PARLIAMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, 5 August 1916, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

OF FLFCTIO-VS. DTKFFRF.M R OF OPINION. {By Talegraph—oa-jj Correspondent.) WF.LLIM : I ON. This F)iv. Tile LeLri.slat i\ t >' :.ii::< i passed tljfv WashiiiLr 1 p ISil! through its final j and pas-vd the War Jji'L, r islation R.ill, Orehaifl Tax Bill and Native Wash:::.rp Bill through all stages. The. House, ilea It with various repots in the afternoon and in the fitst i art. of the evening put. a lari:e number of ioeal hills fhrouyh. ail stages. J ).seus.siou on the liill provid i'iil: foi' Trie postp-'ineiiient of Parliamentary elei'oi.s for one year, which took place last evening revealed a diffeiem-e of opinion. Several members spoke in favour of '-he Bill hut finite a number opposed it. The fact, tha-t- the postponement of the elections would also involve the postponement- of tlie local option poll was emphasised by members in favour of -o • license and the su illicit ion was made that- the (lovernmeiH- should not allow the trade- to such all wioi'mous benefit, as this would them. The Prime .Minister, in moving the 2nd .leading, said it- was inadvisable ;«» hold elections at such time. One stron.; reason was that over 50.000 soldiers had already left our shores anil by 'he i M-i oi" this vear. about f>o.ooo would have none and if the waV eoiiiiuned ' !-e Miiaiber would be about. 90.000 by '.he • nil of 1917. when the elections in 'lie '•ldinary course, would bo <lne. Mr Malcolm, in referiinu io the '.let 1 :.at the postponement of the elect ions "•••>;M involve, the j;ostponeinont fit I he l.'.c'il Option Poll, which would lepresent- an enoitnous benefit to the trade.

asked whether the National Government could not hold the balance evenly m

-his matter ami t-ive some concession to 1 ho-'.* in I'.ivoiii e,f ti-mpeiance refo.m. On .'iie.rS'n-r strage.sted that ;-io- • -ion slould be added that if the war ended in six month.-- the bill would he. inonorat ivo.

Mr Massey said the f u-f. thai Britain mm! Canada were po.-t; oning the elections showed that- t-ho \v;t v ">vas .notlikely to end for sonic time. In any case they should give soldiers time to .set. back.

Mr T. Field said lie opposed the bill for t lit*. same reason that he opposed t'its bll postponing local elections. He was opposed to postponing any elections-. In this case there was a special reason in thai the people had a contract with tilt! Government that there should lie a local option poll every three years. They should not ho deprived of this r uhl. The Bill wa.s read a second time, by 41 to 16. Aves : All-en. Anderson, Bollard. 1 Jud'do. Buiok. Dickson (2). Ell. W. Field, Fi.iser. Glover. Guthrie. Hnnnn. Harris, Heiwiv. Herdman. Berries. Hunter, -Hudson. Isilt-. Jennings, MacDonald, McN'ab, Malcolm. Mander, Massey. Myers, .Newman. Nosworthy. Okey, Poland. Pomare. R-. H. Rhodes, Russoil, Srott. Stathani. .Stewart, Sykes. Thomson. Ward, Young. Noes: Anstey. Craigie. T. Field, FU-tcher. Hindmarsh, McCombs. Newnr<n. Payne. T. \Y. Rhodes. Talbot. Yciteh. Walker. Webb. Wilfoid. Witty, Wright. The I>i 11 -passed all its stages and Ihe House rose at- 1 a.m.