HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVIII, Issue 153, 2 July 1914, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

AFTERNOON SESSION

The House met at 2.30 p.m

BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS

Mr HAN AN (Invercargill)'" asked the Hon. Mr Allen if he would refer the Religious Instruction in Schools Bill bo the Education Committee, in order that evidence might be taken on petitions presented against the Bill.

The Hon. Mr ALLEN replied that he would b© prepared to send the Bill to that particular committee to which the petitions were referred.

j BILLS INTRODUCED. ■ The Gaming Act Amendment Bill : (Mr , Hunter) ; Victoria College { Amendment Bill (Hon. Mr Allen), ' and Licensing Amendment Bill (Hon. j Mir Massey) were introduced and read ; a first time.

I | ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. | Replying to questions, Ministers !• said: — I Strong representations on the sub- | jeot of coloring margarine had been ; made to tdie Home Government, but ! up to the present no notification of : its intention fco stop the practice had j been received. The matter was being i watched by the High Commissioner, i but owing to the great influence of j margarine interests on the butter market the subject required careful ; handling. j The danger of introduction of foot ] and mouth disease per medium of 4-clothing and effects of immigrants J from European countries is extremely rremote, but the High Commissioner's ! attention will be.drawn to it, with a | view to taking any steps that are I practicable to obviate it. \ The question of having Senior-Cadet j parades in the country in daytime in :' the form of concentrations instead of j evening drills is now engaging the j attention of the Department. ! The report of the new general j manager of railways will be laid on j the table as early as practicable. j According to the decision of the j Supreme, Court civil servants have a } clear and unquestionable right of j appeal under the Public Service Act.

| ADDRESSpIN-BEPLY. | Mr WILFORD (Hutt), continuing i the debate on the Address-in-Reply,

admitted that the Dominion, was pvos-

\ perous, and traced the probable ) effects of the opening of the Panama \ Canal. He predicted an era of even ! greater prosperity than we had ever ':. experienced. A notable omission I from the speech of the Minister for < Defence was a straight-out declaraI tion that he was not in favor of a

; local navy. Personally he regarded i the local, navy scheme as one of the ! maddest ever promulgated. Our | danger lay in the direction of Japan. ISo long as the agreement between ■! Britain and Japan held good we need i not fear invasion, but the moment | that agreement lapsed we were at th© i mercy of the yellow race. A local I navy was no solution of th© danger, ; but there could be no doubt that this

; was the policy of the Government, > and the people should clearly recog- | nise this fact. Unless this was ' so,

! what was the use of importing at a \ high salary a naval advise! 1, who ] otherwise would have nothing to ; advise upon. He defended the • finance of the Ward Government, contending that ample funds remained ; in the Advances Department ",to meet all claims by simply transferring surpluses from one branch to another. :Mr Wilford strongly condemned the ' methods employed" by the Public Service Commissioners in dealing with public servants. He advocated abolition of the Legislative Council. The proposed appointments were being made to block future Liberal legislation. There was nothing .in the Speech for the poor man, who was ; never wanted by the Government party except at election time. The big man was the-man for the Govern- ' ment, and that fact was declared by ■ tho class of candidates they were \ nominating for the coming election. He made a plea for a bursting-up tax. He claimed that uss was now

being made by the Government of Liberal legislation to aid its ssttle- ! ment policy. This was one of the j finest testimonies to its sterling ( character, and % complete answer to : all its denunciation when in Oj^posi- • tion.

' Mr HARRIS (Wr.itemata) con- • tended that the Ward Government ' had never given any thought to the needs of the masses of the people. The Massey Government had, during .; two years, passed moro truly Liberal : measures than the Ward party had I done in twenty years,, He proceeded to enumerate these measures. He : branded the Opposition as comrades--1 in-arms with the "Red" Federation, ! by whose aid they only could get back ■ into office. I ' Mr MYERS (Auckland East) dealt i at length Avith naval defence matters, ■ and confessed a difference of opinion i with the Leader of the Opposition. ; TTe Would not treat the defence ques- ■ tion as a party one. The trained ; personnel for the navy was the most ■ valuable contribution' they could ; make. • He believed the forming of ■ a local navy was sound. There was '■no reason why the youth , of New Zealand should'nob bti utilised as a ! naval reserve. He wanted to sea i ercji component part a source of i strength to the Empire. Touching on financial matters, he traversed much of the ground previously colored by Sir Joseph Ward and the Hon. Mr'Allen. He objected to moribers of the Government going \ about the country claiming they were ) responsible for all the prosperity and ! good legislation of the past twenty

IASSSS'WWWWS

yeaYs. The Government had not reduced expenditure on borrowing as promised. The House adjourned on the motion of Mr Statham.