PARTY POLITICS

Evening Star, Issue 15540, 9 July 1914, Page 1

PARTY POLITICS

[Fkom Cur Fabliamentakt Reporter.] WELLINGTON, July 9. "THE DOMINIE OF DUNEDIN."

A politician is on the road to prominence when he earns a nickname, a<nd the fact that Mr G. M. Thomson, member for Dunedin North, who resumed the profit-less Noebnfidence debate in the Hoase yesterday afternoon, has been dubbed "the dominie of Diwiedin " may hold proof of ability to teach the Opposition something about politics. He is no- an arresting speaker, but his directness of attack on the Opposition and the bluntuess of his opinions, to say nothing of his quiet jibes at certain Liberals for their lack of knowledge of particular matter?, secured for him an at- i tentive audience, soma appreciation, and a little of that chaffing which passes in Uie vernacular as "barracking." AN UNSTABLE PARTY.

Let : t be said as pleasant conrmem. that the "dominie" appealed to the House for a start in order to secure discipline in the Opposition school, fie told them how he had studied their political exercises (so to speak), and had found them hopelessly lading in constructive criticism. _ Only one bond of ur,ie.n held the- class together—a desire to oust the Government. It. was nothing more than "a case of "Codlin's vour friend, not Short." What should happen if the present stable Government were to be withdrawn v The Government that followed would fall into chaos. The Leader of the Opposition had been the first Liberal to traduce the. first principle of Liberalism by introducing into this country the principle of hereditary titles. He enumerated five different classes in the Opposition school, and wanted to know what thess worrying elements were going to do in the direction of advancing the interests of the country. Ho was quite certain that if they were let loose there would he chaos. (Hear*, herr.) After making several classical quotations, which irritated leading members of the Opposition, Mr Thomson dropped the Liberal party out of hisview. and proceeded to discuss the question of tho Department of Agriculture, which had grown too laTge and had got out of control. The- question of agriculture from a financial point of view was one of the most important in the Dominion. He advocated the appointment of a highly-qualified agricultural expert as Director of Agriculture to control the department, which at present was in the hands of secretaries.

THE COST OF LIVING. Dealing with the cost of_ living, Mr Thomson' said that no combines were so err-el as combines of working people against each other. If people would do their own marketing they would very much reduce the cost "of living. A Gounder home life was wanted if there was to he much reduction. A Government oouM do very little to affect the main sources of, the rise. Mr Thomson quoted the case of France, where the cost of living had risen far less than in any other country. The «]«aker contended that any increase in the wages and reduction in the hours of work in certain t\-ades would endanger those trades. Another point made was that the Government should endeavor by their immigration rolicv to attract, families of immigrants. The establishment of family life on sound foundations would ho a counterbalance to the preset shifting of labor. Go-operation on some good system would help very materially to reduce the cost of living. STATE FORESTRY.

The subject of aftorestatio/i was also interestingly treated bv Mr Thomson. Ke said that'll© was frankly disappointed with the Forestry Commission's report-. Ho | thought there should be a Forestry Department, under a specially-qualified expert. He did not thi'ik the Prime Minister had appointed properly-qualified men on the Commission.* The aftorestation of river sources was exceptionally important. Ho instanced the rase of the rivers of Central Otacro and the Canterbury Plains. The watersheds properly covered with timber would conserve the water and prevent floods, which came down with far more rapidity nowadays than 30 years ago. The* speaker protested against, the reduction of the.Waipori forest reserves. Kauri bush and native bush should be preserved whenever it coild be done. The State .should not part with its forest reserves without most serious consideration. Present methods were absolutely unsatisfactory. The Government should go in for method* of utilising timber for pulping and papermaking purposes. In the Catlins district the most prevalent timber could not be used for building purposes. Then there was the method 'of making three-ply timber, which was most valuable for all kind* : of internal works The two State fores- I tries were in the charge of excellent and , most capable men. If mistakes had been made the fault, had not been theirs, but was due to tho=e who controlled them. "Mistakes that had been committed at the nurseries, particularly in regard to the selection of trees, would jtstifv them in appointing a. ihovoinrhiy competent man to place in charge. Over j six million trees ha,l been planted that j should not have !ieen given room, and if j thi* cost of purchase and the setting were | estimated at. Id a tree this meant a loss to ] the State of X.27.0C0. In addition, there, j was the cost of thi p o miseries that had j been established and subsequently aban- I doned heenvse of unsuitable situations, j

