HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7821, 14 June 1909, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, June 12. : ■ •>•.. ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. ■i In the House of Representatives, on Saturday aft-ernoon, Mr Massey's 'amendment on the Address-in-Reply, .that the words " and that an early prorogation of Parliament take place" be deleted from the Address-in-Reply, was lost by 45 to 29. ■v Ayes.— Arnold, Baume, Brown, Buck, Buddo, Buxton, Carroll, Clark, Colvin, Craigie, Dayey, Dillon, Hon. Duncan, Ell, Forbes, Fowlds, Glover, Graham, Greenslade, Hanari, H9gan, Hogg, Jennings, Kaihau, Laurenson, La\yry, Macdonald, R. McKenzie, T. Mackenzie, Millar, Ngata, Parata, 'Poland, Poole, Reed, Remington, Ross, Russell, Seddon, Sidey, Stallworthy, E. H. Taylor, Thomson, Ward, Wilford. Noes, — Allen, Anderson, Bollard, Buchanan, Buick, Dive, J. Duncan, Fisher, Fraser, Guthrie, Hardy, Herdman, Herries, Lang, Luke, McLaren, Malcolm, Marnier, Massey, Newmanj Nosworthy, Okey, Pearce, Phillips, Rhodes, Scott, G. M. Thomson, Witty, Wright. .CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES. . '. The Premier moved that Mr Wilford' be appointed Chairman of Committees. Mr Massey opposed the motion, and moved an amendment that the appointment he left over till next session. He '■ cited _ the precedent of ±yO6, when the appointment of the Chairman was '■■ jostponed till'the actual session of Parliament on the occasion of the Premier's visit to the Imperial Conference. , .On a division being taken, the amendment ■was lost by 44 to 27. The Premier then moved the adjournment, and the House rose at 11.10 'p.m. - WELLINGTON, June 14. ' LOCAL BILLS. ."The House met at 10.30. . : von the Premier's motion, the Standing ' Orders were suspended so far as to allow the Local Bills to ho introduced during the present session, notwithstanding that tho documents connected therewith may not be in the hands; of the Clerk. FIRST READINGS. >The following Bills were read a first time: Whangarei Harbour Act, 1907, Amendment, Whangarei, Hobson, Bay of Islands and Hokianga Counties Boundaries Adjustment, and Timaru Borough Loans Consolidation. HARBOUR BOARD REPRESENTATION. iln the House of Representatives a discussion ensued upon a question by Mr .Wilford, who asked if the Minister for> Marine would give the House an opportunity to discuss Harbour Board administration. /■.Mr Massey said there was much dissatisfaction with the representation on Harbour Boards. Mr C. A. C. Hardy said that Canterbury, was satisfied. 'Mr Witty thought the system of election unsatisfactory, and Messrs McLaren, Luke, Lang and Buxton also favoured a change. / Mr. Craigie urged that tho people in the country should be placed On the same, footing as the people of boroughs. . Mr. Millar said that a Bill would probably be introduced next session to deal with' tho subject. THE DREADNOUGHT OFFER. The Premier moved that the House confirms the offer of the Government to the Imperial Navy of a Dreadnought. He said that he had already given all information on the subject. ' The Premier referred to the resolutions of public bodies in favour of the Government's action —not one had disapproved. It was a good thing for the dominion to show a united front in offering assistance to the Empire. The Government's action had been said to be unconstitutional, but the offer had to be made at once to have tho moral effect, it had. The Government accepted the responsibility. Ho hoped that members would not allow minor matters to affect their attitude. Mr Massey said that he was pleased the Premier had altered the text of the motirin, and lie could now support it. Parliament, however, should have been convened, and would probably have done, a better thing than offer a Dreadnought. In stating that the Government had staked its existence on the offer, the Premier was making the matter a party one; but the people's right to control finance should be preserved. He hoped the Premier would give some idea as to his line of action at the Conference. For £200,000 spent in defence in the dominion there was practically, no result. ■A proper system of national training could be had for £400,000. He expected that the House would be practically, unanimous in affirming the motion ; but he would like an expression of opinion on national training, wheh would strengthen the Premier's hands at the Conference. He wanted to see defence made a- matter of education, .and every physically fit young man should be trained to defend his country. Mr Herries referred to the constitutional and strategic aspects of the offer, and held that the"re was no justification for tho Government doing an unconsti-j tutional act. He advocated a local navy; which, with the Australian navy, could police the Pacific, and meet any enemey except Japan.