HOW THE STATEMENT WAS RECEIVED

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2551, 27 August 1915, Page 5

HOW THE STATEMENT WAS RECEIVED

THE. SCENE IN THE HOUSE < DEBATE BEGINS ON TUESDAY ,■ The Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward (Ministe.? of Finance) rose in the House of • Representatives to read the. 1915 Budget at 7.35 p.m'., and he was greeted with applause. The space devoted to the strangers' gallery was thon crowded, and- the reading was listened to with marked interest. The members received, the Budget without comment or sign of approval'of any kind till the] section was reached in which the proposals to increase the revenue were dealt 'with, and then the House sat up while exclamations of anticipation went up from both sides. When Sir Joseph Ward said that it was recognised that those who. made oxtra profits through! the war should pay.a portion of those] profits .in taxation-,there was. consider-.' able applause, and the applause .was again general when lie said it was proposed to keep out' German goods." The idea of making the non-alcoholic section of the community contribute a portion of the increased revenue was met with laughter. , He finished reading at 9.20 p.m., and was again applauded. Five resolutions were passed to put into immediate operation the Customs increases in the Budget. ' 1 ; o Debate on Tuesday. - Sir Joseph Ward 6a id that it was proposed to commence the debate on tho, Financial Statement on Tuesdaynext at 7.30 p.m. Mr. T. M: WILFORD (Hutt) asked tho Finance Minister to postpone the debate till a later ; date. There were many important and vast' changes proposed, and Tuesday did) not give'them much time to consider the Budget. The. Right Hon. _W. F. MASSEY (Prime Minister) said that he acknowledged the House was anxious to help the Government in connection /with the business of. the session; .at the same time/the Minister of Finance was not asking anything unreasonable. The question asked by. the member for Hutt_ was the question always asked by the Leader of the Opposition. He had asked the. same: question many times. Members would have the opportunity to read the Budget during the week-end. . Mr. Wilford: I speak as an 1 ordinary member. • ' A scene, rare to Dunedin, .'created',a sensation in the heart of .the city, at noon on, Friday, (says the "Otago Daily Times"). It was-a dramatic and furious encounter, for the few moments it lasted.' A-young man stood at one.of the desks at the telegraph-'olficfi;coun-ter. Presently-two men - walked in quietly, and one said, pointing to' the|. man engaged apparently in preparing , a telegram, "This is ." Ono of tlie two advanced'and said, "Oh, are .y6u Mr. ? Well, I've been looking,for you, and now. you'll get it.'.' The man addressed reeled backward" -under the' sting of a well-aimed blow, which was followed by another. The assailant then' took him by- the neck and pushed and punched him out of tho door, to the astonishment of onlookers. The assaulted one'.was chased into the street, where he managed to escqpe in a crowd gathered round the board upon which, is posted the war news.. The-man who ..was assaulted was one of threo.recent arrivals from Christchurch, who, it is alleged, have been behaving in a • reprehensible manner with young .. girls. They are stylishly dressed, and stand ill wait for -their victims at the Post Office and at corners -where tho public' congregate. They bear by no"means the best of reputations, and one' of their escapades came to the knowledge of'a man whoso instincts led him to adopt the means described above of giving the offender a lesson. It ivas .a fulfilment of a promise made to give the. fellow a thrashing if lie mot him. It is not likely that Court , proceedings will be taken, as it is understood that the young fellows are by .ino'means anxious to bring about a close acquaintance with' tho ponce, either as comniainant-s or in „aa.<{ other, panscitg-..