HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 December 1918, Page 8

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

.THE EPIDEJUC RELIEF. ; By Telegraph.—Press Assocs&tioa. V/clllcg'ton, ©ec. 5, The House met at Boon. Tlie Hod. <*. W. Russell said that until the Govercacat knew what the recent epidemic was gotag to cost it was impossible for tie Ck>Te7ument to fovmulate a scheme of subsidies on local expenditure- The Government, however, would carry out its contract to pay all expenses of emergency hospitals, etc., but would not relievo the hospital •boards of any of their responsibilities supplementary to this. Sir Joseph Ward said lie had decided to provide a "certain sum" for relief in connection with the epidemic, hut it was impossible to say at the moment what that sum would be. Replying Mr. Malcolm, the Hon. G. W. Russell said ho would gladly consider the question of affording recognition to the voluntary workers in the recent epidemic. What form that recognition should take he was not yet able to say. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. 'Mr. McCallum garo notice of his intention to ask the Premier what stops the Government proposed to take in the matter of granting compensation tcf previous licensees in the twelve electoral districts in which no-lieewse had already been carried. Implying to Mr. Parr, ths Hon. G. W Russell s2.id ho had noticed for several days that pußlic health matters in Auckland wcro not entirely satisfactory, and Dr. \ alintino was proceeding there today to take matters into his own iic.tio.s. He (the Minister) would act on Dr. Valintine's advice in any future steps he misrht take, even to the extent of cancelling the quarantine nf the Ms.kvra. Replying to Mr. Pearce, Mr. Massey said he did not fcr.ow whether !i would he possible to rrct at resolution of Parliament agreed to respecting the retention of the Pacific Islands, but ho thought it should he done. As far as the Kaiser was concerned, ho agreed that the Kaiser should bo punished, and made responsible for his crimes. If a war indemnity was available he presumed New Zealand would get a share. Thcs.*, Mid other matters, including repatriation and interned enemy aliens, won'.d he brought up for consideration oy Cabinet. The Hon. G- W. Russell introduced without notice the War Funds Amar.dment Bill, which was read a fest tiro. Replying to Mr. Cralgie, Mr. Mt*aev said he hoped the Minister for Finance find himse{f would leave for England before the end of next week. Re did not know what steamer they vculd travel by, hut arrangement wrn lieing made br the Imperial authorities. Replying to 'M?. jSToswort'iy, the Hon. GW. Rusccll s?id that lis was making "VI inquire r? to the state of the epi'V.rnis at the Qntham Trlands. and all steps would be taken if assistii'w was requiro'l. • Tho House rose at 1 o'clock.

AFTERNOON SITTING. A REPATRIATION AMENDMENT. Wellington, Last Night. The Houso resumed at 2.30. An amendment to tho Repatriation Bill was introduced by Governor's message. Sir James Allen explained tli.it tho amendment provided for increasing the amount of a loan from £250 to £3OO. v A REFORMATORY AMENDMENT. Hon. < T. M. Wilford moved that the amendment made by the Legislative Council in tho Reformatory Institutions Amendment Bill he disagreed with. He explained the amendment meant great delay in transferring women from gaol to a reformatory, and the essence of the Bill was that there should be no delay. The motion was agreed to, and Sir John Findlay, Mr. Veitch, and 'the mover were appointed managers to confer with the Council.

EXPEDITIONARY FORCES. Sir James Allen moved the second reading of tho Expeditionary Forces Amendment Bill. Under clause 6 the Expeditionary Force Reserve may at any time hereafter be abolished by proclamation. Clause 7 was one of the most important in the Bill, providing as it does for payment of a bonus to members of the expeditionary force. Sir James said the amount of the gratuity had not yet been finally settled by Cabinet, but, if the proposal is approved of, a gratuity for every year of service will be given to every member of the expeditionary force, whether officer or private. In Tound figures the proposal would absorb a quarter of a million. Sir J. Findlay drew attention to the wide power of discretion given to the Minister under clause 8. He thought this wide power and the limited right of appeal under clause 11 was apt to endanger the liberties of many people. Sir James Allen said he would look | into the point. The House went into committee on the Bill. Mr. McCombs declared that tho deprivation of military defaulters of their civil rights was moat unfair. If the National Government persisted in this course, then, when a Labor Government came into power they would disfranchise all the financial shirkers. Hon. members: Quite right, too. Mr. McCoombs, continuing, denounced the proposal to exclude military shirkers from the Dominion, and said he did not believe it would receive the sanction of the Imperial authorities. Mr. Witty entered a protest against the manner in which business was being ru9hed through, Mr. Massey protested that there was no attempt made to rush business through. Mr. Ell condemned Mr. McCoombs' advocacy of the military shirkers and the cause of the men who fled from the iountry instead of defending it. They deserved no consideration of any kind. Mr. Brown said: "We have to thank God for three tilings—that the war is over, that the epidemic is practically over, and that the days of the Minister of Defence's control of camps are'* nearly over." Mr. Fraser, in defending military defaulters, said the spirit of Prussian vindictiveness displayed by the House , lowered its moral tone 'below that of the British House of Lords, the most conservative, aristocratic, and autocratic body in the Empire, for in that House there were at least some members who tried to understand the position from the objectors' point of view. Mr. Isitt said no man in the House had done more ttwi ho to prevent injustice and hardsMp-yto the genuine,, ggmgieutiou*! pjyector, -ha.4 no

time for a man who did not know whether or not he was loyal to the Empire. He thought the timo had arrived when men of doubtful loyalty to their country should not have a voice in tho governance of the country. He supported the clauses under discussion.

Mr. Vcitch said he would not discuss the Bill, because, frankly, he did not. understand it, for the reason that he had not had an opportunity of seeing it. The responsibility for rushing legislation through must rest with the Government. The position was entirely wrong, as we were simply drifting into a state of anarchy. He saw no reason why the leaders should not go Home and Parliament sit and finish the business in a reasonable way. The debate on clause 1 was proceeding when the House rose at 5.30. EVENING SITTIMG, The House resumed at 7.30. The first clause of the Expeditionary Forces Amendment Bill was agreed to. Rapid progress was then made, all the clauses being passed. As .several new clauses have yet to be printed, progress was reported, and tlio Bill will tip further considered to-morrow;. PUBLIC WORKS. The Public Works Statement and Estimates were tabled by Sir W. Fraser [ -and will be considered to-morrow.