LOBBY GOSSIP

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2217, 1 August 1914, Page 6

LOBBY GOSSIP

AND POINTS FROM DEBATES

DAILY SUMMARY

Some hours were wasted in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon in discussing reports upon, petitions and other ■ matters of minor importance, but the day, nevertheless, witnessed a number of; highly-interesting events. The afternoon, however, was expended unprofitably. .•'■ Soveral local Bills were introduced, and read a first time, and so also was: the Legislative Council Reform • Bill, ivhich stands in the name of Mr. ltuseell. That member stated that theBill proposed that members' of the ■ Second Chamber should be elected —two from each group of four electorates for cho Lower House. . .-.'■.■

Nearly two hours were spent in discussing the report of the A to L Petitions Committee upon the petition of Mr. W. T. Jennings for compensation on account of expenses, legal and otherwise, incurred by him in contesting his removal from i the Waitara Harbour Board, on the ground that, his appointment as a Government nominee in 1911 was illegal. .The- Committee made no recommendation, ■ a finding that was criticised by a number of Opposition members and one or two on the Government side of the House. It was eventually agreed to refer the petition back to the Committee, but the Minister of Marine (Mr. Fisher) made it very plain that in his opinion Mr. , Jennings had absolutely, no claim against the State. ' ' : . ' . ' •■• "

Other Committee reports upon petitions occupied the House until 6.30 p.m". There was a dramatic scene when the sitting was .resumed at 7.30. Answering a question by Mr. , G. M. Thomson regarding the European situation, the Prime Minister stated that information so far. received indicated that there was no cause for serious alarm, but that if. the need should arise the Now Zealand Government would offer England the services of a volunteer expeditionary force. . • ■'■.'.• .

Members and spectators,roße by one accord, as the . Prime' Minister concluded his statement,,.and*: sang the National Anthem. '"• i ".'■' .' '. . ,

Sir Joseph Ward-, in a brief speech, said ihat the Opposition would heartily co-operate with the Government in any action that might be necessary. Afterwards, the Prime Minister replied in the debate upon the presentation of the reports of the Lands and Suryey.Department. ; Doing so, he cited facts and figures which showed that, apart from tho approaching, exhaustion of Crown lands, settlement operations are' making rapid strides, under the Reform Administration. • ' . ' ■ At 8.20 p.nh'the Committee debate upon tho Licensing Bill was resumed. Several amendments relating to the 55 per cent, majority clause, which was struck out on Tuesday night,, were quickly jettisoned,' but hours were spent in discussing a series of 5 -amendments moved by Mr. W. H. D. Bell, which aimed at restoring licenses to hotels which had lost.them by being included in No-License districts. An interpretation clause introducing the other amendments was carried on a ; division.by 34. votes to 27, but another clause, which aimed at making the amendment retrospective was rejected by 38 Votes to 23. ■Mα Bell then moved to strike out the new clause which had been approved, and followed this up by substituting for his previous proposals a clause simply providing that, where possible, the Representation Commissioners should not licensed .premises^in.,a Ivo-Li-roense. district. 1. This was agreed .to on tlie:voices>. -. "' ;• ; , : ,'.. ■ t'u... - At one stage in the debate Mr. Isitfc declared that , if all the members, in the. House had carried out their, pledges there would have been a clear majority of ten votes in favour of the proposal to reduce' the National Prohibition, majority to 55 per cent. ~'. . ; •>■.. ,

■ A. number of minor, amendments were dealt with as midnifiht approached. ' i •The Legislative, Council read several Bills a'second time, pro. forma, yesterday; and referred them : to' committees. The Council thenadjoumed till Wednesday next-. .. .■.•■«' •.''■'.. , '-, .' THE BUDCET. "Are'we to have the Financial Statement next Tuesday?" asked Sir JosephWard of the Prime Minister, at the' 'rising of the House last'night. ~ '. Mr. Massey: No. You wilT get it some time next week, but I am unable to say'yet on what day. ■'

SIR JOSEPH WARD IS ANXIOUS. Sir Joseph 'Ward has" from the very first appearance of the Defamation Bill 'declared his implacable.hostility.-'to it: Last night he again expressed his anx* ety to keep the Bill from becoming law. The House was just going into Committee on the Licensing Bill, and .thsrce places down on the Order Paper was the Defamation Bill.

