REPATRIATION

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 138, 7 December 1918, Page 4

REPATRIATION

A HALT ON THE BILL

PROPOSED BOARD BLOCKED

Members of "the House oi Eepresentatives were not in a mood to make undue taste when ihefiepatriation Bill got into Committee yesterday. Liberal, Reform, and Labour members condemned tiio proposed four-headed Ministerial board. They emphatically expressed a preference for ono responsible head. They also urged that the Government should grant the request of the Eeturned Soldiers' Association for retrospective allowances for the early married volunteers. This general discussion took place on the first clause.

The Prime Minister aaid that in the ordinary course he would have been head o£ the Repatriation Department, bat he was about to leave the country, for a time. He spoke officially in expressing a hope that members of both branches of the Legislature would help in the repatriation work. He suggested that members could be chairmen of district organisations. Mr. W- Bownie Stewart (Dunedin West) said he thought that the Government would have understood from the discussion the other night that members wished to have one Minister, not four Ministers, as head of the Repatriation Department. It was no reflection on the various Ministers that the House should ask for one Minister who would have sole responsibility.

Mi". Forbes (Hurunui) said tjiat the haeis of tko Australian Act wag wider than the New Zealand doveniinent's proposals. He urged that the extension of the provisions in regard to opportunities of land' settlement should apply to all men who had been called up, and ■should not bo limited to ths men iyho wore in camp on 12th. Nuwnber. Mr. Wright (Weiim^tott Suburbs) said the sysfceßi or multiple control was vickraa Eoferring to the early married '."■elunteers, ho remarked that the State had saved money, by comparison with the scales which had been granted later, and he urged that this amount should be refunded. He believed that the country would cheerfully pay any extra taxation necessary for this purpose.

Mr. Holland (Grey) said thai Parlia ment was practically asked to give, unlimited powers to the proposed Ministerial Repatriation Board.

Similar criticism went on till the Prime Ministerlostpatier.ee (at 9 o'clock). He said that the discussion looked liko an organisod obstruction. If New Zealand was not represented at the Peace Conference the responsibility would be on the House.

"The opposition comes from your own side," interjected a member, -who made the point that the Government could get itself out of a difficulty by acceding to the wish of the House.

"If the House does not like the board, let it strike it out. Knock it out, and be done with it," said the Prime Minister. As for the retrospective allowances, the Minister of Defence had already said that tlie matter would bo referred to Cabinet.

A member: He said' it only five minutes ago. Mr. Massey replied that- Sir James Allen had given this assurance to the U.S.A. deputation in the morning. Mr. Poland: W« are not the deputation. I -was not there.

Mr.' Mftssey declared that the Government was -eager to be generous"as well as just to the soldiers, but the Government had its responsibilities. No other •ps.rt of the Empire had dove moro than Now Zealand for soldiers. Some members who hnd been most conspicuous in criticising: the Government had been the feast helpful in the winning of the war. The chairman of the proposed Ministerial Board would be practically the responsible head.

At 9.30 p.m. the Prime Minister moved to report progress, and this was don-e eventually. It was practically a reporting of "no progress."