PARLIAMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 206, 28 August 1920, Page 13

PARLIAMENT.

SOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Friday. THE DEFENCE ESTIMATES. When the Estimates were taken this afternoon in the House of Representatives, the first class to be considered was Defence Depart ment, £550,503. Mr. 11. E. Holland (Buller) moved a . reduction of the headquarters vote of . £897!) by £1, j n order to give tbe House : an opportunity of protesting against'the : "huge defence expenditure." Discussion on defence matters con- ', tinned throughout the afternoon, and on into the evening. The disi'ii-s cii concluded just after : half-past eleven, niul the Committee ■ •went to a division. Mr. Holland's amendment was defeated by 4') votes to 0. the Hon. .1. A. llanan ami Messrs. G. • "Witty (Ricciirton) and K. AlcCaUum • (Wairnu) voting with the Labour sec- , tion. Messrs. J. MeCombs and D. Sullivan were absent. The Minister, replying to Mr. Sidey, , said it was proposed to divide the coun- i try into three military districts under , the new defence scheme, two in the North Island, one in tho South Island, as a means toward securing the rcduc- , tion of expense. He mentioned also that 1 the cadet scheme would be. carried on to the age of IS, in two sections—the , first for physical training, and the second for military instruction. This would be followed by an annual camp, the dura- ! tion of which was not yet "decided. Tlie Defence Estimates wero then , passed without further delay. The vote for Customs, Harbours, and • Marine, etc., £257,933, was next dis- ■ cussed. Sir William Herries said the Customs Department was granting licenses for the export to foreign countries of foodstuffs, which did not consist of butter, ■ or did not contnin sugar. , Mr. T. M. Wilford (Hutt) moved an : amendment, that the vote be reduced by £100,000, as an indication that Customs ■ duties should be reduced and put upon - large estates, large incomes, and death duties. The amendment was defeated by 31 : Jptes to 16. s • THE TRAINING SHIP. Discussing the Marine vote, and reply- '. tng to an inquiry by Mr. P. Fraser, Sir Wm. Herries said that the New Zealand Government had been offered a ship by „ the Imperial authorities to replace the , Amokum, but it was found that the necessary alterations would cost almost M much as the value of the ship. As the vessel was an old ship, Captain , Hooper, who was making inquiries at • Home in connection with this matter, recommended that alterations should Dot be made. Thje Government had mdi- , cated to the Home authorities that a . ■hip of tho mine sweeping class would be acceptable, but there had been no result. They were now waiting for Captain Hooper to return, when hia advice would be .taken as to whether the Amokura could advantageously be Tefittcd. Tho vote was passed at 1.15 . cmDiscussion on the Labour vote of £40,589 was commenced after a protestby the Labour party against tal-'rg such an important department at bo late an hour. Replying to Mr. T. Fraser, Sir Wm. Herries said an effort would bo made to speed up the work of the Arbitration Court. The vote passed, and the House rose at 150 a-m.