PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10104, 11 October 1917, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (Feom Oub Parlumentab? Repohieb.) WELLINGTON, Get. IQ. The House mot at 2.30. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS, Replying to Or. Newman,, the Premier said the report of the, Cost of hiving Committee would be brought down on Monday and be discussed on Monday night. Replying to Mr Andrews, the Premier said arrangements were being made to hold a conference of representatives ot butter producers next week lo consider ttic odor for the purchase of the output by the Imperial authorities. Replying to Mr McCnllum, Sir James Allen said he knew nothing of a scheme by which the Anglican Church would control the appointment ol army chaplains. The policy laid down at tins outset war being continued, and so far as he knew it would be continued to the end. There was no proposal to appoint a well-known Anglican bishop as chaplain-general. Mr Hornsby gave notice of his intention to introduce the Electoral Boundaries Act Amendment Bill. The balance of the afternoon sitting was occupied in discussing the reports of the select committee and Ministers' replies lo ipiestions. The following answers we.e given by Ministers to questions: That the allocation of wool ami skins to wool scourers and fellniongers lor treat nient on behalf of the Government had been controlled by local committees specially appointed for the purpose. It was to be regretted that owing to the general shortage of scouring wool and sheepskins throughout the Dominion, it had not been possible to keep till wool scouring and lellmongcring works fully employed throughout the season, but a scheme under which sheepskins were purchased and felliuongored was instituted and was being continued at tlu‘ special request of the Imperial Government. That the Union Steam Ship Company is paid a subsidy of £20.000 per annum for (ho service lx*tween Auckland and Van■cover. and the contract has ju>i been cx.ended fur twelve months. Provision is mule therein for the company, if it „ ,-.nsiders it expedient to do so, to extend anv voyage to a port or ports in Australia, and the contract does not oblige vessels employed to victual in Auckland. That there arc very elaborate arrange mutts at the front to ensure that men have frequent changes and renewals of clothing. It is quite impossible lo artinge for ideal conditions whilst divisions . are actually taking a turn in the trenches, j but) as soon as the men come out everything possible is done to ensure their cleanliness and comfort. Ibis winter simitar arrangements to those ot last winter ,vi 11 he made for the issue of warm clothing. . . . That every assistance is given to the two existing flying schools to enable canlidates to qualify for the Royal Flying Corps. It is not considered advisable to j miter upon a large expenditure on ayia:ion until expert advisers, who have mid experience in (ho present war, are avail ible to advise the Government as to the (rest policy to be adopted. That whilst recognising the good work lone by territorial officers belonging to the Second Division, it was to he regretted that no guarantee can be given that all such officers will be appointed to the Exil'd it ionary Force with commissioned rank. The House resumed at 7.30. WAR PENSIONS BILL. On the. third reading of the War Pensions Amendment Bill, Mr Hornsby commented upon the changed attitude of members on the subject of 'soldiers’ pensions alter the joint caucus of-the day previously. Me | admitted that the responsibility ol finding the money to provide increased p< muons rested with the Government, but* contended that the people were willing to find the monev necessary to give a wile whose husband‘was killed at the ft out a pension of £2 2s as against 30s. per week, as proposed by the Bill. If the country was not prepared to pay the men and keep their dependents in decency, it had no right to ask llii< men to go to the liont. Mr Witty reminded Mr Hornsby that had he attended the caucus he would have learned facts which would have .shown him that much as mem hers would like lo have made the position more ’Satisfactory Second Division, there was a limit. ihe Bill as it stood was a generous measure, but. the House had a duty to those who remained behind as well as those who went to iho front. Ho agreed we wore sending too many reinforcements, as we were running great risks in curtailing the production of the country, but justice must be done to the men who go, and that he thought the Bill did. ,ii Mr Forbes that members had not the fullest opportunity of indicating to the Government their desire to raise the pension? at the caucuses. '1 here was therefore no need to vote in tv futile division on Mr Hornsby’s amendment, as tin; Government plainly intimated that the financial position of the Dominion did not warrant further increase. Mr Guthrie contended that anyone who flew in the face of the information given to morn burs at tho caucuses was simply on deavotiring to build up a structure which sooner ot utter would fall by virtue, of its own weight. If the scheme failed, what a disappointment it would be to those rccipionts ulio found themselves deprived ol tied measure of relief they were now leceiving. - . , ur Brown, in a brief speech, moved an amendment, That this J loose is of opinion that the