PARLIAMENT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 582, 5 July 1913, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

CHAIRMAN OP COMMITTEES. MR MALCOM'S APPOINTMENT. [BY ASSOCIAHON'J Wellington, Friday. The House met at 3 40 p.m. Seven days' leave of absence was granted to Mi f.lar ke. The Commercial Trusts Amendment Bill ( Mr Payne) was read a first time. The Hon. Mr Massey moved that Mr Malcolm be appointed Chairman of Committees. Mr Malcolm, the Premier said, had been a member of the House for eight years, and he was convinced that he possessed a very good knowledge of the forms of the House. Mr Okey seconded the motion. Mr Malcolm, in returning thanks, expressed his appreciation of the confidence imposed in him by the mem* bers of both sides of the House. DEFENCE ACT CRTICISED.

Mr Russell quoted from a private letter received from Christchurch respecting the treatment meted out to those men who refused to comply with the Defence Act. One that he was confined in a cell, and fed on rations which were insufficient for an ordinary man. The Hon. Mr Allen, replying, said the law had to be enforced. It must be remembered that the administration of the Defence Act was purely in the experimental stage. If the men refused to serve in one way they must do so in another. The department would correct the errors of judgment committed by officers of the department. ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. Mr McCallum continued the debate on the Address in-Reply. He urged the prompt revision of the tariff in the direction of lessening the cost of household commodities. The Hon. Mr Allen's action in going Home without placing the portfolio of Education in the hands of someone who would have paid the necessary attention to the matter was, to his mind, to be deeply deplored. Agricultural education was a subject which had not received that attention which was due to it. The teaching of domestic science was a subject which would have to be worked out by the authorities. He urged the elections of Education Boards by the people, thereby giving the boards a standing. He was convinced that the members of the Government were not practical men. That fact was demonstrated by the efforts of the Minister of Finance in connection with the three million loan. In that instance he had taken the loan at 30 years when money was fairly cheap, and was baiting the Opposition for having raised a short-dated loan when money was dear. Mr G. Hunter contended that the Government had given an excellent instalment of their policy. He defended the Government's action in not bring ing down a Local Government Bill so early in its career. To his mind the exception taken by Mr Russell to the appointment of the Public Service Commissioners was quite unjustified. Dealing with defence matters he thought that better arangements at camps would be to the advantage of the system. He advocated the settling of permanent camps and fitting them out in a thorough manner, with special attention to the culinary department. Mr Robertson said he did not agree with the basis of the limitation of areas at present in vogue. In some instances*he high price of land at present existing militated againßt the successful carrying out of Government's prorgamme. He was puzzled to see how the Government could differentiate between the poor man and rich man when they come to the lower cost of living. The Government had stated that they lower j the cost of commodities toj men of small income. He would watch their opsrations with interest. On the subject of defence he held that where a youth was twice imprisoned for noncompliance with the provisions of the Act he wsb a bona fide conscientious obi ctor. He dealt with the troubles at Waihi, reviewing the position from the outset. He also criticised the action of the Government in sending between 30 and 50 policemen to Huntly for' a month when there was absolut- ly no necessity for such steps. He predicted that Waihi and Huntly were not at the end of the industrial strike. The workers had lost all confidence in the Government and police. Dr Newman dealt with the cost of living. He felt that his subject was the most important before the country. The cost of living was mounting up every year pound by pound. They had heard of the setting up of boards for scientific purposes all over the country, but thought that the energy devoted thereon was misdirected. It should be directed in the direction of the alleviation of poverty.