PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10117, 26 October 1917, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (I'lß TIIKHa ASHMCIATION.I WKI.LINCTON. Oct. 25. The Legislative Council mel at 2.50 |i.m. and passed, with minor amendments, the War Legislation Amendment Hill. Ihe lluli Road Amendment Bill, and the Dunedin Waterworks Extension Hill. Tho Hon. .J. T. Paul protested against the suspension of the superannuation riglu* of public servants, particularly as Replied h> the railways; Hills passr-d by the House of Rcprisetilalive- were lead a lirsl lime. HOUSE OF RKJ'RKSrcXTATIVRS. MINISTERS IN REPLY. The 1 louse met at 2.30 p.m. Replying l" Mi' (sit!, I '"' Ministi r for Defence said that, the allowance of £25 to officers for the purpose of purchasing their kit was .null!.'. Anything morn only oncnurag.d downright extravagance. I'ho Minister foi Education, in reply to Mr Witty, said thai the question of increased grants to school committee,- would l„- cuii-idfH (I ai tin first miY'ting of < abi net, ... . Replying I" Dr. Newman, the Minisrer for Defence said I hat ( 'abinei had decided lor the future, that the nexT-of-kin would not b,. allowed alongside transports before departure. The barrier on the whart would be a barrier to evervbodv. but next-ol km would probably be allowed to f.eu the i i al the vailwav station. . Replying io Mr Wilkinson. Sir .Jas. Ulen slid that men classed as (it only tor iiome service wen ly retained in camp l tliev volunteer for that work; il retained against, their will that was contrary to in

struct ions. . ~. ■ , r Replying lo l)r Newman, the Minister loi Defence said that the standard for recruits had not been lowered. Some nine ago Great Britain had lowered lire standard for the Imperial Army and New Zealand followed suit, but if was round inadvisable lo adopt, the British standard and we went [vM . k . (),„• standard was published in a pamrhiel and, he believed, widely circulated, r Dr. Newman: I Live you seen -nine oi "Tlr Wliord:' I know one who was only 4ft 7in and does not weigh five stone, lie is a jockey bov. ' \l \l\ HODY'S CANCELLED FURLOUGH. Sir Jas. Allen read a cable from Colonel Chaytor, in which he said all ranks under his connnand had accepted the disappointment at. the cancellation of promised furlough lo New Zealand in the finest -pun. but trusted an improvement in the circumstances would soon permit a revision ol the decision. . . , Sir Jaw. Allen said that he desired to make it deal that the promised leave io the Main Bodj men to return to Now Zealand was not cancelled by the wish ol the Nevv /,-aland Government, but at the request ol the Imperial authorities. AMERICAN MEAT TRUST. Mr Payne resumed the debate on the report, of the committee on the operations of ihe American Meat, Trust, lie contended that the only sine way ol combating the operations ol'the Trust was for the State to get. into direct touch with the consumers m Great Britain. It- was too much a "rake oil" between producers Here and consumers in England, and some are making undue profit. , ..I Mi- Field (Otakil urged that wo should have, a closer co-operation between the British and Overseas Governments in the handling oi meat. He did not think this would raise international diliiculties, bul if the capitalist.- of America did have stillicient power lo make trouble through the American Government .vc had got. a lieu position and could see it through. Lhe -hipping problem would also have to do faced by the Government, even it n went to the length of State service. Mr \ns'-ey said that he did not altogether blame them, but if anyone in New Zealand was associated with J. 0. Armour and I 0., the Hank of New Zealand was tho greates .inner ol the lot, as the finance of the Meat Trust was guaranteed through the bank. Mr Field (Nelson) said this report was the first gun tired in the great struggle with the big American companies Th.- debate was continued by Messrs xatboft J'oole, Webb and Dee. The report was adopted and the House rose al 5.30 p.m. FXPEDITIONARY FORCES AMEND. ' MENTBILL. When the House resumed at 7.30, Mr Anderson continued the debute on the Lx- ■ K-ditionary Forces Amendmen . Bill He directed his remarks against the military shirkers, contending that such persoas should be deprived ol any land they hold „, H ) ,i they now hold no land, they should ,',„, be allowed to acquire any laud in the ,„,,,,,, Ho gave notice of his intention to move an amendment to that ell eel when ihe Hill i- in committee. Sn Joseph Ward said at the outbreak ol ili'c war. all classes and creeds of our people joined together for the purpose of hclp- ',,..- ,hc Empire in the hour of its need. A , H u ble instance of this was the case ol Ireland where, prior to the war, the people we're armed to the teeth, but the moment ,;.. Empire was in danger, the two groat , , nl udin;,' parties sunk their party dificr,nc.- and joined together. They were still i; rf.ting together, and were prepared, to milk" great sacrifices in contending against an' intolerant foe. This he regarded as a

