THE HOUSE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2834, 27 July 1916, Page 7

THE HOUSE

The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. '.'■""- ■"■:,- ' The Orchard Tax: Bill was introduced, by Governor's Message, and read a first ™he Hon.,W. D. S. 3IACDQNALD said that the. Bill would the Government to collect a tax of Is. per aero on all orchards, and pay the tax ever to the Fruitgrowers' Federation. The Bill was asked for by the federafoon. IMPREST SUPPLY-BILL A RAILWAYS DEBATE , ; NEED FOR ECONOMIES An Imprest Supply Bill , was introduced by Governor's Message. There had: been a desultory debate on railways when the annual Railways ment was presented in the afternoon, and this was continued on Imprest SupP fir. H. G. ELL (Christchurch South) complained that the Railways , Statement had been brought down during the afternoon, and that, as usual, members had not had a proper opportunity of discussing it. He!.said' that' difficulties' had been placed.: in the' way of .certain members desiring to go to the front, and they had not been, assured that they would get their , positions on their re- ■ turn. He thought - all railway men going to fight for their country should be guaranteed work on their return. The Policy of Thrift. The Hon. W. H. BERRIES (Ministor ■of Railways), replying.to ,vnrious criticisms of the Railway Department, said that he was quite prepared, as Minister of Railways,; ; to give a day for the discussion of. tno report,;: nately this year there wis"' a' .'pressure, for time; The ■'• Railway • Estimates this year had been fully;discussed, and members really had uo cause for complaint. Tho Department had carried a slightly less quantity of goods, but-owing to the new rates imposed more money had been made for their carriage. Even ■without this special increase of JE200.000 a record result would, have been - shown. The war' had made New,;-Zealanders travel more in. their own country. * The first-class passengers ; had not ; increased, but .the . passengers had largely increased.. Rotorua had had a. wonderful season, and he attributed this.to the faot that tho people who made money, not boing able to travel beyond the country, were travelling within the Dominion. It might bo thought that the estimated revenue for the new year was unduly low, but it was best to. be on the . conservative side in estimates. The imports ■were decreasing slightly, and, therefore, the return from their carriage would tend to be less. Tho poor season in the South Island had reduced the returns of the South Island main trunk last year; It had been suggested recently that the condition of the rolling stock was hot satisfactory.. An; exhaustive report from the Departments concerned would be prepared upon the condition of the rolling stock of the railways, and this he was sure would satisfy tho members that tho rolling stock was in,a thoroughly, fit condition. Some new plant had been promised from America, and the Department in this connection was in a very good condition to meet tho demands of their customers; This year only '.£300,000 had been provided for expenditure on additions to open lines, as against i' 500,000 last year. Ho was continually being urged to undertake new expenditure, much of which was quite unnecessary, but iu war time money was tight and economy would havo to be practised, even at the expense of works that might' be deemed necessary. A large loan could not be suggested except , ior war purposes. The consequence was that expenditure ou additions"to open lines had to be cut down with a stern hand. Thero would be less money spent on rolling stock, new railway stations, new goods sheds, and new sidings. With regard to largo schemes for station build, mgs at Wellington, Auckland,, and other places and railway deviations, these also would have to be postponed, although in tho opinion of the management they were very necessary. This cutting down of expenditure was compulsory unless the House authorised the Government to go in for ii big borrowing policy, and this'he did not think the House or the country desired. Auckland and Wellington had both fared badly; on account of the war. In Auckland the Department wab-'conV mitted at the outbreak of war to certain expensive 'undertakings. In Wellington the contemplated expenditure "had not even ■ been commenced. Some of the Auckland expenditure must: in consequence 'go on, not because Auckland needed it most, and not because he wished to help Auckland in preference to Wellington, but because the arrangements were entered into. But for the war, he would lie lighting to get a big loan for theso works 'that were so necessary for the proper carrying on of tho work of the Department. Ho shuddered to thiuk of what would be tho case at the end of live years, when tho congestion would assuredly be so embarrassing that tho Department would have great difficulty in doing its customers' work. Honourable members must admit th.it the Fit'unce Minis-rr. exp«lc-.l to get a good revenue in war-, time out ot the railways,, which, with the Customhouse, was his chief source of revenue. All economy which was not false «conomy must he exercised by the Minister of Railways. .