The Timber Commission had advised till* compilation in the Dominion of a book on forestry. Bnt who could they appoint? In New Zealand there was not a "hurt* qualified man.—Mr G. W. Bnaaell: Yes, on*. (Laughter.)—Mr Thomson said the Commission suggested that the Dairy Department should take np thi* question. He did not know what dairying had to do with afforcstry.—A MembexTYon get miQa out of gum trees.—Mr Thomsons Hie Linds Department could not take the miter up bece,j.se it had aot a man, «- oept the very able gentleman in charge of scenery preservation, who knew anything about the subject. Thev wanted a" thoroughly competent scientist brought from Home, evea if they had to pay him a large salary. The whole subject was of extreme importance. SOUTHLAND'S ME, THOMSON; Mr J. 0. Thomson said thai the last) speaker had referred to the absence of constructive criticism in the speeches of the Oppositionists, yet the legislation of the country was chieflv the work of the present Opposition, and" the party to which Mr G. M. Thomson belonged had done their best to oppose it. It was therefore only to be supposed that a party follower who adopted euch an inconsistent course could produce nothing better in the way of criticism, or the party produce anything better than the Governor's Speed*. Few Zealand's jrroeperity wae due to her land settlement and cheap money schemes, and both of these Mr MasEey had opposed. Jhe member for Wallace concluded with ii strong attack on the Government for their Electoral Policy, Naval Policy, and Land Policy.

JUST IN TIME. There was an interval before any other speaker rose. No member rose on tba Ministerial side, and the Speaker had cot through the formal statement of tie motion and the amendment, and was putting tits amendment—"All those in favor say ' Aye'"—when at the last moment tha member for Invereargill (Mr Hanan) got ■up with a smile. The time was 4.40 p.m.

BREAKERS OF PLEDGES. Mr Hanan, after a brief survey of tha various points already advanced by previous speakers, contended that tha Government had not kept their pladgw in regard to Electoral Eeforai. No party lad a light to use the paxUamentary machine for purely party advantages. The Government's proposals to group the large towns and leave the country and small towns were simply part of a scheme of gewymandering city seats to secure tie retain of their own candidates. It was a violation of everything that made for etaugh*, democratic government. Tien, tie Advances Departments were being need in & way which was not nearly as beneficial as they should be. It -was the duty of tie Government to provide money for the small man.-—Hon, Mr Allen: That is what we are doing.—Mr Hanan : No, you aw greasing the fat pig. All the prevaricatkuM Will not shield the Government from Urn position that they have been starving the Advances to Settlers Department, and keeping back the money that should be available for public works, and should be rsed for development purposes. —Hob. Mr Allen: So ifc is. —Ml" Hanan contended that ia admitting that certain statement* in the prospectus issued by the Govern* ment for the London money lenders w«a not correct the Minister of Finance had practically admitted that the Government had obtained money for the country und* fain* pretences. The tpeaker went on to uuoie a Government newspaper on tf» upedifyina spectacle of Minister* +<rarfwj the <ountrv.* the reference beity !■-> <&« 1 ;:t*i Government when they wej» itt 1-owe-r, but it referred equally well to the I detent Ministry. Whcro was all the promised disclosure?. It was the bounden . duty of the journal in question to apologise; for what it had said prior to the kci elpctions.

NO LIBERAL CORRUPTION. If the Government 'had discovered any corruption, any Tammanyism, they would have proclaimed it from the housetop*. The Government were at the penitent fooa of the Liberal party, baring to confess ihaM thev would not repeal legislation placed on the Statute Book by tie liberal party. The Government had not brought in any legislation to deal with the question of unemployment and sickness. Mr Han*n read several items from the Reform party's manifesto in regard to reduction of taxation and borrowinc What items had been struck out of the Public Works Estimates by the present Government ? Mr Hanaa went on to attack the Public Service Commissioners' system. He would like to geA the opinion "of Australia as to -whether political influence had been abolished under the CVmimissiotjer system. The allegations made on the part of the Liberal part-v of stuffing the Civil Service _ Were utterly unfounded. There, was a feeling m the service that if members went before the Appeal Board they would bo marked. At this stage the dinner adjournment! was taken.

DRAWING TO A CLOSE. It became increasingly clear that th* end of the No-confidence debate was near a collapse. The Government _ refrained from accepting the Opposition's invitation* to put up a Minister to reply to thai* criticisms, and when Mr Anderson rose to reply to hie Southland friend, Mr Ba-naa, it was generally thought that the end am a tedious business was at hand. The member for Mataura mentioned, among other opinions, that, he questioned whether the Opposition, who talked so much abonfc Proportional Representation, would really support it. Asked as to his own views on the subject, be said that he was tired of party politics, which was inefficient ai»s wasteful. He was sure that the people expected Parliament to do more serious work than to have party conflicts, which did n>A effect, progress. He was in favor of the House being elected on a system of Proportional Kepresentation, and he would favor the election of a Ministry on a simi. hir svstem. He wouJd vote for any scheme that Would do away with party strife and }]ir consequent waste of time. 'the. Opposition did not continue the da* hate on the No-corrfidence amendment, baf i.ailed for a. division, which resulted (a< ! in another column) in a Govern* nn-n: win by five rote*—44 for the amend* riT.'nt. and 39 against. ADDEESS-IN-REPLY. The debate on the Addresain-iisply to His Excellency's speech was resumed by Mr J. Vigor Brown (Liberal member for Napier) and Mr Wilkinson (Beform member for Egniont). At 11.20 p.m. its adjournment till this afternoon was carried on the motion of Mr M*Cbmba.