PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 October 1918, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Wellington, Last Night. - The-House met at 2 30. QUESTIONS. , Mr. Wright gave notice of his intention to ask whether, iii view of tlie splendid war work of the women of tile Do--nainion, the Government will introduce legislation, enabling women to become 'candidates for Parliament. Mr Amtey gave notice to ask the ■iliiiister ol Defence if, in any scheme of ■repatriation, lie would provide for the immediate return-to their civilian occupations ot all military men of every rank, especially those who have seen no active service, in order that repatriation | may bo carried out by civilians of i Known and tried experience, j »r. Thacker drew the attention of the ■ Minister for Defence to an article in a southern paper in which a soldier gave Ins experiences at the isolation camp at Irenthain, and in which lie described it I as a 'filthy hole." The Minister, in repljf, regretted the "on. member had endeavored to create a false impression in the-House-by reading an abstract from a newspaper. He j could give the soldier's description of the | isolation camp an emphatic denial. Replying to Mr. Hornsby, who inquired as to the Government's intentions with regard to the pay of railway employees, the Hon. Herries said tho readjustment oi railway employees' wages and salaries was an extremely difficult and eompiicateu matter, as these rates of pay were all set out in the Act. Under these.circumstances it had considered best to leave any extensive readjustment till after the war, ibut the Department recognised that the cost of living had been increasing, to railway employees as" well as to other people, and an endeavor had been made to meet that increase bv way .of war bonuses. Several such bonuses had been already paid, and the payment of another was now under consideration. Up to the present the married men of the. Second Division had received two bonuses of Is pgr day each* These bonuses had cost over £3o(j,{)§b a year. Ho believed the amount was close to £350,000 a year. Mr. Dickie asked whether the Minister for Defence could arrange for the prompt despatch at consignors' risk of about 1000 tons of parcels now m store for soldiers at the front. Mr. G. Witty gave notice to ask whether the Minister for Agriculture would take all necessary steps to prevent the inclusion of "weevily" wheat, in consignments for millers, from the quantities imported from Australia. Replying to Mr. Craigie, the Premier said he hoped shortly to be in a position tq make a statement on the subject of appointing a Minister to represent New Zealand in London during the period of the war. Replying to Mr. Smith .(Paliiatua)', Sir Joseph Ward said ne did not propose to make any statement regarding the next •war loan until next" rear, probablv in April, when he would deal with" the whole question of new financial requirements. LOCALS BILLS. The following local Bills were introduced and read a first time:—Hauraki Plains, Thames and Ohinemuri Counties Bill (Rhodes, Thames). New Plymouth Harbor Empowering Bill (Smith, Taranala), Auckland Institute and Museum Empowering Bill (Parr). COMPENSATION FOE ACCIDENTS. Mr. Hindmarsh moved for leave to introduce a Workers' Compensation Act Amendment Bill. Speaking to the question, Mi-. Poland said there was a time when New Zealand claimed to lead the world in the matter of labor legislation, but that time had long passed, especially with regard to compensation to workers, .for, with the exception of a few minor amendments, nothing had been done to keep this legislation up to date, and he was going to tell the Government they were no longer fit to represent the people unless they were prepared to put this legislation on a' more satisfactory footing. The time had now arrived when a careful examination should he made into the methods of insurance companies carrying on accident insurance in the Dominion. Except that the Government was afraid of offending these companies, which found a certain part of the money when Government loans were required, he could not understand official tenderness towards these financial mstitutions, which contested every 'claim for compensation right up to the very hilt. He quoted largely from Australian legislation on the subject, contending that our legislation should bo brought into line with that of the sister States. Mr. Veitch said this was a private Bill, and the pity was that, after, four years of National Government, this important