POLITICAL NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 September 1919, Page 6

POLITICAL NEWS.

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION. (By Wire—Own Correspondent). • Wellington, Sept. 3. In the. House to-day, Sir Joseph Ward asked Mr. Masscy as a matter of urgency if he. would introduce legislation providing for proportional representation or preferential voting at the coming genoral election. He said that the present first past the post system did not ensure the majority rule. It left the door open for vote splitting and other evils, and he thought that in the interests of sound and just representation the present electoral law ought to be amended. Mr. Massey's reply was non-committal, but it indicated fairly clearly that he did not favor any amendment of the electoral law thw year.- lie did not want, he said, to open the door to the intrigue of preferential voting, like the second ballot did open the door. While Sir Joseph Ward and himself had said publicly that proportional representation couW not be arranged this year, Mr. Massey undertook to put the matter before Cabinet and give an answer later. THE COST OF LIVING. The discussion to-day regarding the cost of living was important, as indicating that the Government is intending further action. Mr. Mac Donald, in introducing his Board of Trade Billj complained that a recent memorandum by Mr. Maasey calling on the Board of Trade to take action against- the profiteers had reflected on the past administration of the Department. Mr. Mac Donald said that the board had found that its powers were insufficient, lit could not compel any business man to produce his books or give information. The Bill had been drafted to provide the necessary powers.

Mr. Massey replied that he had Been the Bill, and was having its provisions made more drastic. If profiteering and exploitation eould be prevented the Government would prevent them. He thought that the Board should have taken action, even if its power to secure convictions was inadequate, since the publicity would have checked profiteering. He had expected reduced prices after the war, but he now saw no chance of reductions for at least two years. The ■only' thing the Government could do was to sec that no man made exhorbitant profits.

The members followed protested that the Government, if its powers were inadequate, ought to have produced amending legislation long ago. Ministers had allowed profiteering to continue throughout the war, and now they were making a belated attempt to prove their anxiety to protect the public. Sir John Findlay made an appeal to Ministers and members to study the scientific methods of stabilising the value of the sovereign. lie considered the country could not afford to allow the present conditions to continue. Wages must be fixed on revalues, and provision must be made for wages to follow the fluctuations of the real value of the sovereign.

The discussion was inconclusive, but it indicated that the House is not easy about the cost of living.