Cost -of Living. Mr. G. WI'I'TY (Riccarton) spoke of the cost of living, upbraiding tho National Government for failing 'to ileal with tho problem. Tho Government, instead of keeping down,the cost of living, was proposing to give an increase or bonus of half a million to the Civil Servants. Sfr. Russell: Are you opposed to the bonus to railway men ? Mr. Witty: You are afraid of. the railway men. You thought they would strike. They never had anv iiilentiovi r>f striking. They wouldn't strike on account of their superannuation. Mr. Russell: "Are you in favour' of the increase to railway men? Mr. Witty: I never vote against an increase,

I Mr. • Russell: Why should tho railway men get it and not tho other Civil Servants ? Mr. Witty said that the general public would not fare so well. Thoy could not get an increase. Ho acoused the Government of i'ailnro,iu respect to the fixing "of'-the prices for wheat and flour and bread. Tho price of bread could have been kept down if the Government had bought all the wheat last year for 6s. a bushel, and not spent a shilling on importing wheat. Presently thoro would bo an agitation to prevent tho importation of wheat. Ho beliovcd tho Government lost a quarter of a million on tho Canadian wheat purchase, apd about .£30,000 on tho purchase of Australian wheal,

Ho said that bo had heard this year than the report of. tho Public Sorvice Commissioner had been referred back, because it contained a paragraph stating that tho Ministers were interfering too much. ; Ho would not bo a bit surprised if this wcro a, fact. A voice: Absolute nonsense. ■Mr.-Witty: It may bo nonsense, but it is a rumour, and I give it for what it.is worth. Wheat Purchases. The Bight Hon. W. F. MASSEY said ho .had given to the House full particulars -lasc year about the purchase of wheat in Canada and Australia. He had given particulars of the losses made, and of the reasons lor the losses, Tho Government had made the losses, knowing perfectly well what they were doing. They did it to keep down tho price of iiour and bread in this country. Regarding tho purchase of a million bushels of wheat in Canada, the Government had bought that wheat because the Statistician advised that we were two million bushels short of our/requirements. In view of this information the Government had to make provision for the good of the people. The Government bought that wheat at 1 dollar 56 cents per bushel, and sold it for 1 dollar 85 cents,- paying little or nothing for storage. The honourable member could calculate himself what this amounted to on 900,000 bushels, because 100,000 of the purchase had. bcen.brouglit to NewZealand. Other Topics. Mr. W. T. JENNINGS (Taumarunui) alleged that land aggregation was rampant in certain districts. He challenged the Prime Minister to appoint a Commission to inquire into the" truth of his statomonts. He was prepared, ho said, to prove his allegations, and if he could not do so he was prepared to resign ms seat. Mr. P. C. WEBB (Grey) protested against no.new votes being placed upon the Public World Estimates. Certain works upon the West Coast were urgent, and should bo attended to. The Govern- j ment should also give attention to the Otira Tunnel, and to advancing the coal | and gold mining industries of the West Coast. The State should secure improved collieries for tho West Coast trade, and so avoid the delays occasioned by inadequate shipping facilities. ' • Mr.' C. E. STATHAM. (Dunedin Central) pleaded the cause of Major H'Clymont, 'whose resignation- had been demanded'by the Defence authorities, > and Sergt. Walker, who'had -been, severely sentenced, he alleged, for an offence with whioh he had never been charged. He asked that the Minister of Defence should make'full inquiries with a view to seeing that justico is done to the two men concerned. He expressed his lack of .confidence in tho justice meted out by military tribunals. He commended the Defence Minister and his Department, however, for the excellent work done by the Minister and his officers. . The Bill was passed at 11.50 p ; m., and the House rose..