POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1918, Page 4

POLITICAL.

DISCONTINUANCE *)F 01 CAMP. (By Telegraph—Our Parliamentary Reporter..) Wellington, Last -NightMr Pearce (Patca) allied in the Houso to-day for information regarding the CI camp. He wanted to know how many men had passed through the camp, how many had been trans'ferred to reinforcements, and how many of the men so transferred w«ro subsequently discharged. Mr. Pearce had since beea informed by the Minister for Defence that it is not proposed tu continue the 01 camp. The necessary orders will go to districts and groups shortly. The Minister considers that the camp has fully justified its existence by providing over two reinforcements uf Frist Division men, but its continuance is not considered necessary. A return giving the figures asked by Mr. Pearce-is to be pre* pared. PURCHASE OF SUTTER AND. CHEESE. Mr. Massey informed your reporter to* day that he expected a week would elapse before he got the final reply from the Imperial authorities regarding the purchase of butter and cheese. He added that, in the event of an increased price being paid by the Imperial Government, there would not be an increase in the local retail price, which would be kept at tho minimum of Is Bd, by arrangement between the Government and the, representatives of th,o producers. THE SHIPPING OUTLOOKMr. Massey mentioned that the Bhip-i ping outlook was fairly good, and if the. present arrangements were carried ont by the Imperial authorities there would? be no serious inconvenience owing to the shortage of shipping during the next two months. The position after that was an4 depended largely upon the lSurn of the war. MINISTERS IN ARREARS WITH WORK. This afternoon's business in the House was cut shovt bf Mr. Massey, who incidentally spoiled a speewh by Mr. MeCaltum that promised to be'interesting. Mr. Massey interrupted to say that; owing to deputations and other interruptions, Cabinet business was serjously is arrears, and he wanted the House to adjourn until tbß evening, in order that Ministers might meet during the afternoon. Tie House adjourned accordi ingly. The reason for this unusual step is to be found in the fact that the debate on the Address-in-Reply , nearly collapsed last night but a whip managed to avert what woud have been an embarrassing occurrence, since the Government is not quite ready with its Bills. Ministers ar» devoting this afternoon to putting the finishing touch on the business to be 6«tn tuitted to the House. \ MB. WILKINSON'S SPEECH in the House to-night, Mr. Wilkinson (Egmont) said he had been glad to hear; the mover of the Address-in-Reply urging that the time had come to cease sending married men into camp. The; conclusion of peace seemed to be at hand, and it was highly undesirable to put men with three children into camp. Referring to the recent by-elections; he said that the member for Grey had quoted figures to show that the great majority of votes had been cast against the Government, but these calculations were not sound in the Tarana'ld election. For example, the Labor candidate supported military service, and the votes given him were not cast against the National Government in that respect. - The member for Grey, who sat in the House as the successor of the man who had refused tS serve his country, had complained that the men who would not fight were being punished. Did he stand as a champion of the shirker or deserter? The leader of the Labor Party had propounded a' land policy which could only be enunciated by the man who knew nothing about the land. He said that no man should he allowed to hold more than £SOOO worth of land, but in Taranakl that would mean less than 100 acres of land. The suggestion was absurd. Mr. Wilkinson condemned the butterfat levy, which had been? a class tax designed to provide cheap butter for the public at the expense of the farmers—* often the small fanners. It had been an Tvnconstitntional. tax imposed without the authority of Parliament. Mr. McCallum (Wairau) suggested, as a point of order, that the member ought not to contradict* the decision of , the judges who had held that the levy was legal. The Speaker held that there bad been iio reflection on the jujjgcs. J Mr. Wilkinson said the'production of butter at Is Id per pound before the war had never paid. The price had been made possible by the arduous work of families who drew practically no wages. The present price, of Is 5d was not particularly profitable, as moat of the increase had. been absorbed by the Increased price of production. The farmers had not been allowed to get the full value of their products during the war. Wool, butter, cheese, and wheat had all been subjected to restrictions, nnd the producers had been given'smaller prices than they could have, commanded in au open market. It was unfair that, while many restraints wero imposed upon the producers, tho exporters hud been allowed to mako big profits almost unchecked.

Mr, Wilkinson said that the National Government had fulfilled its purpose and enabled New Zealand to play a notable part in tho war. Ho asked if a comprehensive lepntriation ■scheme had been pu'pnreJ and if )t wonld be presented to Vnrliameiii t Mr. Yes this session. Mr \\ \lkuwn -aid the detail* of the -.ihemo >\onld requ'to huM oareful conMd.iau.ni \ swat huul settlement t.wem eeitamh would be required. The pax iny t'flf of tho s;old braid ofllrers who had n.'t Von tn the war would be one of tV ii iMti <««'<•■( vnnMem.. Kverv emploxri ohonhl b-» oonuvllod, if iie-'cwirr, to nit li'.l't 'IV- hv.*l bodi,M did not always klvi t i.-ii I ux \\\ thu »,"-pi\t K tkiii'iK U> tV liiiuoi one<i;on, he . ~,i V \\ *., ont to w vM of the liiTnor >\uL> V »H Vn''*»nnt \\o"ld 'nve to pnt i i>v-l l„i t 0 ,% t i, e >»nmvnt of eomnrn**tvi t» V ut'd K. V>exed a li.v.mr w'i. W ■» Vf^u 1 elation shonM be ta'seix "i tV i'Um? time, Tbe trade tn <»n oi\( i.' bu-m>, s m K m,tt,thv, R nd PirViinmt to a lifc ( >f f, wr rJ -phe n.MV>le \xo\>W then re-eon«ioV» I'm lintml««\»i> afw an exnevienee or prnVMfion SK <A<i<yfc elo>in» should be nmde permanent.