subject -was still left to a private member The Government made no move or endeavor to improve the law. He. paid a high tribute to the Minister for Marine, whose recent Commission of Inquiry into the working appliances on the waterfront was calculated to do great good- Manv people pretended to think the workers were unreasonable in demanding redress for their grievances and compensation for injuries, but his isarvel was that they had been so patient under exasperating circumstancesMr. Poole claimed that the maximum compensation now allowed under the I Workers' Compensation Act was low, and became a miserable minimum under tVo, increasing cost of living. He had no desire to embarass men who were doing their best to administer their del partments and at the same time win the war, hilt he wanted to tell the Government that the spirit of unrest was so widespread that no patriotic attitude would serve to quiet the growing impatience of tho public. Mr- McCombs claimed that if Bills introduced by private members contained ' useful provisions they should be allowed to pass without let or hindrance- 'The Labor Government of Australia had not, during the war, been able to improve l this class of legislation. Why could not a National Government, then, do wbat a Labor Government had not done? Dr. Thacker contended that the worker who did his dutv at home was fighting just as good a fight as the soldier and should be just as liberallv compensator! in the event of meeting with an accident. The policv of the National Government was on the side of the profiteer. If a coi\l-mincr went slow, the National Government said to him: "We will jug you," but if a wheat-grower went slow, the Government said: "We will double the price of your wheat." That, unfortunately, was the comparison on which the Government worked. Mr. Hindmarsh, in reply, asked the Goverfiaefct If-they-would introduce a

Bill on the subject, or, failing that, would they set U£ a Labor Bills Committee, so that the whole question could >be gone into? He was anxious to see ■something done. The Bill was read a first lime, OTHER BILLS. The following additional public Bills were introduced and read'a grst time:— Temporary Employees' Bill (Dr. Newman), Maori War Medc.l Bill (Wright),; Harbors Act Amendment Bill (Hind-' marsh), Legislature Amendment Bill (Wright), Shops and Ollices Amendment Bill. (Hmdmarsh), Several sessional committees were set up. NATIVE AFFAIRS. Dr. Thacker complained of the predominating influence given to the lieform side of the House on the Native Affairs Committee. The Hon. llerries replied that the Native Affairs Committee was without party. It was necessary to keep the same members on the committee so far .is possible, because continuity was so, necessary to the consideration of Jsativc matters- , .. The House adjourned at 1.55. Y),» EVENING SITTING. - 1 ADDRESS-IN-RKPU& The House resumed at 7.30. Air. Anderson, in moving the Address-in-Kcply. said he wlis from the outtii-t one ox those who favored the formation of a National Cabinet, because he foresaw what the Dominion was up against'' Looking back on the past three years, he was bound to say the Government had not come up to all his expectations, but 10 years in the House had taught him the value of compromise in small things. They may have failed, but on broad principles they had done better than any party government could have done. Ho commended the Government's commercial enterprises. They had kept shipping veil abreast of requirements, and the financial arrangements haa met requirements, though he thought more should have been raised %y taxatipn rather than .by loan. The transport of troops had been most creditable, there being only one mishap, while our camps, were as well managed as in any part ol the world. There had admittedly been mistakes and blunders, as in the case of the butter tax and wheat purchases. Int, viewed broadly,he thought the performances of the National government were highly creditable. Dealing w.th the cost of living, he admitted there were difficulties m the way, but thought more might have .been done. He commended the opening of butchers' shops in Auckland, which had' saved the people £95,000, at a chst to the State of £llOO, but thought, the Government should act more vigorously. In the matter of the liquor question, he hoped Parliament would not be allowed to close before arrangements were made ;, to let the people give expression to their desires in <rtiis matter. He mentioned many pin-pricks of which the Defense Depan. ment had