"MADE ABROAD"

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 10 July 1915, Page 6

"MADE ABROAD"

HOSPITAL SHIP EQUIPMENT.

ALLEGED TO COME - FROM GERMANY.

(By Telegraph—Own Correspondent^

WELLINGTON, July 9. A mild- sensation was -caused in the House yesterday afternoon "by a suggestion that equipment'of the hospital ship was made in Geraianv. Mr Rs Fletcher (Wellington .Central) asked whether it. was a fact that some ■ of t/he bedding on the Maheno had been made in Germany. (Laughter). He . heid' ,up a tag taken' off,, ate of the articles which he said bore the inscription. "Made jfbxoad.*' This, he. said, was in accordance with" the usual practice of German manufacturers." ,'He contended that money donated-.by the people towards the, equipment of vessel should not havei been spent.on German, goods. Mr Payne: Here' is another tag. " I -took it off 'a blanket on' the ship this morning*. * ■ The Hon.."J. Allen; after examining one" of the' tags, said:, "These tags are taken off quilts,— and we don't make quilts, 'tihe- quilts were made in Eng- . land. I think that the hon. gentleman has been made the subject of a trick. . As far as I know everything on the ship that could be made has been made in New Zealand." Mr Pavne: This is off colonial "blankets. MEMBERS SAMPLE BEDDING. INCIDENTTNTHE HOUSE. WELLINGTON, July 9. A question arising ou£ of a visit of inspection- paid by members of Parliament to <the Hospital Ship yesterday morning was asked in the House "this afternoon by-Mr J. A. .Young (Waikato). Mr Young- asked ..the Prime Minister whether Tie had any knowledge of a report that during- the visit of members, to the Hospital Ship a member of Parliament cut open a portion of 'the bedding with a knife. He considered' the report to be a grave reflection upon every member of the House.' .- . . "

. Mr Maseey.:... J have no .."knowledge of the truth or otherwise of the statement. I ,can only express the hope that no member ot Parliament has so far forgotten himself -when visiting the. ship as to damage any part of *he equipment. Sir Joseph Ward, said that the House fihooldi be told by the member for Waikaio the name of the member to -whom, he was -referring-, as the statement -that -he had made vrae casting an imputation upon every member* of "the House. Mr Young said that the member referred to was s.t present in the House, and it was only fair that he should leave it to.that member to decide whether he would speak for-himself. Opposition members-: No! No! No! If the member d5cL not answer for himself he (Mr Ybuhe) would take the responsibility of" mentioning his name. Sir Joseph Ward: Has the. member for Waikato followed the custom of intimating to the member concerned' that he intended to bring this matter' before the House? ' Mr T. W. Rhodes . (Thames): That ■was not "done in regard; to myself Hast cession-. •(Langhter>. ' Sir Joseph Ward: The Hon. member for Thames is one of the golden exceptions to the rule.

Dr Thacker (Christcburch): Seeing thai the;'ion. member ihas not got the pluck—' - Mr Speaker: No member is in order in. accusing another member of a. want of pluck, statement must be withdrawn. -.^

I>r Thacker .said that he -would withdraw the statement. He was the member who had -been accused, and he was protxl of it. He.ibad been" accused by the Minister for Public Healt of "poking about*." ',.... Mr Speaker: Yon are going from the point now. Dr Thacker said that 'he considered it ii-iportant that it should be ascertained vhether the feathers ard the horsehair in the pillowe and mattresses in the chip should be .sterilised.. He ihad open-. tfhe ends of a pillow,'and of a mattress, and Txad taken <mt samples which, he inttuded- to-submit to a bacteriological examination, in order.to'ascertain whether they wjere infected with the microbes of en-v disease. Hhat "was his explanation, and, if necessary, he would do it again. (Applause from Opposition members).