PARLIAMENT.

Bruce Herald, Volume LI, Issue 67, 30 August 1915, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON, August 24. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. Hon. A. T. MeUmruiy as iced a question concerning funds collected in various parts or the Dominion for patriotic puposes, whether the Government would' untaxKluce legation with a view to. providing for tune appointment of a Board of '.trustees to whom shall be committed tlie administration of such funds. Hon, Sir Francis Bell said the question ot the «d ministration of these funds was ait piesent receiving the consideration of the Government. Me regretted' he could not give a more definite reply. FIRST HEADINGS. The Tauiiangii. Borough Council, Tauranga Harbor Board Bd;, and the Whakatiane Habor Board Empowering Bill were read, a first time ana referred to the Local Bills Committee. The Tramways Amendment Bill was read a first time and subsequently passed through all stages. EXPEDITIONARY FORCES BILL. The Expeditionary Bill was read a. second time ancl will 'be committed to-morrow. The Council 1 rose at 4.-3 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. VARIOUS QUESTIONS. . In reply to Mr Hornsby (Waifcarapa) the Minister for Defence (Hon. J. Allen) said lie could only accept with great hesitation the report Which was said to have come from Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert that there was almost a mutiny on 1 board the transport taking the Maori Contingent to Egypt on Account of the high prices charged for food. Sofar as he (Mr Allen) knew the Maoris were not charged for their food oil board the transport. 11 Replying to a: question by Mr Field (Nelson), the Prime Minister said he would like to take advantage of the opportunity to advise the producers of the Dominion to produce every pound of supplies within their power. In reply to Mr Parr (Eden), Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald (Minister for Agriculture) said a Bill was 'being prepared to prevent eggs imported from America being sold as new-laid eggs. In reply to Dr Thacker (Christchurch East) the Minister for Defence said it was. the intention of the Government to recognise the various 'branches of the National- Reserve. | In reply to Mr Buddo (Kaiapoi) the Minister for Defence said he had no information regarding a. disaster to the j Fifth Reinforcements. Had such a; disaster happened he wbuld have heard ' of it. NEW BULLS. The -following bills were introduced by Governor's message and read a first time: —Hutt Road Bill, Census Statistics Amendment Bill, and National Registration Bill. The latter Bill provides for the registration of all men between the ages of 17 and 60. LOYALTY OF THE IRISH. An Imprest Supply Bill providing for an appropriation of £953,500 was introduced by Governor's message. Mr Horneby said he desired to comment upon the cables that now come to New Zealand per medium of the Press Association. He regretted we had only a, second-hand service. The Australian; pa pel's got the cables direct from London and we had to take what they got. These second-hand cables often did not reflect British opinion as they came from poisoned sources. The 'Times and Sun' service was the worst of all, as this class of mews Was prejudiced, and was part of a political propaganda organised for the purpose of misrepresenting British Liberate and to destroy Lord Kitchener. He desired particulary! to refer to the fa'lse and lunfiair reports that were 'being cabled out regarding the Irish people. These were simply shameless attacks upon a nation. Messrs Colvin, Poole, Dr Thacker, and Wil-ford delivered eulogisms on the bravery and loyalty of Irishmen. Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey (Prime Minister) remarked that after what had been said' regarding Irishmen he should put in a word for Englishmen and Scotchmen. He did not think it was necessary eiher to justify or apologise for the Irish people, nor did he think at necessary to take the slightest notice of the cab I *® on this subject. Whatever* had. been 1 the case in the past there was no doubt that Irishmen were now absolutely united for the one object of upholding the Empire. OTHER MATTERS. Mr' P. C. Webb (Grey) said he would ask the Government to deal with the question of miners' disease this session. 'Mr Hindmairsh (Wellington South) appealed to the Government to bring in legislation dealing with the cost of lavin». Mr Poland (Ohinemuri) complained that the relief given to miners suffering from miners' complaint was quite inadequate. Mr A. Walker (Dunediir North) protested against the maintenance of the duty on imported oats when they knew the price was just double what it was before the outbreak of war. The House rose at 5-30 p.m. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Th© Prime Minister said that full statistical information would be given regarding the Government's transactions in' wheat. He denied any charge of exploitation' and read' the agreement made with the millers fixing the price of flour at £l4 14s. There had been a serious' shortage of wheat amd the action taken by the Government in importing wheat had resulted in a. surplus to-day. . Am additional 24,000 acres had been sown in wheat this year and he had every confidence there would be sufficient wheat to supply us till' the next crop came in if conditions were normal. That dlay he had refused the application of a large firm to allow a quantity to be exported. The Government -had. remitted the duty on wheat and flour and prohibited exportation. The debate wasi continued by Messrs Witty McCombs, Payne, Webb, Anstey Isitt, and- Nosworthy. The Bill ttras 'then committed 1 and reported without amendment. It w!as then passed, through its final stages, and the House adjourned. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25. QUESTIONS. tn reply to questions, Ministers said: The authorities controlling racing in 5s T ew Zealand will act in accordance with public sentiment, and there is at no occasion for the Government

to interfere in urging a reduction of racing fixtures in the Dominion. On June 30 returns showed that there were in the Dominion 3,720,173 bushels of oats in graiu, and approximately 441,630 bushels in stack intended for threshing, while there were also 2,301,361 bushels of oats in stack intended for chaffing. Telephone exchanges with from 30 to 50 subscribers will be opened from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., conditionally on the whole of the subscribers agreeing to pay each an additional fee of £1 per annum. The transport of returned troopers to their homes is arranged for by the Defence Department, but it is quite impracticable to give a large number of men free travel over the. railways subsequently. Raffles for patriotic purposes in progress on the 12th inst. may be completed, but no new raffles will be permitted unless they comply with the law. It is the intention of the Government that hospital and charitable aid accounts shall be kept on a uniform plan throughout the country The question of abnormal sick expenditure in friendly societies on account of their members on active service is one for the societies themselves to deal with, but the Government proposes to amend the Friendly Societies Act in order to allow the societies in New Zealand the same measure' of freedom in dealing with these allowances as is granted by the British Act.