FINANCIAL DEBATE OVER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16326, 23 August 1913, Page 12

FINANCIAL DEBATE OVER.

THE PRIME MINISTER’S SPEECH. ANSWERS TO. OPPOSITIONISTS. [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, August 22. Just beforo tho dinner adjournment at 5.30, fho Financial debate ended with a speech from tho Prime Minister, tho House then going into committco to consider tho Estimates. Tho Prime Minister, who rose to close the debate at ten minutes past four, opened his remarks by referring to some of tho speeches as to the settlement of gum lands. He was very pleased at the prospect of increase which was promised according to reports' to hand. The member for Temuka had remarked that 110 was proud of the Liberals in the Old Country, but he did not say he was proud of tho Liberals in this country. (Government laughter.) Speaking of the debate, Mr Massey expressed the opinion that ho liad never seen a set of men so embarrassed with their ncn-eriticisms as the Opposition had been in criticising tho Budget. (Opposition laughter.) Ho thought the adverse criticism had been the most futilo that could be conceived. Mr Buxton: The country did not think so. , . The Prime Minister ignored the interjection, and expressed tho opinion that the Opposition had not scrupled to hit below the belt. (More Opposition laughter.) PROSPERITY AHEAD.

The country had entered upon a season which, 110 believed, would bo even more prosperous than the last. Tlie first production month, July, showed how satisfactory were the results. Ho quoted tho following particulars of the value of exports during July, 1913, compared with the corresponding month of 1912 July, 1912 July, 1913 Butter . . 18,000 24.000 Frozen Meat . . 130.000 174.000 Lamb . . . 154,000 304,000 The sum total showed an increase of £596,456 in the value of the July exports this year. Oppositionists: Is that due to the Government ? _ _ The Prime' Minister said ho would establish the connection between them. Why all this new-born zeal on the part of the settlers? The reason was obvious, because they had confidence in themselves, and had confidence in the Government and tho country. (Opposition laughter.) THE GOVERNMENT POLICY.

One would imagino from tho cries about policy that the Government should chan go its policy as often as it changed its collar. The Reform Party put forward its platform beforo last election, and had adhered t-o it in every resnect. ' i Mr Russell: What about reduc- ! ing expenditure. 1 Mr Massey: Would the Opposition abandon the Public Service reform system and go back to the old method of political graft and influences? Mr Russell: We woidd repeal that Bill. Prime Minister: Just the answer I expected. . j Mr Russell: You have lost Wellington North seat already. The Prime Minister said that ever 1 since he had known Mr Russell his predictions had been falsified. Ho challenged his critics to show whore the Government had abandoned its policy. Let them produce their own policy. Tho Opposition could not agree among themselves on the land question, Native affairs, or any other question. The proposal to advance money to provide cool storage and canneries for fruit preserving was a now one. Ho was sorry to see tho effort made by tho Opposition to cause dissatisfaction among the teachers. However, they were not succeeding, and this session a satisfactory instalment of reform in teachers’ conditions would bo passed. The Government was going on the principle that taxation should bo levied upon' individuals in proportion to their ability to pay. AGRICULTURE BOARD.

Speaking of the Board of .Agriculture, the Prime Minister said it would be purely advisory, and there would bo no salaries attaching to the positions. The Government had decided, among other things, to obtain better quarters for tho High Commissioner in London. As a matter of fact, it had been decided to erect a new building in tho Strand, than which there was no better site in London. MINERAL RIGHTS. As to the member for Avon, lie was an expert resurrectionist in digging back into the graveyard of “Hansard.” The hon member had lnmself made some remarkable speeches. Referring to unauthorised expenditure, the Pnmo Minister declared that the increase was due largely to defence, telegraph extension and railways, which were together responsible for £128,430 out of the £190,611- of the increase.. Did members on tlie other side object to those increases P Touching tlie question of mineral rights, especially in coal mining districts, Mr .Massey expressed tho opinion tiia/t tne intention of the law in this country since 1873 was to reserve all minerals to the Crown.

Members: No. Mr Massey: Well, whether that contention would stand a Supreme Court action I am not prepared to say, but I feel sure such was the intention or the Act. I do not mean that in every case the ownership of the minerals belongs to the Crown, but that the right is intended to be reserved, to tho Croivn of resuming the land if it is the desire of the 'Crown to work the minerals. WAS IT IMPROPER P Referring to tho criticisms by tbo member for Avon on the association of the Hon W. Fraser with the raising of the £50,000 loan from tho Loan and Mercantile Company, ho deprecated the'inference that Mr Fraser had done something improper m that mattejir Russell: I say it was absolutely improper. „ „ , Mr Massey: Well, all I can say is that I think tlie honourable gentleman should withdraw. It is utter nonsense to suggest that there was anything of an improper nature in the transaction. The Prime Minister, continuing, referred to the treatment Mr Russell received last year in connection with the Taupo Estate inquiry. Opposition members: What did your whips do? . , . Mr Massey: They gave him absolutely fair play. (Opposition laughter). IS IT THE TRUTH? Tlie honourable member had inferred that tho Government bad increased the public debt by £5,706,000. Did ho not know that of 'the figures lie quoted over four aud a half million bad been added by the Government of which ho was a member ? lr\ as it a fair statement to accuse tho present Government of piling up the country’s indebtedness? Therefore, was it truth? Mr Isitt rose to a point of order, upon which the Prime Minister declared that he did not impugn Mr Russell’s personal veracity. “I 6tated: Is it the truth? and no reply came from the honourable gentleman,” lie added. After comparing the status of New Zealand loans with those of the Australian States, which, lie declared, proved tho good standing of New Zealand debentures on tlie London' market, the Prime Minister said that a decided improvement had taken place . since last year in tho dominion’s financial position t «jid that it had

j overtaken its liabilities to a very large extent. MR NORTHCROFT’S APPOINT- ' MENT. On tho appointment of Mr Nortlicroft as Resident Commissioner of tho Cook Islands, concerning which comment had been mado, Mr Massey said that Mr Northcroft did not apply for tho position, but was elected and asked to accept it, as lie was believed to be the most suitable man in tlie dominion to fill the post. (“Hear! Hear I'.) Since being at tho Islands Mr Isoithcroft had (Tone particularly good work. Personally, ho ‘thought' it was hardly possible to avoid a- certain amount of I friction in a place like Rarotonga, but lie had reason to believe that Mr Northcroft commanded tho confidence of the great bulk of the white population of the Cook Islands. It had been contended that ho was drawing a pension of £375, but it should be known that upon accepting the position Mr Northcroft had given up his pension, so that tho net salary was only something like £325. As to the appointment of the police officer by Mr Northcroft, he would remind members that it was only a temporary appointment and had not yet been confirmed. Tho other night tho member for Grey Lynn had contradicted him when lie said that ho held Mr Payne's written promise to support him as leader of the Opposition in turning out the then Government. The letter was not confidential but ho would not read it, as Mr Payno was not present. Ho was, however, prepared to publish it. i MISUNDERSTANDINGS.

| ' At the conclusion of Mr Massey’s ! speech tho member for Avon, in referI ence to the Prime Minister’s remarks lon bis statement regarding the increase of the public debt by the present Government, quoted from his own “ Hansard ” proof, in which he stated that tlie total increase by tho present Government during the yenr was £5,706,850, and that tho Minister had declared that the Mackenzie Government were responsible for four and a half millions. Mr Russell then quoted from the Financial Statement to prove i his contention.

Mr Massey said that his own comments referred to a newspaper interview given by Mr Russell. The House tvont into committee on the Estimates at 5.15 p.m.