ADDRESS IN REPLY

Grey River Argus, 1 July 1914, Page 3

ADDRESS IN REPLY

DEBATE IN THE COUNCII

'Per United {'r«ss \ssuciatiun.)

WELLINGTON, June 30. In the Legislative Council this after noon ilon. J. Barr .moved the Arl-drcss-in-Reply. He claimed to represent his own personal) opinions, and not the opinions of the Government which had elected him to office. While acknowledging., the prosperity of the Dominion he held it was always at this season of the year a re-> curring quantity of want and destitution was manifest, but no attempt was made to deal with t.hi,s question. Even if palliatives were employed thrrt! was a tendency to wait until a revolutionary movement forced 1 k Uir hands, of thy. Government. He depreI ca'od the* assisted immigration except those whose relatives were Well I able fo' provide for them. He regret; ted that no attempt was to be mad^ to dp.il \vv\\ thfi casual labour. £-11 that was needed . w,as to adopt a

scheme suited to the particular re quirements of this country. It w;is good and desirable for thoso who had land to acquire the freehold of their properties; but he thought that before long land would only be obtainable through a land agent. The Govern ment had 'very little land left now available for men without money and in time it would only be the man with capital who could procure land. That meant the single* taxer would come in" with proposals for a land taxation. Complaints had reached him lately cf the system of balloting lor land- Unclaimed that some channel should be left open for. the man with small means to get upon the land. It was the producer who' was wanted on the land: Dealing with the cost of living he contended ' that the increase in wages of. workers was not solely responsible / for the increase in prices. In many cases the workers though granted increases were worse.-, off. The Government and industrial or ganisations would have t 0 turn ther attention to the purchasing power, of wages. The exteirsion of the Worker 1 Homes Scheme was most desiv-

able and would' materially help to solve the problem of casual unemployment, if the workers had suitable areas upon which lo work they coujd cultivate their holdings when out of employment, lie declared it was his intention to do his utmost to defeat the Bibkvin-Schools Bill. A referendum on a social question was one thing and a referendum on, a moral quesqtion another. He was pleased to see that Labour matters were men-! tioned, but the Masters and Apprentices Art could not 'do much good, i He spoke, strongly in favour oi Dominion awards and advocated the adoption of a national provident fund ' to meet the nec,ds of local bodies. In -\ this way there was an opening for a 1 general social insurance scheme. The principle of the Bill, was sound and reflected credit upon those responsible for it. i . ' • The Hon. Mr. Hardy seconded the motion *and complimented the Hoii. J. Barr upon the way in which- he, had moved the resolution. The • f.ov ernor's Speech was clear and straight forward, but left no opening for criticism. Tho vahio of land in New Zealand was far too high and if -any thing happened there would be weep ing- and wailing. The land agent .was. largely responsible for flicse inflations in values^ In Taranaki, where land was .it its highest price there was not a farm which" was not tor sale. People should be encouraged to stay on the land. Dealing with the strike he? complimented the Government on the way it had dealt with the trouble and wanted to know what the. Govern ment intended to do in regard to the Cost of Living Commission. Ho was firmly of the opinion the trouble was not the cost of living, but the plain Jiving people all 1 trying ffo go OKI Set ter than their neighbours. The cost of living would not have gone, up :f the plane- of living had not .! risen.' He, complimented the Government, upon its administration of the Defence Act. With proper discipline the young New Zealander would be one of the finest soldiers in- the world He approved of the establishment of the Agricultural Board and did not approve of denominationaliism. Hehoped ihoy would keep the clergy out of the present scheme of instruction in schools whicfi was not Godless. He quoted from school volumes to show that frequent reference to Scriptur.nl matters were made- He was sure the Government was" sincere in bringing down the licensing proposals. ilon. .1. TCigg touched on tho cost of living. The opposed the Council Reform Bill and Bible, in schools referendum. Ho paid farewell to the Council ere the expiry of his office. lion I .). I'j. .lenkinson traced his 21 years' connection with the Council. He was proud of the Liberal policy which made the country prosperous. He thanked the Councillor** for their kindness during his term. Tl mi. G. Jones also spoke. The Council then adjourned.