PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 July 1917, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL By Telegraph.—Press Association Wellington, Last Night, lhe only business for tie Council tflW afternoon was the presentation of papers »y tho leader, Sir Francis Bell. The Council adjourned at "2.30 p.m. till Tuesday afternoon.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MALCOLM ROSS AS CENSOR. The House met at 2 30 premier an ,d that a few days 4, u war correspondent, was aoting as mill, yeparw to band to the Premier flm censomi C 7 *%"* *»* tt ** *«* Z v iTSL 4 lmt thk »». **' ™ The Premier, on receiving Hie en "Hope, replied that he could only repeat S™ 7* 6 «W, that he knew ouiro into it.

THE ADDRESS-IN-HEPLY. The debate on the Address-in-Heor, was resumed. . • T Mr. Walker .denied there was any dis, union amongst tho menAerg o | t H ° d « n ° Uncod the option of Webb as based on incomplete notes furnished by a constable. More sympathy should be shown to soldiers by the Pension Board, whose general attitude .was such as to give the impression they thought more of conserving too interests of the cquntrv than of applicants. The efforts of tho'.Board of irado to deal with the question of tho Ttn , J iving ' ~ad bcen completely stult.ficd by the fact that the Board was cribbed, cabined, and confined. Mr Lee described his experiences at' the front as a delegate of the Parliamentary Association. He declared, after a thorough inspection of the hospitals, that everything in human power wa«( being done for our wounded- soldiers. Ho advocated a complete revision and i». crease of the pension scheme. The calling up of the Second Division Would raise a set of new problems, and it was the duty of the National Cabinet to find a solution; if not, chao; must reign. Any reasonable scheme would receive the endorsement of the House. 'He urged a heavy taxation on large incomes and contended that the Treasurer had relieved the brewers of £30,400 taxation by the system adopted for collecting the beer duty.

The House adjourned at 5.30, Tlie House resumed at 7.30. Mr. Young said the moment had comfc to organise the people.so as to secure equal sacrifice and service to the ■Stl'te but unfortunately Ministers did . not realise that the time had arrived when they should act. and he warned tnean that unless they woke to the need of the hour, the Hotfse would «peedilv demand a change. Ministers seemed to be dividing their whole attention between

the possibiht yof a general election and of retaining llieir seats. He put in ;> plea for the small investor, who was now called on to pay excessively under the income-tax, and he blamed the Government for imposing fan unconstitutional tax on the fanners in the shape of the butter-fat levy. Mr. Malcolm the operations of the millers to manipulate the wheat and flour market, and: suggested ttat the Government should. buy a flour milt, which would regulate the prices of flour and bread, just as the State fire dcDartment had reduced insurance rates. 'The came principle might be applied to shipping and other industries. He urged a more vigorous administration of the licensing law, and he commended '.the promotion of officers who showed enorsry in this connection. ' '"' At the conclusion of Mr. Malcolm's speech the Speaker put tlm ••■'wlmeiit moved by Mr. MeCombs, • us lost on the voices. ' ' " Speaking in reply on the original motion, Mr. Smith (Pahiatua) declared ho had no sympathy with the people who said New Zealand had done enough in the matter of reinforcements, but hj» took up the position that the size of the original bodies should be determined by the Government at once. The motion that a respectful address be presented to the Governor-General was then carried.

MEAT TRUST COMMITTEE. On the motion of the Premier, th» names of Messrs Dickie and Reed were added to the committee set up. to consider the operations of the American Meat Trust. The House rose at 9.30 <p.m