N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 167, 29 June 1912, Page 5

N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

[FEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.J

The House met at 2.30 p.m. Seven days’ leave of absence was granted to Mr. Herries. A number of bills were introduced by private members and read the first time. IMPREST SUPPLY.

An Imprest Supply Bill for £714,900 was introduced by Governor’s Message.

Mr. Massey said he had no desire to hold up the proceedings, but he strongly objected to the delay in bringing down an Imprest Supply Bill. Parliament should have neen called together long before the end of June. He hoped the House would be called together earlier in the future.

The Premier replied that Parliament had been called in the ordinary way. There had been no departure from the course pursued for years. THE SHORT-DATED LOAN.

Mr. Massey asked whether the Minister of Finance would give any information in connection with the feur million loan. Mr. Myers (Mnister of Finance), replying, said the Government had nothing to hide. He asked the Reform party to remove all party feeling from financial matters, and tre.at them in the same way as defence matters had been treated. The loan was necessary' to meet loans maturing and expenditure authorised byParliament from November last fill April Ist. £2,285,500 of the loans had matured, 1| million was due on April Ist, and the balance was for advances to settlers, advances to workers, naval defence and public works. -The Land Settlement Act loan was raised at 99, underwriting costing* 1 per cent. The loan would cost £3/12/- for interest independent of discount.

Mr. Massey said the Minister of -Finance had given no information. In his opinion a 4 per cent, long-dat-ed loan was more economical than the short one. Mr. Myers must be in possession of the prospectus. It had been published in all the English papers. He asked if any concessions had been given to investors for. conversion.

Mr. Myers: “No.” Air Massey: “Well, that makes it worse.” In his opinion the loan would cost 5 per cent. The Prime Minister said the best that could be done had been done. • Mr. Allen said there was,too much secrecy after loans had'been floated. Tin asked under what authority ariy money had been raised for. naval defence 1 This money ivas ptovided for in the fivemllliofi ioaii bf last year. Sir Joseph Ward said the Government could not 'a 4-per cent, loan in London/without underwriting: -He did not believe the Finance Minister could have raised a longdated ( 4 per cent, loan if he had tried.' • ' ■' ■ ■ ’ ' '

Messrs. Fraser and Herdman both condemned the short period of the loan.

Mr. Wilfcrd held with the previous speakers that the question of loanraising should not be-dealt with from a party standpoint. Sir Joseph Ward continued the debate on the Imprest Supply Bill. He had arranged temporary advances for his successor in-, office —one million in England and one million from the Bank of New Zealand. This, with the surplus, left £2,806,000 to carry on the work of the country. Mr. Massey said if his party had chosen to stick up the Imprest Supply Bill they could have had, "in his opinion, a majority of the House to support them; but they did not do so. He had never once discussed financial matters for the purpose of gaining party advantage. Financial people at Home were reaping a rich harvest out of the mistakes made here.

Mr. Fraser advocated the setting up of a committee to examine into every detail of every loan. Mr. Myers, in replying, said the Government would welcome the fullest criticism of all matters with regard to the 4| million loan. He stated that it had been floated at 4 per cent. For thirty years at par it would work out at £4/2/o|. The bill was read the third time and passed.

The House rose at 9.45. The Council will consider the bill at 10 a.m. to-morrow.

UPPER HOUSE LEADERSHIP.

MUTINY IN THE CHAMBER. Wellington, June 29. A protest was made in the Legislative Council this morning against the manner in which Government has delayed permanent appointment to the leadership. The Hon. J. E. Jenkinson raised the question on the third reading of the Imprest Bill and said tha| members were aware of the strenuous efforts which had been made to persuade public men to take positions. Though they were not literally hawked round, yet the leadership had been offered to more than one member of the Council and one at least had refused it. The Council should protest against the indignities to which it was subjected by the Government of the day He suggested that after passing supply rhe Council should adjourn until a Minister with the portfolio of Attorney-General was appointed to the leadership. Mr. Samuel .the acting-leader, said that even if it were true that the position had been hawked round, Mr. Jenkinson should not have made such a statement publicly. He agreed that it was necessary for proper conduct of its business that the Council should have as its leader a Minister holding a portfolio, and that there should be a second Minister to help the leader. Mr. Jenkin son proposed lhe Council should adjourn till Friday to give Government time to appoint a leader, but he (Mr. Samuel) said he could not allow such a motion to be made without notice .

Mr. Jenkinson then gave notice that he wouldtmove the adjournment on Tuesday for the reasons he had given.

The subject will probably be debated again on Tuesday and if tire position is unaltered some strong opinicns will be expressed during the Address in-Reply debate.

THE NO-CONFIDENCE DEBATE.

COMMENCES NEXT THURSDAY

Mr. Massey asked the Prime Minister last evening when he proposed to commence the No-confidence debate.

Mr. Mackenzie said he was quite willing to meet a conference of members in the matter and accepted the suggestion by the Leader of the Opposition that the debate should commence on Thursday, at 7.30 p.m. SUBSTANTIATE OR RETRACT. Mr. Buchanan has given the Prime Minister an opportunity to substantiate some allegations that he made recently. He intimated yesterday that he would,move that “there be laid before this House a return giv ing the name (if the newspaper or newspapers and date or dates on which adverse comments on the financial position of the Dominion of New Zealand were published and which he recently alleged from a public platform were forwarded or communicated by members of the Reform party.

TRAVELLING ALLOWANCES.

[by TELEGRAPH SPECIAL.] (Own Correspondent). Wellington, June 29. Before the House rose last night, the Prime Minister (Hon. T. Mackenzie) laid on the table a return showing the travelling allowances and travelling expenses of Ministers from Bth to 14th December, 1911, as follows :—Sir Joseph Ward': Allowances £3, expenses £2/2/6 ; Sir Jas. Carroll: Allowances £lO/10/-, expenses £3/5/-; Hon. R. McKenzie, allowances £lO/10/-, expenses £l9/16/-; Hon. A. T. Ngata, allowances £lO 10/-, expenses £l4/5/-. The figures for the period from the day Parliament adjourned, 28th October, 1911, until 7th December, were as under: —Sir Joseph Ward, allowances £3O, expenses £47/3/-; Sir J. Carroll, allowances £45, expenses £l2/13/-; Hon. J. A. Millar, expenses £7/]3/6; Sir J. G. Findlay, allowances £4/10/-, expenses £3/13/-; Hon. R. McKenzie, allowances' £lO 10/-, expenses £ll/17/6;- Hon. D. Buddo, expenses £lO/13/-; Hon. Mackenzie, expenses £B/1.4/-;. Hofif A. T. Ngata, allowance £39, expenses .£39/15/6. .