been guilty, and expressed the Uope that the recruiting of men with three children should not go on in view of the improved position at the frontHe considered that compulsory residence ,c.nd improvement was the only way to prevent' the aggregation of land, and in the matter oi the development of our gi*eat material sources of power, if the Government were not prepared to go on with their hydro-electric schemes, they should delegate tnejr powers to local bodies or, private syndicates, and thereby give employment to our returned soldiers, and vastly increase the productiveness of the country, which stood in need of nothing so' much -as scientific cultivation. Forestry required active encouragement, and the cultivation of cotton might be encouraged. After the war were we going to buy ships, or build ships, and run State-owned lines to the Old Country? The country was looking to the National Government lor a lead in this matter- He asked what steps the Government were talking to bring capital and labor together. Had they a scheme prepared, or were they going to let the country go on in the haphazard manner it had been doing for years past? Every child born into the country had the right to sustenance, and' if the parents did not provide it the State should do so. Provision was made for soldiers disabled m the war, but what was being done for those workers disabled in industrial waitfare? The discussion in the House that afternoon showed there was a need for some further provision than was now being made.: Greater educational facilities in rural districts were urged, and the adoption of the subjects to the oteupations of pupils was strongly advocated by the speaker. Mr. Talbot, in seconding the motion, after welcoming back the leaders of the House, said they had done useful service fn the Old Country, for which they deserved the beat thanks of the -Dominion. Our best thanks were also due to our soldiers, who had helped to redeem what ftt one time looked like a hopeless posi- j tion, and he hoped the Dominion would r.ot fail in its duty to them. Discussing the position of the National Government, fie said there was no doubt it did not occupy such a favorable position in public estimation as it did at its inception: This, he thought, was largely due to the fact that party feeling had not been so completely sunk .as it might have been. There 'had also been less complete unity amongst Ministers themselves, who bad not pulled together as heartily as they should have'done. Referring to the cost of living, he thought a Food Controller should have been appointed, and in other ways the Government did not seem fully to appreciate many of the recommendations of the Cost of Living Commission. He instanced many articles which had risen in price without adequate explanation. Bread, for instance, rose in price when flour rose, but it did not fall when the price of flour -fell. Profiteering was going on in all directions without, any attempt, so far a.s anyone could see, on the part of the Government to i regulate the prices which the public had to pay. 'Farmers did not mind their wool being commandeered by the Government,, but they did object to this wool beinsr "hartded over to private manufacturers in the Old Conntrv. who were 11 able to make huge profits out of the article which went Home at a fixed price. The reference in the Speech to the attempt to check aggregation was an admission that the legislation of 1013 was nqt effective. Second-class land must be held in large areas, hut. in those districts where land is rich there should be no toleration of atrfregation, for closer settlement was a prime neeessitv of t.]ie countrv, vet he was sprrv to see that while closer settlement Was some on in some parts, aggregation wm <roinrr cn in others. There was too much. UK test amoßftii the settler* at pretest, and.

artificial value was being given to which menaced the interests of the'eonnwj try. Closely connected with closer adwl tlement was tile repatriation of our <liers, and ho appeaie'd to the Gwern. :1 ment to devise a good system of soldfef l 'ents. All these men who . go upon the land would not,,be a and they would have tobo handledwS '•<' ea edT l ,be, ' alI . y ' oivil nid should be' 4 in to assist the Government in "1 • his matter so as to help to get many- '1 in '° civii We as «"3i J " " v,ras put m for frenertma^ iuiancial assistance .being given to tW * Education Department, which was hand?"' 1 ofSr a l l , d !:' ections th ™gh the «,p m• i ■ samo he H/tutJiM the Minister against