PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16583, 5 July 1917, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

MINISTERS IN ENGLAND.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The House of Eepresentatives met at 2.30. The following Bills were introduced and reau a first Definition of Time Bill (Mr. T. K. Sidey), Proportional Representation Effective Voting Bill (Mr. W. A. Veitch), Dominion State Bank Bill (Mr. W. A. Veitch), Commercial Trusts Amendment Bill (Mr. W. A. Veitch), Police Force Amendment Bill (Mr. W. A. Veitch). Mi-. J. Payne (Grey Lynn) urged a removal of limitation on amount of deposits in the rost Office Savings Bank on whicn interest is paid. Sir Joseph Ward, in replv, said that a limitation was necessary, otherwise large sums would be deposited for a short term and then they would be suddenly called on to pay out, perhaps, mill*?**. This would necessitate the retention in the bank of large balances, and thereby restrict its usefulness. The Post Office Savings Bank was never intended to be used as a commercial but as depository for small savings. Mr. Massey made a personal explanation regarding the statement that he and the Minister for Finance travelled from Auckland on their arrival back in the Dominion by special train. He read a statement from the Railway Department, showing that it had been found necessary to divide the Main Trunk train into two parts, owing to pressure, due to the arrival of a British mail, and the Ministers had travelled by the second part, by which any of the .public could also have travelled. He. also" denied that he had received a House allowance while absent from the Dominion.

The Registration of Business Names Bills was introduced by Governor's Message and read a first time.

Money Well Spent.

Mr. T. M. Wilford (Hutt) commenced a discussion on the statements made yesterday by the Prime Minister and the Minister for Finance concerning their visit to Britain. He warmly approved of such visits, and thought the country should not begrudge the money they had cost. The war conference would be memorable in history. Mr. A. S. Malcolm (Clutha) regretted that the statement of the Prime Minister disclosed the fact that New Zealand meatfell into the partial control of the Meat Trust, if not used by the Imperial authorities in Britain. He said that the selfsupplying Empire sketched by Mr. Massey was a dr»im, which would never be realised. No country was ever built up on tariffs, but depended entirely on the energy, enterprise, and initiative of its people. After the evening adjournment the House resumed at 7.30. Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christchurch North) dwelt on the difficulties of the preferential tariff. *

Dr. A. K. Newman (Wellington East) regretted that the Prime Minister had not agreed to hold a secret session to take the House into his confidence As it was the House had not been told anything they did not know before. Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton) criticised the action of Ministers in demanding high prices for New Zealand produce from the British authorities. New Zealand had no right to extract the last shilling from the Empire. He complained that while thousands of tons of food were in the freezing stores the prices to the people were the highest known in the historv of the Dominion.

Dr. Thacker (Christchurch East) advocated the establishment of State industries, such as working iron ore, papermaking, wool-scouring, and margarine manufacture. i

The Shipping Merger.

_ Mr. C. H. Poole (Auckland West) said if an Imperial federation ever came about it must be on the commercial basis. To make such a federation a success British manufacturers must adapt their wares to colonial and foreign requirements. He denounced in strong terms the merger of the Union Company with the P. and O. Company. After the supper adjournment the discussion was continued by Mr. J. Payne (Grey Lynn) and Mr. V. H. Reed (Bay of Islands. J

Mr. Massey in reply said that the rea- ™ j ? h 7 , he and Sir Joseoh Ward had been so emphatic on the removal of the double income tax was that the Dominions needed capital for development and anything which hindered the investment of capital in young countries was harmful from the point of view of the State- This was not a question that affected the individual alone. Me defended his views on preference* which, he contended, would have an Empire-building influence. He hoped that in future Britain would not place German goods on the same fiscal plane as Dominion goods. He agreed there should be no bargaining for any such advantage as preference, and he was confident it would not make the slightest difference to our loyalty whether we obtain conditions favourable to us or not He spoke of the need for population in the outlying portions of the Emnire, and said that many British soldiers, because of their association with overseas soldiers would be anxious to make their home in these new lands. Consequently he had taken every opportunity to induce English people to come out and see the Dominion for themselves, as they could not possibly judge its great potentialities from the shores of England. The House rose at 11. p.m.