PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1197, 4 August 1911, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

THE COUNCIL. .ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE. IMPERIAL. MATTERS. THE NEW DEFENCE SCHEME. : ■ '.' ' . " . / The Legislative Council met at 2.30 yestor Jay afternoon, when the adjourned debate on the Address-in-Reply was TβBumed. ■The Hon. R. A.-LOUGHNAN (Wellington) referred at some length to tho recent -Imperial Conference. Ho had no regrets, as a previous speaker had, that preference had not been mentioned at the Conference. Mr. Loughuan said he could not see how any of tho British Dominions could remain neutral in tho event of "war. If any of tho Dominions did , declare itself neutral, what nation would . respect such neutrality, and und*:r what law of nations would it bo.respected? A suggestion had been made that all a self- . governing Dominion had to do if it desired to s.ecuro its independence was to pass a Bill, and it to the lung,, who "would say "Very woii," and let it go. Ho had noyor heard a more preposterous doctrine" propounded. They were bound by tho Oath of Allegiance, and could not consider such a Bill.. He regretted that the Conference had not advocated Stato own- . ership of wireless telegraphy and the cables, and that the Advisory Council proposal had been defeated. Tho conference, however, had done a great deal "of good, and had got through a great amount of-'valuable and substantial work. Referring-to tho.water power scheme, Mr. Loughnan said it, had been said in tho past that there was danger from loss of power .over the long distauco transmissions ' He was' glad !to sec that the expert who' had arrived recently, had-said that up to 500 miles there need bo no fear, • and that our scheme was thus sale. The water laws of the country, were not in such a state, in his opinion, ns to give irrigation,a chance. Ho thought a commission of inquiry should go into'this ,' ,m,attbr, and 'report to Pnrliameiit. Mr. ; Loughnan regretted that no mention had . : been made in the Speech of afforestation, .which ho considered wns a most important matter. Tho military work had been exceptionally well done. (Hear, hear.) It ,waa remarkable tho success which had attended tho labour of the authorities,, but hp could not understand the attitude adopted-by objectors to military training. Thoso who objected to prepare for tho work of defence must, Ire believed, be under n misconception as to'tho'position. It was no good saying that there was-no lighting, because there-might ,bo fighfciug, and unless ivo .were prepared we could not defend ourselves. He wns not surprised to see that there .was necessity for changes in the Labour laws.- ho believed, gone a ; little too' fa9t in ' this direction at first. . ' , Mr. Wigram's Views, .. ■ The Hon. H. F. WIGRAM (Canterbury), referring to Imperial matters, said ho considered Great Britain had treated her dependencies as no other- , country in .the world would have done. To his mind she had been'over-indulgent, and'wb owed her every gratitude'. It .was clear that : we could not stand alone in'.defence, and must depend on the Old Land'and the question was how. best to do it. ..The oversea Dominions'were growing rapidly, i and-it. was only"a'ietv years .before they. '•'would exceod the population .of Great Britain'.' Referring to the British Parliament, lie thoughf the House of Commons was in a more critical position than the' ■• House of-Lords. It was waterlogged. ,-In its' present , form it was moribund, and some means of devolution was required to relievo -.the pressure in the British House of-Commons. Personally, hn thought'it Would be by a surrender of local Government to Ireland and Scotland, and, pro- ■ bably, .the establishment .of a central body to "deal , 'with b% Imperial gnostions. He differed from Mr. Kigg, who said that preferential trade was a matter of shops ■ and shopkeepers. Personally, bo thought it one'of tho most important questions of Umpire. To his'mjnd we should help the Old Country, and if she required propping up we should assist, as in so doing wo were, propping ourselves.'- He belioved that -we should confino our trade, far as possible, within the Empire. The debate was ndioumed on tho motion of the Hon. John Ban , , and the Council rose at-< 4 p.m.