PARLIAMENT OF NEW ZEALAND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7822, 15 June 1909, Page 1

PARLIAMENT OF NEW ZEALAND.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATiVMS

WSLLINSTON r June 14. THE DREADNOUGHT OFFER-. The Premier moved that the House confirms the offer, of the Government to the Imperial N%vs bf a Dreadnought. <;,He skid'that he, had already given aJI information oh the subject; The Premier referred to the re'soiiitions of public bodies in favour of the Government's action—nqt one had dis,approved, it:was a| good thing for the dominion to \sliOw a United front in offering assistance to the Empire. The Governments-action had been- said to be unconstitutional; but the offer had to be made at once to. have, the moral effect it had: ..The Government accepted the'responsibility. He hoped that members would not'allow minor matters to affect -their attitude. Mr Massej\said'that he* was pleased the Premier; had altered the text of the motion, and he' 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 oti the ofFeiy'the Premier was making the matter a party one; but the pc ople's right to control finance should be preserved. He hoped the Premier would giro some idea as to his line of action at the Conference. For £.300,000 spent in defence in the dominion there was practically no result. • A proper system of national' training jcoujd be bad for, £400,000. He expected that the House would be practically unanimotis in affirming the motion; but he, would like an expression oi opinion oh national training, wheh would strengthen the Premier's hands at the Conference.; ,He wanted to sco defence made:a matter of education and every physically fit young man should be trained to defend hia country. " :. .:,', ■'; . ■ Mr Herries referred to the constitutional and strategic aspects of the offer, and jield that there xva& no justification tor the Government doing, aft lihcortstiti:tional . act. < -.fle' advocated a local navy; which,. lyith the Australian navy could pohce the Pacific, and meet am' I encmey except, Japan. ' ' I On the House;resuming ..at 2..30 p.m Mr Herries continued- his speech He w «.*£, the relati?nship between the Mother Country and the colonies will have to be,revised: The colonies should he the allies of, Britain, not dependencies. , ' : " ■■ ' : Mr Fraser approved 'of the Government s offer, in the circumstances, without convening Parliament and Mr Koicl. also supported'the motion. Mr Phillips, while approving of the otter, said the Government had failed to give the country a.lead in domestic defence. ' Mr Thompson (Wallace) believed the time'had come, when Britain and Germany will try conclusions for naval supremacy. : ' Mr Sidey spoke in' favour of a united Imperial navy, as opposed to Mr Herries. suggestion for a local navy. Mr Guthrie; .' while supporting the offer, protested against the unconstitutional manner In which the offer had been made. : • i Mr Wright said that no reason had been given' for the .offer of. a Dreadnought in an unconstitutional way. There was no emergency at the time the offer was made. Mr Jennings supported:the motion. Mr Ngata said that the Opposition had given a -gru.dgiifg' support to the Government's offer gf,jj, Dreadnought, The argument": that"the offer was made' unconstitutionally .was mere quibble. Mr Allen said Ihe tone of the debate had been high and had shown that members were all in sympathy with the Empire, but the moral effects of the offer would have been tenfold greater had Parliament been called together to discuss the situation. The time had some .for New Zealand to consider her destiny. He was not content to remain a "Little New Zealander." "We were forgetting our responsibilities with regard to the islands in the Pacific and the Commonwealth. He agreed witli Mr Herries and thought we could provide a navy to protect our interests in the Pacific. We should join hands with Australia in creating a fleet for defence and for £400,000 a year we could provide for an efficient system of defence, both naval and military, to replace the present inefficient system. The House rose at 5.30 p.m. The House, resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr Lang- considered that the giving of a Dreadnought without consulting Parliament had created a bad precedent, but he hoped that- good results would follow the Premier's attendance at the. Conference. Mr Fisher said if the House confirmed -the offer without commenting on the viola/fciajv of the Constitutional procedure, it would merely show that the House was' becoming what it had been in the past—the. mere tool of a party leader. Parliament must safeguard its rights. A''spirit'of hysteria was abroad in the land, "arid' people were losing their reason. It was looked upon ;as sacrilege to comment adversely on any Imperialistic proposal. The uefence'of the Empire would have to be on a common ■ basis. ' Mr Herdman referred to the fact that the publio debt.had gone up considerably,, and now;aniounted to about 70. millions. The presentation of a Dreadnought would be an additional burden. He did not object to it if it was necessary to help; the Empire.' He believed that Great Britain should have declared to Germany that if the' latter persisted in building' Dreadnoughts, Great Britain 1 wouldconsider this a hostile act. He suggested that Great Britain should now say to Germany: " Halt or, declare war," and crush her! rival. ' The debate was carried on by I Mossrs Wilford, Hine, Duncan and McLaren. The Premier replied, and said that the talk of breach of the Constitution had betrayed lack of knowledge on the part of those making it. "Section 54 of the Constitution Act laid down the position clearly; that must 1 be consulted in niatters affecting finance. Next session, he would bring down a Bill dealing with military training. Whatever was done at tie Conference would have to be ratified. He would inform the House of the transactions at the 'Conference as far as possible. He recognised his great responsibility in attending the Conference as the representative of the country. The Conference would represent an epoch in' the Empire's history. The fate and future of the country were not dependent on internal defences, but on the fate of the j liritish Navy. The motion wasl then put and carried on the voices. Mr Massey asked if he could add to the previous resolution a statement affirming the necessity for local defence. Sir Joseph Ward said he was noz\ prepared to discuss the proposal until he knew what it meant. PUBLIC REVENUES BILL. ! The Public Revenues Bill, providing for a temporary amendment of the law relating to publio revenues, and authorising the raising of money for public works, was introduced by Governor's Message. Tho House went into Committee, and reported that provision be made as requested, and the Bill was read a first time. Sir Joseph Ward read a. memorandum showing the position of the public accounts on 31st March and the requirements till 14th October next, as telegraphed by the Government to the newspapers of 'the dominion. The Bill was read a second time. Mr Massey claimed that the Bill was an Appropriation Bill, and would have to be dealt with in Committee of Supply and Committee of Ways and Moans. The Speaker said he would look into tho point raised. On the motion of the Premier, the House at 10.55 p.m. adjourned till; 11.30 next day.