COST OF LIVING

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 41, 17 August 1917, Page 10

COST OF LIVING

PERSONNEL OF COMMITTEE

IS LABOUR ADEQUATELY REPRESENTED?

COMPLAINTS OF MEMBERS.

The Select Committee set up by the Government to discuss the cost of living came under review in the, House of, Representatives just before the dinner adjournment yesterday. The, Prime Minis ter (Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey) asked tbs permission of members to add the names of the Hon. W. D. S. MacDbnald, and Messrs. H. G. Ell and X A.' Wright to ths committee. This, he said, meant a committee of fifteen. ' ,

Mr. P. C. Webb: You are not giving Labour a fair de#l. Mr. T. M. Wilford referred to the absence from the .committee of a legal man who could successfully conduct an examination of the witnesses.' who came before the committee. Further, he was of opinion, that- Labour should have further representation on the committee. With all due deference he thought that Mr. Hindmarsh, for instance, would be a better representative on the committee than Mr. Wright. , ■■'.'. Mr. Hindmarsh: I refuse to go on the committee. (Laughter.) Mr. Webb contended', that Mr. Wilford was right' in 'advocating that Labour should be better represented on the committee. He suggested that Mr. M'Combs should be Appointed, because there was no man in the House who. had paid more attention to the cost of living., . . , •',.'' : ' Mr. J. Anstey also emphasised the desirableness of appointing some member to the committee more directly; interested in Labour,. .... . Mr. A. H. 'Hindmarsh remarked it ■was evident that the Prime Minister did not -want to investigate the, matter as far as foodstuffs were concerned. He would not go on .the committee, and he strongly objected to any member imploring *hat he should be placed on at. "Surely. I have more dignity than that?" Mr. Hindmarsh remarked. He suggested that.there was.no necessity to set up these boards or commissions. Members knew all about these things, but what was wanted was action. The Prime Minister should show his pluck and do something. The Government was just hiding betind the commission. "It is nothing less than a botch on the whole of the business," said Mr." Hindmarsh. ■'< ...'■■ .«

Mr. L.'M. Isitt also' gave his support to the suggestion that Labour should be adequately represented on the committee., i . ; ■ ■ :

Mr. MasseyY One of them is Mr. Veitch.-;,. ' ■ „"' : ■ ' : .-'- .- ■ ."., •' .

Mr. Isitt: "Well, there's a certain amount of feeling aboirt that." He refereed to the announcement. that the Efficiency Board had resigned. \ Mr. Massey : "It lias not resigned;" Mr. Isitt : "Well, I know\it has been on the edge of resigning for a long time." The Government had irritated the board by ignoring its reports. The Speaker drew attention to the fact that the debate must be -confined to the personnel of the committee. Mr. Isitt .said he bowed to the Speaker's ruling^ but he v wanted the assurance that the committee* report would be acted upon. , Mr. C. Parata thought that in the interests of Labour .either Mr.| M'Combs or Mr. Payne should'be placed, on the committee. Labour also found a sup-, porter in Mr. J. Colvih,. who suggested that there would be no better representative than the member for Ohinemuri (Mr. H. Poland). '„ \ ' Replying, the' Prime Minister (Right Hon. W. F. Massey) mentioned ■• that Messrs. Veitch, Poole; Ell, Glover, and Hornsby were on the committee. Were they not Labour members? "I do a groat deal for Labour," Mr. Massey remarked. . . '

Mr. Webb : It would be a good thing for Labour if you did: a little bit for it now. , /..'.. ■..';■ Mr. Massey added that at. a meeting of the committee held that morning Mr. Statham had been appointed chairman of the committee, and, being a member of the legal profession, he coold conduct any cross-examination of witnesses .that was necessary. ■ . i • The members mentioned by the Prime Minister were added to the personnel of the committee. . ' \