NO-CONFIDENCE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10565, 22 February 1912, Page 5

NO-CONFIDENCE

DEBATE IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MR MILLAR SPEAKS

REPLY BY MR- A. L. HERD-MAX

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, Last Night

Jii the House of Representatives this evening, tho Hon. J. A. Millar continued the debate on the No-Confid-ence motion. Ho said tho country would have been brought into a 10-oly .state if tho party in power in 1891 had been allowed to continue the administration of the affairs. He recollected the fights they had thou to get.any docent legislation passed. Ho asked what tho Opposition meant when they said they had clean hands. When tho loader of the Opposition went to Oamaru, he gave utterance to statements which could not be substantiated. Tho Government had been charged with being corrupt; but tho charges .'.ere nebulous. There was nothing jpecific about them. The Hino charges bad not been proved, despite the fact that those formulating them had had access to nil the files.

Mr Massey: "We had not!" Mr Miller: "You did!" Mr Massey: "They were not r.JI there!"

Mr Miller: "Do you imply that the Departmental officers . had removed documents from the files submitted?" That sort of thing was hitting below tho belt. Why. had' not a defi.iite l charge been made against tho Government? If tho present policy of the Opposition was pursued, no decent man would remain in public life. MiMillar, continuing, cited the figures of the voting of various members of the I Opposition, in regard to the Adv.mces to Settlers, Old Age Pensions, aud other Liberal measures, pointing out tho occasions on which thay voted against measures or refrained from voting. The position allowed that those in power had better discrimination as to what was for the benefit of tho country than tlu hon. gentlemen on the other side. He wanted the House to judge by their actions, and nob by their words. The Minister then proceeded to explain and defend the cause of the increased borrowing and expenditure, which tho Opposition, lie said, put in the hill of indictment as "reckless expenditure." Figures were quoted to show that a large per centage of the borrowed money was repro- [ ductivo. and ho complained of the un- • fair attitude of the Opposition in its I methods of criticising loans- without taking account of how tho money was utilised. He tasked if that was unduly liorroiwing and squandering. Referring to the enlarge of over-taxation, he asked whlat could tho Government, do without the sanction of Parliament. In reference to the Dreadnought, he said that not one penny had been expended until it had been sanctioned by Parliament. The original .offer was sent Home with the statement'that nothing would be done until it was sanctioned by Parliament. He proceeded to defend the Civil Service from charges alleged against them", j and declared that the taxation had I been taken off the workers. He con- \ eluded that the. Liberal party had an-J unequalled record since it took office I in 1891. He maintained that the Party ,1 had to be credited with good work, f tending to the prosperity.of the country, despite the opposition of '' - 04,h0r side. If his resignation woiild be of service to the Party he vvas prepared to retire. He had no desire to retaiit ' office unless it were to the advantage of the party. Mr A.. L. Herdiniau said it did not matter what the" present Government had done in the past. The present was the time to judge. The Government had not grappled with their trusteeship as they should have done, and was not worthy of the confidence of tho Houso. With regard to ''back-, downs," he would refer members to the Governor's Speech, which was punctuated with "back-downs." The people had declared that they did not . want tho present Government. A Local Government bill had been included in the Governor'* Speech, but it had been dragged from the Government. He objected to the rapid borrowing policy pursued by the present Government. Civil service reform was neoassary, as was reform in the management of the railways. Again, Native matters had not been attended to as they should have been, and the expenditure of public money needed ventilation, and this was not forthcoming. Political influence in tho public service was the curse of the country, and was responsible for the stampede out of the better class in the sen-ice. Tho Government was responsible. for the Arbitration. Act, and it was useless; in fact, it had widened the gulf between employer and employee. The excessive borrowing of the present' administration was teaching the people of the country to bo extraivagant. They should be taught to live on their own resources, and not cultivate extravagance consequent upon excessive borrowing. The Minister in charge of the railways -was very a.ble, but ho could not be expected to efficiently manage tho Department, having had no railway training. Under tho Liberal Govt, they had gradually lost sight of the fundamental principles of demor crraoy. There was an industrial unrest in New Zealand, and the people -were afraid to invest their money in the country. The Premier at this stage announced to tho House that Mr Barclay was gravely ill, but not dead. H e requested the withdrawal by tho Press of references to Ins death. (Wo regret that the late hour.at which thiis message arrived prevented our complying with tiie request of the Premier, much as I should havo liked to do so.—Ed. Age.) Mr G. W. Russell said Mr Allen lind been caiught napping time and again, and if the Opposition came into power they would never appoint him Minister of Finance. Had tho Liberal party displayed one-half tho energy displayed by* tho Opposition, it would have been'returned with a substantial majority. ' Ho claimed that- the .party which 'occupied the Treasury benches would have to go on with the progressive policy of recent years. Ho hoped tho result of tho division would be a continuance of tho Liberal party. Tho House adjourned at 11.20 p.m.

New Zealanders should buy New Zealand clothing, niado of Now Zealand wool, grown on Now Zealand farms, woven by Now Zealand hands, tnado up by New' Zealand skill at standard New Zealand rates of wages. Wlien anyone offers you imported clothing, he studies his own pocket—not yours. Insist on having KAIAPOI Clothing KAIAPOI Rugs— KAIAPOI Woollens, from the cap that crowns you, to the KAIAPOI Socks that make life s walk easv.