Sir Joseph Ward asked , the Prime Minister whether he intended to go beyond the" Licensing Bill that' evening; "because," he said,."there is a Bill'a little lower down oh the Order Paper which I am determined to do , all in, my power to prevent going on the Statute Book. Unless I got an assuranco from the Prime Minister that it will not be dealt with to-night, I intend So taiu on every clause of this Bill as often as lam allowed." . .'■.;' -....-

An Hon. Member: Not on the Liconsing Bill? .-■■.■■'. -, ~ ■•■•■' ■'; - Sir Joseph Ward: Licensing Bill "or no -'/Licensing Bill, I am. going to talk on, it.' Then Sir Joseph , Ward remembered an understanding he had como to with Mr. Massey,that' .the Defamation Bill would not come on that evening, and..,was .satisfied. '• ... Mr.: Massey said he had no intention of taking the Defamation Bill'that evening, but he' advised, the Leader, of the Opposition not /to threaten.'.: . Sir Joseph Ward: I can assure the Righ)fc Honourable gentlemani that' I am not threatening. > I am perfectly sincere in my opposition;to that Bill, and I- intend to .do everything I can to prevent its going .on.to tho Statute Book.. .; / ".-' :':>;. . r .■} ' .■'-• THE MEAT TRUST. , Mr. ~G; Bi Sykes has; given .n'otico' to ask the lirimo Minister whether, the Government )s awaro, as has been'stated, that several meat trusts are already operating in New Zealand, and'whether they will take.such measures n-s inay bo expedient to protect tho producers of tlie Dominion "against a possible Home and Dominion combination which may be to their disadvantage?

. "UNDUE INFLUENCE." \ "Do you know that if every member of this House had maintained the pledge lie had giveii to his constituents to vote ,for the ,55-45 majority on the licensing issue, we had a majority of no less than ten?" said Mr. L. M. Isitt in the House* of Representatives last night.' Hβ alleged, further, that the reason for'the decline of that majority into a minority was the "unduo and unholy influence" oxorted by the liquor monopoly. Tho 'emissaries of the Trade, had been seon about the House precincts, thero had been any amount of lobbying, and he had heard that some members iad had a good deal of attention from these men. Ho stated that he proposed to refer to this '"undue influence"'at a later stage of th0.8i11...

"FUYTNC , . , IN POLITICS

'As part, of an -improved voting system of which ho-was speaking, Mr. J. H. Escott suggested in tho House on Thursday.that in some of the sparsely3ettlod oountry. diatriets vims Cfll

round, giving voting papers to theeleo tors, and collecting them after the people had recorded their votes. .• ;. "You would need a flying machine. ,, said, Mr. C. A. Wilkinson. Mr. Escott: Well, perhaps the day i< coming when we shall have flying machines lam very much obliged to the honourable member,for the suggestion. Mr. Fisher: Wo have a flying squadron already.

THE SINEWS OF WAR. , !.. ~/s%■ ? n >" said Dγ- A. K. Newman, / JH.i , ., m the House- on Thursday, "when ; elections are heavily fought/as a rule the parties find most of the money." •ii » t: " Tllat ma 7 true of your Dr. Newman: The "Flying Squadron" seemed to bo able to find plenty of / money to travel round the country oh I * 7?" rSi t; - was and is a member of the Flying Squadron," did not have any retort ready, and the' House laughed, •-.■■■• ■■■.-■ ,

Thecunmngest thing a puffic man can do is to go straight. He can never bo found out."—Mr; W.-'A. Veitch

Got him in the. Museum". said Mr. C. K. Wilson in the-House-last night referring to a brewer. wbjb/Cifc was said, had refunded £2500 to ■*.' licensee who had just paid this • sum 'for;; an hotel, when the lioense of .the hotel 'was taken •way.;,, ....;■ '_!■ •';':, .' ~-; ; _v;'-/v- :.;