HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 142, 14 June 1909, Page 8

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met- at 10.30 a.m. STANDING ORDERS SUSPENDED. On the Prime Minister's motion, the Standing Orders were suspended so far as to allow local Bills to be introduced during the present session, notwithstanding that documents connected therewith are not in the hands of the clerk. FIRST READINGS. The following Bills were read a first time: Whangarei Harbours Act,.1907, Amendment; Whangarei, Hobson, Bay of Islands and Hokianga Counties Boundaries Adjustment; Timaru Borough Loans Consolidation. HARBOUR BOARDS. In the House this morning a discussion ensued upon a question by Mr Wilford if the Minister for Marine would give the House an opportunity to discuss Harbour Board administration. Mr MASSEY said that there was much dissatisfaction with the representation on Boards. Mr HARDY said that Canterbury was satisfied. Mr WITTf thought the system of election unsatisfactory. Messrs McLaren, Luke, Lang and' Buxton also favoured a change. ' Mr CRAIGIE urged that people in the country should be placed on the same footing as the people of the boroughs. The Hon. Mr MILLAR said that a Bill would probably be introduced next session to deal with the subject. THE "DREADNOUGHT." The PRIME MINISTER moved that the House confirm the offer of the Government to the Imperial Navy. He saidthat ho had already given all information on the .subject. The Prime Minister referred to the resolutions of public bodies in favour of the Government's action. Not one had disapproved. It was a good thing for the Dominion to show a united front in offering assistance to the Empire.

The Government's action had been ' said to be unconstitutional, but the offer had'to be made at-..once to have the moral effect it had. The Government accepted the responsibility. He hoped that Members would not allow minor matters to affect their attitude. Mr MASSEY said he was pleased that the Prime Minister had altered the text of his motion; he could now support it. Parliament should have been convened, and would probably have done a better thing than offer a "Dreadnought." In stating that the Government had staked their existence on the offer the Prime" Minister was making the matter a party one. The people's right to control finance should be preserved. He hoped that the Prime Minister would give some idea as to his line of action at the Conference. For '£200,000 spent an the defence of the Dominion there was practically no result. A proper system of national training could be had for £400,000. He expected the House to be practically unanimous in affirming the motion, but would like an expression of opinion on national training which would strengthen the Prime Minister's hands at the Conference? He wanted to see defence made a matter of education. Every physically fit young man should be trained to defend his country. Mr HERRIES referred to the constitutional and strategic aspects of the offer.. He held that there was no justification for the Government's doing an unconstitutional act. He advocated a local Navy, which, with the Australian, could police the Pacific and meet any enemy except Japan.