the IBoard in- 1 eluded the liquor trade amongst the essential industries, and tlie Governmenthesitated to acknowledge the fact. Dead-' ing with six o'clock posing, he urged the Government to. give the House a free hand. "■ '

The House resumed at 7.30. Mr. 'Mander favored, six o'clock' olo8« ing, and. was strongly opposed to yet canteens in camps. 5e defended Mm fanners against the accusation tihat'they desired to escape their fair share of: the burden. That Tjas iiot their 4esire.'4Che fairest method of taxationwas tutincrease of the land and incbmeAsjr add beer duty.. An amusement tax" shofll3 also be imposed. "" Mr. Glover advocated a which the Government could aid 'local bodies to make roods in the winterieW north, where soldiers inigfet Jbe settled and struggling farmers might reap s,rics> reward of a lifetime of toil IJe made a special appeal to the National Cabinet on behaM of .old age pensioners, v,-. Mr. Wilkinson referred to the protolems likely'to arise in the Pacific after the war. Vacant spaces in Australia would be a constant menace, by offering an inducement to other peoples to come and occupy them. Naval defease awl shipping lines to carry produce, fast mail services, and better caible facilities would be urgently required, and provision would have to be made for them. A national stock-taking oi men w£3 requisite, so that we may know how! we stand in the matter of reinforcements, The time had arrived when the House should be told plainly and definitely what our position was. If necessary, wo would send our last man and spend- our last rfiillin?, but we must know what, our liabilities in men are. Straight answers on this point were needed, froW the Government, and if thisinformation were withheld,; Parliament would have to take steps to compel Ministers to give the House particulars. He believed in 'the excess profits tax as a principle,-but the whole system of taxation was" too: complicated for farmers. He fftVbred simplification by a substantial ,indi,e(W? •in the income-tax. He favored the restriction of the liquor traffic;, thought -Hie Government would be wear advised if they bent to the public demand for six o'clock closing. Discussing the Excess Profits Tax, lie declared the Government extracted from tho people thousands of pounds it; was not entitled to, owing to the way the. assessment, was made. Sir Joseph Ward interjected: Even so, the Treasury estimate has not been realised by a long >vay. . Mr Wilkinson, continuing, said h$ was opposed to the export. tax tawuj « taxed the gross, not the nett, prpduoe of a man's labor. > Sir Joseph Ward stated that the lion, member could make his mind eaßyj there would be no' export tax this year* The remainder of Mr. Wilkinson'# speech was occupied in quoting statistics to show that the dairy farmers, though'as patriotic as any other_s&e« tion <ff the community, were not making money, and could not afford to pay the hutterfat lovy. r '' ,'. «■ Tho adjournment of the debate was moved by Mr. Jennings, and the Houb» rose at 10.33 p.m. /