ECHOES FROM "HANSARD"

Northern Advocate, 1 September 1913, Page 4

ECHOES FROM "HANSARD"

VARIOUS POLITICAL POINTS.

Mr Wilson (Taumarunui). —The honourable member for Wairau has said that we are keeping down the funds at the disposal of the Advances Board in order -that the private money-lender might get a higher rate of interest. Sir, if ever there was a Government in power in New Zealand that represented the farmer and the small man in this country it is the present Government. They are doing everything in their power to raise money to enable the settlers to develop the country.

Mr Myers (Auckland) >—I am in entire accord with and approve a compulsory system of national service. I believe that no man is true to his J country if he does not view this very! important question from a serious standpoint. 1 am afraid the honourable member for Grey is obsessed with arguments he has been using when addressing the public on this subject. It is such a vital question, concerning intimately the. very existence of our Dominion and our Empire, that we cannot afford to treat it lightly, and much less can we afford to make a party question of it or meet it with a party spirit. I, for one, will stand up before any audience in this Dominion and associate myself with those who are endeavouring to train the young people of this country to defend their country should occasion require.

Hanan (Invercargill).—l desire to voice the feelings of the people of. Southalnd —the antagonistic feelings-. M of the people of Southland —in regard to the way in which they were— treated by the Government on the occasion of the visit of the Dreadnought. Thousands of people of Southland, of all shades of public opinion, have denounced the shabby, vindictive, and mean-spirited action of the Government in not allowing them more than one day to visit H.M.S. "New Zealand" at the Bluff. No amount of explanation will convince the people of Southland —but that it was intended —plainly intended —to deny them the opportunity of seeing more of that sMp because it was given by one of the members for Southland, the late Prime. Minister. I should . have thought th.at the Prime Minister of the day would have shown a more magnanimous spirit. •

Mr Hunter (Waipawa).—With--re-gard to ttse question of providing facilities for workers' homes in the agricultural districts, I think that is a move in .the rjght direction. One of the greatest difficulties that the man on the land has to contend with is the difficulty with regard to obtaining suitable agricultural labour, and if homes are provided for these agricultural labourers I believe this great difficulty will be to soma extent removed The proposal of the Government to provide dwelfingß for agricultural labourers is one which commends itself very much to me, and I hope immediate steps will be taken to give effect to the proposal, which I believe is largely in the interest of, the man on the land and also the employees.

Mr Anderson (Mataura). —I cannot say that I am enamoured of the in-come-tax which, has been introduced by the Ministry. 1 trust they will accept amendments in it. 1 like to see the man who is making over £700 a year paying his ruii taxation. I cannot see that the £oOU should be given to a man who is earning £700 or over. Under that amount I quite agree fchat. the Minister is on eound ground, because my experience is that men who are earning £500 a year have not very much to spare. It is all very well for my labour friends to say that these men are well paid, but they hav-e to live well up to their income. If they did not live in a style in keeping, with, their income labour representatives would be the first to condemn them.

Mr Escott (Pahiatua). —I have long held -the opinion that in districts where railways are necessary, if the Govwnment have not funds at their disposal with which to carry on the railway-construction works, and the settlers themselves are willing to make the by means of private enterprise they should be allowed to do so. I do not mean to say that 1 am in favour of any concession being granted to a railway company to build* lines, without the interests of the people being carefully safeguarded ; but where the settlers are willing to tax themselves, to form rating-areas, and to construct lines of railway at their own exuense, and where the Government is unable to undertake the work, I think obstacles should not be placed in the way of private enterprise, provided the iGovernment safeguards the interests of the people and makes provision to take, over the railways should they desire to do so.