PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1917, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

By Telegrapn.—Press AMOeiatfo*. Wellington, Last NigM, The House met at 2.30 pjn. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. • Replying to Mr. Colvin, the Minfoici of Marine said his attention had bier drawn to the resolution of the WestjJon Harbor Board protesting against the action of the Union Company in reflßtoj to carry passengers to the West Coast, The Government had no control o*oi the manner in which the Union Company conducted its business, but hj« would at once bring the grievance of the West Coast people under tho notice oJ ( the management. Replying to Mr. Wilford, the Hon. W. D. S. Macdonald said the incretutei in the price of coal was due to a variety of causes, not the least of which vm increase in pay given to the miners, wnerf laborers, and men at the depots, and the rise in freight. He understood -there was to be an increase of 2s per ton next week, and in view of this fact he «onsidered the wholo matter required looking into, to see who was getting too ' profit, if any. • ' Replying to Mr. Witty, the Pnmiet said he had not heard a rumor to th.f effect that some of the ships promisedto New Zealand had been diverted by the Imperial authorities, but he thought \ it right to tell the House that the latest infprmaion was that the Imperial authorities were not particularly optP i mistic concerning the continuance of "the 6uppl y of ships.

FIRST HEADINGS. The following Bilk introduced by Mr. - Wright, were read a first time: Borough of Karori Empowering Bill, Wellington. City Trading Departments Reserves and Renewal Funds Bill, Day's Bay Sanitation ami Water Supply Bill. MENTAL HOSPITALS. The Minister of Public Health laifl on the table the annual report on mental hospitals. Following upon this, Dr. Thacker raised a debate on the treatment of returned soldiers suffering from shell shock. The Minister, in reply, said everything that could be done was being done by the Government to relieve the sufferings of these unfortunate men. The best medical skill was being employed, and the moat modern metltods were being \ applied. It waß certainly encouraging ' to find that out of 10,000 men who Bad returned suffering from shell shock ' only nineteen were still suffering so . severely as to require detention ill a mental hospital. ADDRESS IN REPLY. At 4.15 the debate on the Addrert In v Reply was resumed by Mr. MeCaflnm, , who criticised the methods of the Min- '■■' ister of Defence in sending reinforcements. He contended that things Were , \ done which should never have been done- ',' without the consent of Parliament. * Mr. Scott spoke briefly, generally com- kmending the work of the National <2ab» • inet. Mr. Brown (Napier) complained that, r ! what was supposed to be a National -I Government had deteriorated into a farmers' Government. He described the \ Minister of Defence as a self-appointed. 'i! autocrat. He condemned the madecp&cy -j of pensions to widows and mothers. He .*_ doubted if the Minister of Defence wag '.; capable of dealing with the position. and. he ought to be relieved of the position. The Government should assist sol- ' diers with insurance premiums, and generally do something practical to help th| , boys going to fight. The trouble was thai j nothing was being done, and while mem ;' bers might talk, all talk wag in vala ' > It seemed to him that nothing but at > .' election would bring Ministers to theil .•; senses. . '• 5 Mr. Witty urged caution in the mat- ''. tor of reinforcements, so as to avoid un< j necessarily depopulating the country He censured the Minister of Defence foi handing hospital ships over to tie GW ernor to manage, because this conrs* j limited the scope of members' criticism Ministers conscripted men, but they wem about the country begging farmers tc ■ grow wheat, because the farmers were j afraid they would lose a few shillings bj so doing. Such action was wholly incon- , J sistent. Why did the Government no) l i say to the farmers: "You must grow ; wheat for the benefit of the country; it not, you will be sent to the front." The Minister of Defence next came under the speaker's review, his lo\ ilty to the "^ officers being complained of. Instance* .i of officers' alleged blundering were quot- .._ a ed, Mr. Witty adding that many of these \4 officers were simply toy-soldiers, who ,'^ swaggered round, under great privileges, ,?< which were never given to the men who . i] were going to fight. He denounced the ' •'.. inequality of sentences imposed for po- '"« litical offences, and rid'euM tl>» hypo- t, crisy of the Board of Trade, whowcabout preaching economy, \vh ilo their own ''. offices were most luxuriously furnished. The inefficiency of the Efficiency Board . "'; was also censured, the speaker aski«" I what was the use of n'l *'<•> hoards, , whose inability to control prices ' .* been demonstrated flver ;ind mi* v The speaker concluded by advocating fl- ~, nancial assistance to soldiers going to the front, provision for returned men,' ; taxatiou severe enough to break, up big .* estates, and an amusements tax: 'J Mr. Statham protested against the ae- *4 tiion of the military authorities in glv- * ing men who broke down ih camp leave ■jwithout pnv. He con tended, they/should ; J continuo to receive ordinary paV until ' j their claim was settled. He rsg»tted that the Government had not speh its way to take over the whole of She export trade at the beginning of the war. This mistake was accentuated the failure to impose an export tax? which, at one per cenf.. would yield £300,000 i per annum, without working injustice $ or hardship to anyone. The excess p*o- " ; j fits tax was entirely on the wrong lines. 1 | and worked a cruel injustice on many people'who made no war profits in the . true sense of the word. A comprehensive scheme for taking luxuries should be devised, and he considered that re- i strictive taxation on the liquor traffic 'jj was the best way of limitiiij! its evils. ~, An increased provision for old age pen- • .| sioners was urged to help them to meet 8 the stress of the times, and to provide ',| this cost a direct levy should be made -Jj en the capital wealth of the Dominion. "'5 He did not favor six o'clock doing i without compensation. The debate wim * adjourned, and the House rose at 10.50 -j p.m. 4