DEFENCE AMENDMENT BILL

Hawera Star, Volume L, 27 August 1930, Page 9

DEFENCE AMENDMENT BILL

DEFEAT BY UPPER- HOUSE. EFFECTS EXAMINED. (By Telegraph—Special to “The Star.") WELLINGTON, Aug. 27. Some speculation is being indulged in the lobbies of the House as to whether the Government will introduce a clause in the Finance Bill to give effect to the provision in the Defence (Temporary) Amendment Bill which was defeated in the Legislative Conn- i cil, enabling the Defence Department to recognise voluntary organisations for the purposes of military tarining. Questioned on the subject, the Minister of Defence (Hon. J. G. Cobbe) stated that there; was no such intention at- present. It was understood that had the Defence Amendment Bill been passed there would have been immediate applications from several districts for assistance in setting lip voluntary training organisations. Indeed. the Minister received one such application from Hawke’s Bay while the Bill was before the House. Questioned before bis departure for this Imperial [Conference as to the effect of the defeat of the Bill by the Upper House, the Prime Minister (Hon. G. W. Forbes) stated that .it amounted to a further economy. He said that the removal of the amusement tax from Is 6d tickets deprived the Government of about £30,000 in anticipated revenue, and that tlie Government would have to look for other means of making it up. Some observers hold the view that the defeat of the Defence Amendment Bill by the Legislative Council provided the Prime Minister with the very opportunity he was seeking to effect further economy, for it lias been variously estimated that the cost of administering the- voluntary system p« defence training would lie between £IO,OOO and £25,000.