SECOND DIVISION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVII, Issue 9042, 12 July 1917, Page 3

SECOND DIVISION.

REFERENCE IN PARLIAMENT.

VIEWS OF. MEMBERS

WELLINGTON, July 11. In the House of iiepresentatives this evening the debate on the Ad-dress-in-liepiy , was continued by Mr McComba. The debate on the previous night was, lie said, lifted out of the common by tho statement of the Minister as to tho part New Zealand was playing an tho great war from his" point ot view. Speaking of the financial aspect, he said that New Zealand was the most selfish of all the overseas Dominions, and he deplored' the fact that Ministers had boasted /when they returned that they had bled the Old Country of the last shilling in increased prices for meat and butter Ihe part our men had played in sthe great struggle was a less sordid theme. He defended the, voluntary system, claiming that it fulfilled all requirements until an ambitious scheme was conceived, giving General Godley command of a division composed entirely of New Zealanders. The question for us to consider was whether we had not sent men enough, and concentrate our attention ■ upon, (..the production of foorl. To his mind,'the Government had gone mad on this question of reinforcements. He thought tho time had arrived when the country should know where Parliament stood on this question. To determine that point he moved an amendment 1, which declared that the people viewed with alarm the policy of creating new brigades put of accumulated reinforcements.

Mr Walker seconded the amendment. ■ - v Sir Joseph Ward asked the House to proceed with the debate as though the amendment had not been moved. Later on a division could be taken on it.

Mr Hindmarsh followed, and dealt with the house rent question in'Wei-

lington. Passing on to matters connected with the war, he criticised the manner in Which returned "•soldiers in search of land were dwriven from place to place. "He also spoke in strong terms of the treatment meted out ir> a wounded soldier, >who was refused admittance to 1 Wellington Hospital, and on whose behalf he demanded an

riquiry. Mri ? Payne argued that the Dominion

had ' sent reinforcements - enough. With Russia "back in the, firing-line

and America in the war, there was no need to bleed this country white.'

The debate was adjourned