EFFECTS OF THE WAR QUESTIONS DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue LXXXVIII, 12 September 1914, Page 4

EFFECTS OF THE WAR QUESTIONS DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT

COST OF FOODSTUFFS. RESOLVE TO PREVENT EXPLOITATION. i > The usual fusillade of questions relating to New Zealand and the war waa directed on to the Prime Minister when the House of Representatives met last night. WORK ON THE TROOPSHIPS. Replying to Mr. Glover, Mr. Massey said the arrangement as to the fitting up of the troopships was in the hands of the Imperial authorities. As far as the Government was concerned, there had not been the slightest attempt to discriminate between the four centres in this respect. There was, he added, not the slightest foundation for the suggestion that the- Government was discharging men from almost all the Departments employing skilled labour. The Government was doing the best it could to keep the people employed. He believed'he would be able to demonstrate ( thafc within the next few day». SUPPLY OF HORSES. Mr. H. Campbell asked whether, in view of the great number of horses suitable for artillery and remounts that wero being . sent out of tho Dominion, ho would consider the, taking of means to encourage the breeding of such horses, either on a Government stud faiTn or by direct subsidy to farmeis. The Prime Minister said the Government was impressed with the necessity of encouraging farmers to breed horses suitable for remounts and artillery purposes ; the Law Draughtsman was drafting a Bill on the subject, and it would be brought down in a few days. He felt certain that it would bo put on to the Statutebook this session, and that it would give satisfaction to the majority of the people concerned. COST OF FOODSTUFFS. The Hon. D. Buddo asked when tho Commission appointed to enquire into the cost of foodstuffs would present its report. Lately the prices of foodstuffs had risen considerably, notwithstanding the fact that New Zealand cannot possibly be yet affected by the war. Mr. Massey said he had arranged for the Commission to present interim reports, as soon as it was able to do so. The Commission was now in the South Island, and it could not be many days before the report would come in. lie was not, however, surprised at there being an increase in the price of wheat, and a consequent increase in the price of flour. The Government would, he added, take action consistently with the report of the Commission. Unfortunately, there was a scarcity of wheat in New_ Zealand. He had foreseeu tho scarcity for some time, , and had endeavoured to provide against 'it. He placed an order in Sydney for a quarter of a million bushels of wheat, at what ho thought was an exceedingly good pi ice but he couldn't get it. He obtained a 'fairly large quantity, but nothing like a. quarter of a million bushels. Mr. G. W. Russell; Did you try Victoria, 7 Mr. Massey: "No, 1* tried Sydney. I knew perfectly well that if I couldn't get it in Sydney I couldn't get it in | victoria. The wheat that came is, 1 believe, spring wheat, and men of experience in wheat-growing told me that such wheat was very little use the first yccir." Otherwise he would have placed iL at the disposal of the farmers. As to sugar, he taw in The Post that it had only gone back to the June price, and therefore it could not be regarded as abnormal. However, the matter was going before the Commission. He could only assure- tho House and the public that if any attempt to exploit the public was made the persons responsible would only have themselves to blame if any penalty was imposed 'upon them. In answer to Mr. Wilford, the Prime Minister said the Commission would enquire into the cost of drugs, and he added that the Government would take steps to ensuie that there is n sufficient supply of chlvroforni in the Dominiou.

PROVISION FOR UNEMPLOYED. In reply to other questions the Minister of Public Works said he saw his way to deal with unemployment in the country, but he could not see his way to provide for skilled trades. Mr. Payne: Can you place any navvies? Tho Minister: Hundreds of them. Mi 1 . Payne : Why don't you do it? Hon. W. Fraser: I have clone it. The other day, he said, he heard that there were 200 or 300 men at Christchurch wanting employment, but on enquiry tho agent of the Labour Department was only able to place twenty-two who were willing to leave the city. Just afterwards somebody wrote to him saying that there were daily meetings of 300 unemployed, yet only twenty-two would go out to the camps.