over-contraliS m his Department. Much liarin hai w been done by the abolition of M the education boards. Tree-nlanHn»iJ» Ltfor? J to r ™P laca our fasWimiaWK,:■* • ? J° ' s - 1519 speaker urged tie Mini''' 1 Ito r «tore the morteam tax TOfc I system was operating most unfairly icta -1 The war loans .3 ' should bo stopped, as ' i wTSd H ad stopped J frr <. i ? growing up j n tMa -onni the reCTnt^^e^n^f thtf country, from S fl* Govenm,,", | m ? r f Sections in other parts rftt ?5H minion. Whrm i„» i, ® ®(f*. » | Served the blame hewa a SJSmS? cause ho hod not been ■W'es. In proof of V° I® ' rent quert.on JWASTES tending that the Premier "M 0 th f of landlords. jJSSJI I honi had been a fann d ) he £?° "atJy to confirm ■ 11 * T UhOT '& mier vri qnest, '° n ' S" T awa >' had k effoit to compel the farmers to paygJS "4 'wlkhwL ° C ° °'*S£ J nich as the means of gettimthflnd J better pr.ces That, he thonX ■ 1 fw«y fair, but no sooner haTthe I mier returned than he intSeSd S :t repi-diated what the | hj"" iw £. 1 , cmier supported hia CnhhfZtk he'(Mr. Hmdmarsh) believed the omS 1 011 of tlle farmers to the -butter' I would soon have ceased. As Minister »f 'f Lands, the Premier had introduced mnffi -X} j lepslation into the House, in whifiF e dealt with the question <5 C 2' 4 hn«f lo , cl ; umea to have settled 'the' '.'.l question of land aggregation, but to-' 'A night the. mover and seconder of the' # Addiess-m-Keply had complained thai . ; jsi aggregation was going on, and the fatit was so apparent that no one could dems , 3 it. He himself bad more thai) moved an aniemlment which would s•' ?i?1 fectively have cheeked aggregation, baJH *3 the Premier had steadily set hi* facj.-. M against it, for no other reason than th»t ,'", l ft would rn i g nut too many rich, metl,' and that was one reason why the 1%. yM tional. Government waji becoming wV 1? popular. In view of the waning • popt!< ianty of the Goverament, it in ' l honor bound to have a ceneral election ''j at an cnvlr date, uossibly MaTeh but so afraid was the Govermtient of All j' election that even the election of the' iS Upper House had been postponed;' Ke-"'if centlv li) gentlemen had been nominated,; ' to that Chamber. Kverybodv had besn >' wondering how these men had been dl9* >l covered, but tliev were discovered. Whlft ' no oneeould undertsancl wa's why thes£ r ;f« men were appointed just after the sea*f ; 'fl sion, instead of before the session,' they could bo of so.ne use to the ccnin-' 'yff try. Amonast the appointees was number of '•rejects:' yet who did not member , the ceom witli which the Pre- ''B micr had in former years derided the ap- a pointment to the Council of mta de*sse|j feated at the polls when these appoint"' S ments were made by Lhe S(?d(lon or sVftrd Oovemmonts.Again, he said, it TO 9 because the Premier paid no regatd to •JS constancy that the people were ■Hrra'i^y. Against the Governiiicnt . 1 'W, Mr. Hindtnarsh contended that the - 3 veniinent wa« in the bands of the iillSlft? cial institutions, whom they were afraitT . o)' offending. In order to show Labor Party did not associate itself; || in an}' way with the National Goto®' '.jJ ment, he intended 'to move'an ameni- «,■"? ment to the effect that, as the Govern- _\*j ment lmd lamentably failed to dntl witli ■ % the questions of war profiteering and t!ie cost of living, his Excellency be sd-< vised that a general election should be xW,# held early in the coining year. • 2| Mr- McComhs seconded the ipent, and in doing so criticised.. tW -/l wheat purchases of the Government. • -k When the Xational Government Was if formed they were told the cost of livijrtgKJS was going to be energetically dealt With. •• What was the case when the Oovern- ■ ment took office? Tlie sovereign was .' J costing twenty-four shillines. however, of a reduction in that ing place, the price of the sovereign hiy4 ; steadily risen and wt\? stood at ~ on® pound ton shillings lialfpenny. The Gov- t* ernment bad increased, the Customs du-s i* ties bv taxing the' workers' tea, but llflWyf:* liave they treated the profiteers? war profits tax had been veppalefr alto?:'jyi (Tether, because the Minister of FlJtfno» ; 4 said there were anomalies in it. Tsonar T.aw fnmw\ anomalies in the. v in Britain, but. instead of removing the * tax. lie removed the anomalies. ~ .;>< The amendment was reiectcd by 45'ws-l votes to 12. the «T« being: Fraser. Tlir.dmaivh, Holland, McG(*m(iS,';i, ,j| Poole. Pavne. 'Smith (Tfli'anaki), Vpitch, . a Tlineker. AValker. nnd Witty. 1 4 'j The Hov.se rose at ,i ' i