PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10106, 13 October 1917, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL; (Pirn Punas Association.) _ VVEI.LIXGTUX. Get. 12. The Legislative Council met to-day, when Sir Frances Hell moved the second reading of 1 he. War Act Ainendinent Rill. . lion. Sir. Francis Roll, p plying to rritieisiiis, pointed out that the Government's revenue 1 was limited. bu( he did not think there was a country in the world that was making such liberality as far as allowance.; were concerned. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met a( 2.3 C p.m. LEAVE OF ARSKXCK. Three- days’ leave of .absence was granted to Sir das. Carroll. XEAV ZEALAND SOLDIERS. Sir.das. Allen read a statement front a sergeant-major oi the \\ ellington Battalion, who returned to Now Zealand within the last, few days, which went to show that the men at the front had ample food amt clothing and sufficient money. Mr Witty asked why the MinFin; did not ask that these statements ho printed, to that members could dixit,;s them. It was not fair to make a statement and deny to members the opportunity of discussing it The Minister replied that he was not disposed to waste the. time of xhe House discussing these matters. DEFENCE ESTIMATES.

Sir Jas. Alien drew aibillion to an ariicie in a newspaper evil 1- i-ing (he Defence Estimates, wiiii hj were alleged to be inaccurate. This he desired it* deny. He stated emphatically that the' _ Defence estimates were accurate and sufficient. He had no doubt tile, expenditure, would bo well within the estimate, notwithstanding -the .additional, demands o-f the \Vai- Ollico. Ilfs personally supervised the expenditure. of .the Departin' at so far as it- was possible for one mar. to do it. and he welcomed any commission of enquiry the House- may think lit. to sanc,l *EIX AXCTAL POSITION' OF THE COUNTRY. Sir Joseph Ward rend a atr.iement showing the financial position of the country Tor iho six months ending oOth Seiitember. IP end there was a. .shortage under all le ads ~f £400,000, a;: against. a similar period las! year, and it was evidem wo are. not going, lo liave as much revenue as last year, due principally to a, short nge in the L ustomand railway returns. Bui there was no nec< for anxiety. Om position.' wan -.a _ .strong one and then,' vau no bar .of a defied, LAST MAN OX,THE FARM. Replying to a question, Sir Jas. Allen saie he did not propose to alter tlie Military Sei vi n Act in the direction of making it man datory on the .Military Service Board -to ex.emot the last man on the farm. Then were, always two sides to a. question, end r must be left to the discretion of the boards Sir John Findlay: Why not set- up an appeal board? y Sir Jas. Allen: I don't tlimit an Appct.. I Board could do any good. 1 SKTTLEAI ENT OF DISCHARGED I SOLDIERS. 1 Mr Ala.-see moved the third reading o' him Discharged Soldiers-Settlement Amend ; ineiit - Act, wiiich was agreed to after a brii debate, in which Messrs' Boole. Hudson j Talbot and Thacker approved of the Bill. PUBLIC WORKS. On the motion that the House go in.-. I committee of supply to consider the Publi Works Estimates, Mr McCalhtni comph- ; merited the .Minister for Public Works uppy Mho equitable manner in which he laid allu I eat-cd the small amount of money availnb, tor public works. Hi urged tlu.- Minisly. j to make preparations to enter upon a via borons polity of public works immcdu.tdy

tile war wa-: over. Dr. Newman urged the development o, ip’di'c-i Hcfrie [tower for the North Island, •ukl Air Ell followed in a similar strain, contending that the delay in establishing ado quale hydro elect ric power .was delay mg tin development of industries throughout Inc North Island. Sir John Findlay advocated a morn vig crons uolicv in the. erceik’ii of workmen > homes.' Tim high rents the workers paj was a, most uisteessing feature ol die housing problem. Mi Fork; contended that, one engineer ing method w?is somewhat bemud the limes. He urged t'r.ab Dm ’ Nlini-fr For DOlie •Works r.iioi’icl go on tour I" tee how other countries were dealing with engine, ring pic-blnn : . There was a feeling that me nubile works policy wa;.- “come day go day, it ml so long a.s they got through everything it was ail right,. . ... r Tho cliscu.-biun \v;*s Hi ucijounmioJit, T!h* 11ouhi* R'smiMcl at 7.^0. Air Anderson. continuing the debate on tin' Public Works Statement. aid the. production oi the country limy special Maim(,u tin- Government, and efforts :,.iioul(l made to have continuous work oi making roads in the backblncks, especially where there wn.s new seUleinenL hj would be potter to sit))) the const ruction oi aeve-ral lines of railway;, for a lime end. transiei- labour to road construction and I arm work. All- Pee!" said the., ■temeui was a remarkable document - , inasmuch a i it D lOU !'d irow much <>f the money voted by Parliament had not been spent. Ilc )>-)'- m a pika on behalf of smilers in Hr bar Norm where tire recent phenomenal randan mid reduced ’ them io , great distress. A met generous cousideratiou of thou claims ho warmly . - appreciated. He strongly urged the rapid development ot Ip dro-el.’ctric power in the Nortn Ida no, Hues.* the success of the Lake Goleriugo scheme had been demonstrated. Mr Jeniiings advocated a pohev ol esmeentration in i.-ouneetion wii't pn.dw 'im’kyend that espeuditure. on palatial buildings in cities should stop. . . Air Poland ventilntid a number ot local ■ mievanees, while Mr Glover asked trial a more liberal j.olicy. .'tcUipicd in cormectiou with the erection of ’scheol* m Look AleaM-s A ebb and Colvin discussed. the I'lom a mining }oint 01. view; ; Air Wilford Mtpimrlcd the .Minister in lm; ; determination not to part with y.atyr rights i forTivdro-eltcl.nc purposes; and air Ngata i descri'bi d Die sad Might in winch settlers on | the East Coast were left. a:, a result, ot rej cent floc-it::, and appealed for Hnancurl as--1 Hstanco to re|xur the damage done, i The debate was carried on by Alessrs i Wilkinson, Rhodes (1 hiime.-), tiidey and Ur. I Thacker. 1 I Shortly before midnight the Minister beiejim his'reply, answering the. loom ponds vai-c-d With regard to the work at Otira tunnel, he. combat yd. the contention mammined bv Mr Webb, that, the work inere ciHit to be carried on under conditions laid in the Mines Act. The conditions v,e' - e excellent, and when the remaining no chains of liiil was piaced inoiv would be mo further complaints regarding ycjitilation. At the conclusion of the Alinistei iepl.l; the whole of the estimates were passed without discussion, and me House - .0,-, cat i 12.35. .