valuable load towards toleration, ami lie hoped the House would arrive at a decision .in certain matters in this Bill such as would eliminate strife and bitterness in tliicoiintry. Referring to tho exemption of Ihe clergy, he considered that during a time of war the people should not be deprived of theii spiritual consolation, neither should our educational institutions | JL . 6U depleted as to deprive children ol that class of education necessary to enable them to take the right view of their duties as citizens alter the war. In this respect, we might well take example from America, where President Wilson declared no Icachcr shail leave Ihe United Slates. .Much the .-.one position existed in England, wheie, up to March lasl no teacher belonging to a religious orders had been ask.d lo go to the war. Ile would be no party to a sisting anyone lo shirk his duty to the country. Inn he did not think anyone could accuse the Roman Catholic body of shirking its duty, since 9721 members of that communion had i miiarkcd on active service tin to the 28th I! Enforcements. Discussing '•>»' Marisl school question, he -aid there were 2000 children attending their eleven schools, thus saving Ihe Dominion, roughly, £14,000 per annum. Their teachers numb* red 35. and of these only about 20 were likclj to be medically lit. He wished the House lo remeiubei there was no possibility oi these leathers being reinforced from olhei sources, and Ihe imlv course ih. -<• men could pursue, as Ihe law slood, was to go before Ihe Medical Hoard, and if the Hoard said they must go, then they must ; bin he desired to ask .1 twenty, or even all the 35 ol such men were sent, was there any likelihood of inmaking any difference to the war, to say nothing of the deference which should be paid to the wishes of 9700 of their coreligionists, now lighting at the I rout, and who desired to have then - children i-ducated on lines which they considered necessary to their welfare. Personally, he intended to vole for the exemption oi till the teachers, and, if the I louse was not prepared tu go that far. (hen he would vole to exempt Die Marist broiln is. Dr. Tiiaiker also favoured exemption for the Marisl brother, on the giound that their living was not an occupation, but a vocation. He deprecated sending any .-p.eiali.-„ d man as an ordinary "Tommy." If we were up against a wall, then no man slioaid be exempt, every man should go. Bul we were not in that position yet, ami there was ' no need for thi- extreme legislation. Sir John Findlay deprecated the importation of sectarian differences into Ihe debate.

and appealed lo member,, to consider fhe Hill in a spirit of toleration and swoei reasonableness Mr Wright said he hoped to be as tolerant as anyone, but with him it was not a question of the religion.- belief of anyone, but the quest ion was whether single men should remain at home while married men were ia!; u from their families and sent to ih.- front. ll.' saw a great difficulty the moment ihe I louse began to make cxeinp lions, and he. therefore, favour, d bringing eevrvone under the operation of the Biif. and'allow the Appeal Hoard- to exempt such as they think essential to the community. Mr Craigie condemned exemptions, and said in committee he would vote io strike out clause 3, Looking at the question from the Kmpire point, of view. Mr lliudinarsh urged the House to be toll rant, and ask. d was it worth while annoying a Roman Catholic body bv sending lo the front a few men whom they considered of so much value tit home. Mr McC'allum complained of the wording ..I clause 3. U was iiuh finite, and flu re was no proper d linitioii of the term "1 loly Order-." '1 he House should not throw on the Military Service Hoards the responsibility of saving who are. and who are not, in' holy order.-, lie contended the Mati-t brotht i - m were in holv orders. Mr Hudson argued that this was a mili tarv measure, and not a religion.