NO NEWS ABOUT GERMANY'S SURRENDER

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 37, 7 November 1918, Page 4

NO NEWS ABOUT GERMANY'S SURRENDER

—. *- • EUSIOUBS MENTIONED IN PARLIAMENT. ' Kumours that have in circulation regarding tho capitulation of Germany were mentioned in tho House of Representatives yesterday afternoon by Sir John Findlay (Hawke's Bay), who asked if the Prime. Minister would'give, an assurance that any news received would be made public immediately. It hafi been stated that morning, even.in high ' places, that' tho Government had received news of a most important-na-ture, and that itwas being withheld temporarily for some reaeon. Thi3 Prime-Minister , : I can assure members, and through them the people of New Zealand, that when news of Germans's capitulation comes to hand it will''be published at the earliest possible ' moment. Not a word on the 6ubI ject has come through yet. So many j people rang up my office that I got into , I touch with Government House, and the ' Governor-General told me that nothing had «!>me to him, and that when anything tame it would be sent on to me as quiekly as possible. Mr. V. Eeed (Bay of Islands) suggest- ' ed thac the Prime Minister should fix a period for which 'the Houee would adjourn after the receipt of the news of Germany's surrender, in order that members mitfht take part in the peace cele- ' bratione in thoir own districts. Mr. Mfcssey replied that the proposal ; would he .taken into consideration by. : the Govwoinient. He quite understood 1 that members would rather celebrate peace in .their own districts than in ■ Wellington. Mr. D. Eiuick (Palmerston North) said . he would Jiie to' go a bit further, and ■ suggest that the House Should adjourn ' until the end of the year. Members were i doin» no good in Wellington at the pre- ' sent time. , "We are adjourning from , day to day- and making fools of our- ; selves," said 1 Mr. Bnick. If they adjourned -until after Christmas they would come hack Mefreshed.

Tho Prime Mjnister said he could not give- a favourable roply to this suggestion. Ho hoped that before Christmas came the Houso would have done a large amount of very useful legislative work. Answering n» question jiut by Mr. Sykos (Mesteriim), the Prnno Minister said it had txseii the intention of the Government tlfot as many Civil Servants ae possiblp should be released for the remainder of the day after the news of Austria's capitulation canio to hand. The Government's wish would bo the same after the German surrender. It was not possible. for all Civil Servants to bo released. The telegraph officors and tho railwayman, for example, could not be ! given a frenoral holiday. But this suggestion hart! been that employees should be,released wherever possible.