THE DAY IN PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 146, 21 June 1923, Page 7

THE DAY IN PARLIAMENT

The five speakers who participated in the Address-iu-Replj debate in the House of Representatives yesterday—the Leader of ,the Opposition, the Minister of Education, the Leader of the Labour Party, and Messrs. Sidey and M'Leod— did not follow the example of brevity set the previous evening by the mover and seconder. Each went the full time, and was rung down by the Speaker. It, was indeed a wordy day, which emphasised that there were at least three points, of view to most of the questions discussed. If there were not three pointsof view, the various speakers made it' appear that such wag the case. The.coni,7," mg Imperial Conferences occupied a prominent part in the debate. The Leader of the Opposition did not explain very lucidly the Liberal Party's attitude to-1 wards the -proposal that Mr. Massey' should attend the Conferences, but he did not threaten to place any obstacles in the way. In fact, the Liberals would, facilitate the passage of Gevernment legislation, if the legislation was to their liking. There would be a protest against' the adjournment of the House if thW Government failed to.bring forward legislation to deal with urgent domestic problems. The Minister of Education eh"- 1 larged upon the importance of the Conferences, and asserted that they overshadowed domestic considerations. He spoke from an Imperial viewpoint, and incidentally announced that New Zealand's naval vote would be doubled this year, and the sum of £100,000 allotted as New Zealand's share towards the development of a new naval base at Singapore. It was also the Minister's privilege to announce, that the Government would make provisions in accordance with the recommendations made by the Royal Commission which inquired into the question of soldiers' pensions. The pension bill would be increased by between £50,000 and £60,000 a year. Tut? Minister of Finance was. prepared- to' shoulder the additional burden. Th< right thing would also be done for soldier settlors, whose holdings would be revalued, and whose overdue rents woulc be remitted. For once the Leader of th< Labour Party did not move a no-conii-dence amendment. Tho party is adopting the attitude that the Prime Minister should attend the Conference only if he takes the people of the country into his confidonce, and is prepared' to re-, ceive instructions as to the attitude he is^to adopt on important questions that will come up for consideration. The debate will be resumed to-day. In the Legislative Council three new Bills werf introduced—the first Government mea. sures to make their appearance this session. They were the Judicature Amendment Bill, dealing with the appointmeni ot temporary Judges; the Police-Offences'-Amendment Bill, containing some, important provisions; and the Acts Inter-, pretation Bill, a consolidating measure The Address-in-Reply debate was con; -' menced in the Council. An Imperialistic tone was adopted by the various speak erSj and the debate was not concluded^