- measure, and the Military Service Hoard should be allowed to say who should go to the front and who should stay at home. Mr L'avne stronglv supported clause 3 ol 'the Hill.'and hoped it whoidd be supplemented by exempting teacher- of all denominations. Mr Clover also favoured the exemption of the Marist brothers. Mr Dixon (Earnell) said it had been stated in the House that 60 per cent of the Samoaii Force were Roman Catholic-, and he'got a return laid on the table which stated that the total force sent to Samoa was 1382 men. Of these 174 were Roman Catholics, w.hich meant they comprised 12 per cent of the total, which was a very different thing from 60 percent. He,mentioned this in view of other returns quoted in the House. Personally he considered there should be no eliminations, and he would vole against clause 3. The debate was continued bv Messrs Colvin. Brown. Walker, Poole. MeCombs, ami Field (Nelson) who favoured the exemption of clergy and teachers. Mr Nosworthy and Mr Siaiham opposed (he exemption of teachers, while favouring tin' exemption of clergy. The Minister for Defence, in reply, -aid the Bill was framed on the British law, which exempted men in holy orders, but not religious orders, and the only difference was he had included in the schedule Seventh Day Adventists and the Salvation Army, but no other-. Only the other day he received a letter asking that the Unitarian 'Church should be cut" out of the schedule, and he was prepared to -hake hand- with every Unitarian minister who showed such a loyal spirit., lie'favoured the exemption of the clergy, because he could trust the various churches to willingly supply all the men wanted for service as chaplains, lie was

bound to siiy religion- orders were not exempt, under clause 3. They were not exempt by the War Oflicc at Home, but up to the present none had been called up. This course had been followed here, and now Parliament must decide whether thai. course is to continue, and he was going to stand by the Bill, because if religious orderwere exempted all sorts of exemptions \ww likely co creep, in. A scheme was on foot to exempt teacher-, lie could not vote for the exemption of teachers. They had g,-no to the front in great numbers, and proved a most valuable factor in our forces, lie had received a letter from an officer in high command, asking that educated men should be sent as officers, and fie did not think the teachers still here would like to remain and leave their males in the lurch. The education of unfit might suffer for the moment, but he was convinced that both the teacher- and clergy who had gone to the from would, when they returned, make the best leacher- and preachers. It was more important Industries should be exempt than teachers, but whatever the decision of the House was. he would do his best to c:;rry it into effect The Bill was read a -econd lime, and the I lou-e went into Committee. Al clause 3 Dr. Newman moved to strike out tho words "specified in the schedule," slating that this, if carried, would neco.-.; late th.- -Hiking nut of the schedule and lea\ in» the Boards to di eide who was in Imlv orders or a regular minister of a le ligi'ous body. 'l'ho Minister said that he had no objection lo the amendment ;nd would leave it io Ihe House. The Military Service Boards c.nld ti:;iub vyh,< v .:.. pi I :.|> ord< ; ■ n.l if they differed in opinion, an Appeal Ho,ml could be set. up. 'J lie words were struck out. Subclause 1! being considered superfluous, in view of a prior amendment, was also s.ruck out. Sir Joseph Ward moved a new sub-clause exempting all school teacher.-, with a >'iew io maintaining education at the present standard, The amondmenl was carried by 36 to 33. Clause 12 was amended lo deprive deserters of civil rights. The Minister moved a new clause validating all sentences passed by New Zealand t oiirts-inaiLal. Mr Willord attacked the attempt to whitewash illegal sentences, considering, it better to own up and pay compensation. The Minister denied that there were any ■■ im -. requiring v- hitov-, ashing No mprticr had be. n done anyone, but he was advised In the Crown Law officers thai such a clause ua- in e..--arv in war i ime. Mi Willord said that if the lad- of l;'it/.- ... raid'- ease are as put to him. the Miuisler musl put his resignation in the hands of the Premier, and some prominent officers must also put in their resignations, li was ihe most extraordinary ease which had, rver come under hi-, not ice. Sir John Findlay suggested the hoi.ling over of the retrospective action of the elau.se. iill January next, thus giving injured persons 1 ill 1 hen to bring act ion. The Minister accepted this proposal, but the suggestion finding little favour, it was withdrawn. The clause was added to the Bill by 33 voles to 28. Mr Anderson's amendment depriving deserters ol landed properly was. on a division, iejected by 45 vol.. to 16. the Minister stating thai Cabinet had considered lie proposal and had decided that it was going Loo far. The committee agreed to a now clause exempting the last son in a I'amih of which three or more sons were already ;:i the front. A new clause, moved by Mr Smith (Wainiarino), exempting the la.-t man on ihe farm, was lost by 41 votes lo 6. The Bill wa.- then repotted with amendments The aniendne in- were agreed to and the Bill read a ti ird time. The House rose at 4.15 a.m.