PARLIAMENT

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 6 October 1921, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY

AMENDMENT DEFEATED

(BY TK7.EOHAPH —PBEBB ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON. Oct. 5. The House met at 3 o'clock. Only fifteen minutes were occupied in the transaction of formal business, after which the debate on the Address-in- . Reply was resumed. '*v '?• W ' I*B (Hurunui) declared , that the Opposition's amendment was [ based on the belief tfiat the Government , aid riot represent the majority of the s people, because more votes at the last s election were castf against them than . tor vaem. That being so, any electoral h system which resulted m a minority i Party getting into power was bad. He ; therefore called upon the Government to eftect reform in this connection, and expressed preference for a system of 1 proportional representation, for which the Govel-nmentliad already expressed strong preference. 'Economy was Badly needed in public affairs. Taxation was pressing heavily upon all classes, yet the Government was not alive to the gravity of the position. Farmers were u > if \° pay their lan<J tax» and they 8 iS. *** glven «nne relief. Depart- , mental expenditure was severely criti- , cised, the speaker declaring that drastic : catting down was necessary. .This sesj sion must become what the Opposition suggested, viz., an economy session. If the Government would only realise %he serious need there was for economy, afld[carry; ft out : the Opposition woufd be the first to throw bouquets at them, i Mr H. D. Lysnar,(Gisborne) advocated economy in the public service, especially in the Defence Department. ' One of the best means to effect savings waj^-an all-round reduction in wages. >ceginninK,with members of Parliament, lhe speaKer contended that all moneys for development nurposes should be raised outside the Dominion. The wool industry, though depressed, was safe. Ahe industry that was in, danger was meat. He approved of the Government's attitude towards Armour and Co. bnt he objected to the leniency shown to Vestey Bros. There was no reason why Armour's should have to go if Vestey's were allowed lo stay. % r '^L- M- ***** (Christchurch North) said, the Government should take adequate measures to establish a shipping line, so that the Dominion products could be sent to the markets at reasonable freights. Mr, leitt said he had no faith m any such scheme undertaken by fci*Sk producers themselves. A permanent corps of labour should be formed at the larger harbours, which would dispose of the present labour difficulties so far as that phase of industrial conditions was concerned. The people of New Zealand were themselves largely responsible for the present financial slump, because they failed to take warnings repeatedly given to put money by while getting high war prices and wages, so as to be able to face hard^imes. They had gone in for an orgy of spending. Last year, for example, despite <fhard times," the people spent forty millions on amusements. The financial strain Entailed by a mad race for pleasure was bad for the moral fibre of the people. The Premier stated last session that he hoped to be able to reduce taxation. Did he still hope so? Mr. Massey: I hope so. vMri.^ itt:. ftHo Pc springs eternal m Mr. Massey's breast." If the people would exercise self denial they would pull through, ana present depression would in the end prove to have a beneficial effect for the country. 'Mr./J. A. Nash (Pafmerston North) said the present condition of the'meat amd wool markets was unsatisfactory, nut there were indications of better prices. Touching on the case of Armour and Co.-s applications for a meat export permit, Mr. Nash hoped the Government would not recede Trom the position to°k pp last year regarding Armour's ♦L M&£*. .E- SeMon (Westland) urged the Minister to tiiflke a statement to clear up the position regarding the canteen funds, which he understood now amounted lo £118,000. This fund was originally intended for the relief ot widows and orphans, but statements appearing in the Press led him to believe that a Do'rtfon of this fund had been diverted to the cost of war histories, which he thought was entirely f u red gD original purpose of the I I This closed the debate so far as Mr.' j AVilford's amendment was concerned,! • and at 11.30 p.m. a division was taken, ! the amendment being lost by 38 votes to 20. Following is the division list:— ! For the amendment: Atmore, Bar-; 'tram, Edie, Forbes, Holland, Horn, j Howard, Isitt, Kellett, McCombs, Mas- , ters, Poland, Seddo'n, Sidey, R. W. ; Smith, S. G. Smith, Sullivan, Veitch, j Wilford, Witty. j Against the amendment: Bitchener, | Bollard, Burnett, Coates, J. M. Dickson, IJ. S. Dickson, Dixon, Field, Glenn. Guthrie, A. Hamilton, J. R. Hamilton, Harris, Hawken, Henare, Herries, Hockley, Hunter, Jones, Lee, Luke, Lysnar, McLeod, McNicol, Malcolm, j Mander, Massey, Nash, Nosworthy, j Parr Pomare, Potter, Sir R. M. Rhodes, T. W. Rhodes. Stewart, Sykes, AY right, Young. • Pairs for the amendment: Ngata, MeCallum, Jennings, Fraser, Parry Savage, Hanan,. Thacker. Against the amendment: Williams, Anderson^ Campbell, T7ru, Hudson, Craigie, E. Newman, Or. Newman. The debate was adjourned on the motion of Mr. H. E. Holland (Labour deader), and the House rose at 11.40 p.m