PARTY POLITICS

Evening Star, Issue 15539, 8 July 1914, Page 5

PARTY POLITICS

COUNTRY MEMBER-S' VIEWS.

[From Our Parliamentary Reporter.]

WELLINGTON, July 8. No enthusiasm was displayed in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon over the continuance of the debate on tbe Address-in-Reply to His Excellency's Speech and Sir Joseph Ward’s noconfidence amendment. It was resumed with about as much spirit as is noticeable among navvies when resuming pick-and-shovel work on a Monday- morning. The only redeeming feature was the expression given to the political views of country representatives. EDUCATION REFORM. Though Air Escort, Reform member for Pahiatua. has no gripping turn of speech, he secured some attention with his reference to the need of Education Reform. He supported the proposal (which is not yet the Government's) to reduce the number of education boards. He also considered that centralisation of authority would bo most be.necial. He urged an increase in the salaries of teachers, even if the expenditure was J3200.C00. On other matters lie was clearly with the Government. THE NEGLECTED WEST COAST. Mr Tom Beddon made a special plea for his constituency, the West Coast, and wanted to know why the district, which promised great development in dairying, had not been given representation on the Board of Agriculture. He protested against the lack of interest taken in mining by the Minister and by the Government. There had been a sad falling off in the developing of the goldtields since the Government assumed office. OTAGO CENTRAL'S INTERESTS.

Mr R. Scott showed eagerness to advance the interests of Otago Central, and advocated an extension of railways and extensive afforestation in the blistered areas about Alexandra and the slopes overlooking the Manuherikia River. As regards railway construction, he favored despatch in building, once it was decided to ‘build a line. He took as a, notable example of laborious construction the Lawrcnce-Beaumont line, pointed out that it was' started in 1906, and emphasised ; the tact that- it was not- yet completed, i Certainly there was a tunnel 22 chains j long to 'go through, but that did not exj plant the tardiness. The people beyond Beaumont were still looking for a railway, I and were to-day no nearer their main market than they were six years ago. : Then there was the uncertainty as to what | was going to be done in the future as re- ; cards’ extension of the line to Roxburgh, j When the first sod was turned the late Mr I S-ddon told the settlers to go home and I plant trees, for the line was assured; but they were still without a railway. They j had still 50 miles ol road to traverse bo- ; tween Roxburgh and Beaumont. He i hoped that before the end of the session they would have the assurance of tho Government that the line would be pushed on—in another section, at any rate—beyond Beaumont. (Mr Sidey : " Hear, hear.”) Mr Scott went on to speak of the increase in fruit production and the scope for settlement. ! —Need of Afforestation.— I The member for Otago Central went on to urge the Government to carry out an extensive scheme of afforestation in Central Otago. There were thousands of acres of land that had only a feeding value of Id per acre, but which could support trees in the gullies. He had personally urged the Prime Minister when in the South to reserve 10,000 acres in Central Otago lor afforestation. REFORM’S NAVAL POLICY. The best part of Air Isitfs. speech was his satirical reference to the Government’s Naval Policy. ®e fntroduced his subject by saying that no milder men than tho mover and seconder of the Address-in-Reply ever scuttled a ship, but after them came' a black masquerader into the ring, with black eyes and knitted brow, and stole upon Joseph and his brethren. (Laughter.) And he now said, with "aweinspiring' laugh " : "1 am sorry to say that the Right Hon. sir Joseph Ward is a Little New Zealander." [Laughter.! Air Isitt wanted to know if the people were going to be impressed with a statement of that kind? It was tho bluff behind which the Alinister bad abjectly crawled down. He asked if, on this matter. tho Government wanted to duplicate the Conservative party in the Old Land. Any suggestion o* party feeling being introduced into tho Navy Question had been deprecated, but if they were going to spend large sums of money upon what, in view of the present-day circumstances and all surrounding conditions, would prove worse than useless ships for all practical purposes, -and if the Government ’.sere going to persist in the course, the Naval Question was nut only going to be a- party question, but the- one great line of cleavage between the privileged few and the toiling many. What about the fact that they had virtually duplicated the Australian Naval Act, and the employment- of the Naval Expert. If they would get at the pigeon-holes they would probably find that that Naval Exjiert was originally en gaged, not for training men for the Philomel, but for a bigger naval system, and they were going to spend £50,000 on training 60 men on the I’hilonte!, at a- cost of £2,000 per man per year; and that was the deed of a Government who complained about their predecessors’ scatter-cash proclivities. Knelt man also was told that he would have a career before him in the British Navy. If men were sent Home with a bums of £SO, they would leant mure at Home at a much less cost- in the Navy than they would here. As to the Eastern .menace, Japan was financially unable- to contemplate an invasion on us, mid anyone who was an authority upon China's affairs knew ehe intended no descent upon us, as was ridiculously stated ; and if there were a European combination against the Empire- Air Balfour himself had sa?d the straggle would be in Home waters. Therefore our contribution to the Imperial Defence should be as a subsidy to the Hume fleet. At Milton the Hon. Jas. Allen had criticised the payment of an annual subsidy to tho British Navy without New Zealand having the right of a voice in Empire affairs, and in passing he would say that too much had been made of the foil that the British Government- had not sent us out the ships promised. If we wore really patriotic and had faith in tho Alother Land we would feel that, whatever the Agreement was. if such conditions had arisen that rendered it impossible to afford such ships in our waters, we. should willingly abide by the decision, for the safety of the Empire. (Hear, hear.) Air Isitt then caused laughter by his references to the urgent necessity for the Premier from

" Pnkefeohe City ” and tho Minister of Defence. the Hon. "Admiral for Milton,” being consulted upon matters concerning the safety of the Empire. The Empire could not possibly go along if the Empire consulted the Prime Alinister for New Zealand. Was there ever greater evidence of a little New ZaJand spirit than this! Air Isitt also asserted that some of the Cabinet and the members of the Government party privately were against the naval proposals of the Government, and yet publicly they were apologising and trying to thrust the scheme upon the country. He asked the House if it was not a fact that six montlis ago the Government had fully intended to establish a local Navy? A TEDIOUS TIME. Mr T. W. Rhodes (Thames) said, among other things, that the attack made upon him last session by the Opposition in connection with the clause on the Land Bill dealing with the Hauraki mining lands had been a good advertisement for them, which would be reflected at the General Election—a statement that was not token seriously, although the fact that he was put up in reply to Air Isitt was appreciated by some sections of the House. After the supper adjournment the debate was kept going without an enlivening spirit by Mr Webb (Grey), who dealt at length with the Government's failure to give lotbor a square deal, and by Mr Bell (Wellington Suburbs) and Air Ell (Christchurch South). Throughout the whole debate the standard of argument was less than medi- [ ocre. It is true that Mr Isitt was vivai eious. but his criticism tm not very L deadly.

Mr G. AI. Thomson moved the adjournment of the debate, and the House rose at 25 minutes past midnight.