pensions to widows and soldiers provided in this Act are inadequate. Mr Massey raised a point ol order that the amendment was irrelevant to the motion that the Bill be read a third time. I he Speaker said he would tab; time to consider the point and give his ruling later. Sir Joseph Ward said ho Intel no doubt that all the members of the House downed to do their best for the men at the front, but m view Of the great linanctal responsibilities involved, they could not a cud to let their hearts run away with then sense. They should remember before a Second Division man leaves the country, Parliament will be in session, when the position could be reviewed. Indeed, the war might, be over by then, so there was no immediate need to go to extremes. C m liabilities in connection with the war were now approaching £50,000,000, which illustrated the seriousness of the position. \\ ho, he asked was going to suffer most when it comes to that war after the war-the comI morclul war? Undoubtedly it will be men of small means, the. man who made his living l>v the sweat of his brow. But ah classes would suffer more or less, hence the need of sound Government imance. At present it was our bounden duty to meet all mu obligations, and to go on doing it to the end. He contended it was impractical,!,, to look to an increase m the death iuties to lind all the revenue necessary. ,„d many other sources of suggested evenin' were equally illusory. Our mter<t charge had increased by over three millions, and in view of Iho possibility of the war continuing for another year, when out wai - ex vn,liture would be eighty millions, surely this was enough to_ make sane men step Bi >ori in ■ and recognise that there was ■i point a t which the Government cannot I all’orl to >i 1 t for the si.ke of securing j papula, ifv. Ho was prepared as tar as any

man in the country to provide liberal ]jensions. but he was not going to bo pushed over the border of safety, and if necessary he was not afraid to tell the House and the country that he would not allow it to be done. The remedy did not lie, as some suggested, in a general election. Anyone who idvocatcs a general election at the present juncture ought to be hanged. The historian if the future, taking an impartial view of he position, showing in regard to the trenendous financial responsibilities the counry was undertaking in connection with the var, would have no hesitation in recording lis judgment that the Bill was a generous neasurc. On resuming after the supper adjournment, the Speaker ruled that Mr Brown's urnondment was in order, Mr Isitt denounced Mr Hornsby's speech, .nd characterised it as Pecksnill'ian. Mr Payne argue-;! that the best- way to ptovido the last shilling was to establish it State bank. Mr Hindmatsh ashed the Premier, if a man were taken from his family, that family shall not be compensated to the utternost farthing. Every great reform was opposed by Conservatives on the ground that it will ruin the State, and that same, rgument was being used now. It was used ast year in connection with pensions, but in ,pite of it, the pensions were raised, yet he State had not been ruined. The null was the increase in pensions was be'ng opposed because the taxation necessary i provide thorn would fall upon property. lion. Buddo reminded the House' that tactically not one penny required by the Sill came from the man earning less than :300 a year. It was. therefore, fully clear hat property had to bear its share of the -ist of the pensions, which were by no neans as high as he would like, but as high s the country could afford, Mr Webb declared that if men could bo iken by force their wealth and property hfuild not bo placed in a higher category. i ii was the will of the people that higher lensions should be paid them, it. was tho luty of the House to give effect to the will >f the people. Mr Voitch said if the full significance of lie sacrifice to be made by tho Second Diision had In en fully recognised by inem- ■ is. then he felt sure more liberal proviion would have been made in the Bill, le commented severely on the method dopted by the Government in discussing nporlant matters such as were in the Bill i caucus. Mr Massey, in reply to Mr Voitch, said ,i information was given to the caucus .hicli was not given to the House. The aucus was held because tho Government ilt if members were able to come together inferences would disappear and that certain hV.urbing elements which were lx coming vident would be counteracted. The debate was continued by Messrs Wilord, Stathtim, Jennings, and McCombs. Sir Jas. Allen, in reply, characterised as i breach of faith some of the amendments coved, after he had agreed with the Second Division what, the concessions should be. In -some respects the. Bill was more ! iberal than the demands of the Second Division, l'heie was good reason why in tome cases tho pension to the widow without a child should not be more than 30s per week, and he quoted instances from actual cases in support ol his statement. The Government tried to make the Bill liberal and would hive been more lbioral had it. been wise to make it so, but any pension schemo which did not, encourage the recipient to .hi to work was not wise but unsound. 0:i the question being put. Mr Brown intimated he desired to withdraw his amend: inont. This was agreed to and the Bill wa» lead a third time and passed.