PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16597, 21 July 1917, Page 8

PARLIAMENT.

SELECTION OF COMMITTEES.

ADDEESS-IN-BEPLY DEBATE.

[BY TELEGBATH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON. Friday. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m

The Shops and Offices Amendment Bill .vas introduced by Mr. A. H. Hindmarsh [Wellington South), and read a first time. Mr. Hindmarsh explained that the measure was practical!}' a copy of the Bill introduced by the Premier fix years ago. The Bill was then endorsed by the Labour Bills Committee, but was never brought before the House, being postponed from time to time.

The Maori War Medal Bill was introduced by Mr. R. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs), and read a first time.

The sessional committees were set up. the personnel being the same as last year. fir. Thacker protested against the constitution of the Lands Committee, there being, he said, "too many Reform Tories on it." The proportion was nine to fi\e, an altogether inadequate representation of the Liberal Party. Mr. D. H. Guthrie (Oroua) said that as the Governor-General's speech had indicated that only war legislation would be introduced this session it was not necessary to revise the constitution of any committee.

Mr. T. M. Wilford (iiutt) said it was customary to consult the Liberal Whip in the selection of committees. This year this had not been done, and he considered the course followed most improper. Mr. Guthrie replied that as there was no party in the House it was therefore not necessary to consult the Liberal Whip. The members of the Lands Committee were selected only because of the deep interest they took in the land question. Mr. W. T. Jennings (Taumarunui) stated while the greatest amoynt of land settle-

ment was going on in the North Island, the Lands Committee, as proposed, had a majority of South Island members. That was not considering the best interests of the Dominion. . Premier Surprised. The Prime Minister said that the discussion was a surprise to him, as the motion to set up this committee had been before the House for several days, and not a single complaint had reached the Ministers.

Dr. Thacker : I asked you a question about it the other day, and you said we were a happy family. Mr. Massey: So we are. Dr. Tha-cker : We are not. Continuing, Mr. Massey said that while the National Government existed no party measures would be submitted to Parliament. He regretted that the Liberal whip had not been consulted, but he was quite ready to meet the wishes of the House, and would add the name of Mr. Jennings to the committee. This was agreed to on the voices. Further discussion took place on a similar point raised in connection with the constitution of the Labour Bills Committee. Mr. J. Payne (Grey Lynn) protesting that he was being deliberately kept off

the committee on account of his attitude in the House. The committee remained unchanged. The result of the last census having been placed on the table, the Prime Minister said that commissions would be setup to define the electoral boundaries at an early date. Mr. W. Nosworthy (Ashburton) suggested *hat some steps should be taken to see that greater regard was paid to community of interest in defining the electoral boundaries. The Hon. G. W. Russell replied that the duties of the commissioners were statutory. They were obliged to work to defined rules, and it was contrary to law that the Prime Minister should 'interfere. Debate 6ontinued.

Mr. G. R. Sykes (Masterton) resumed the debate on the Address-in-Reply. He spoke in admiration of the manner in which farmers and landowners generally had responded to the call made upon them— in men and money. He deprecated the cry of town versus country which had been raised in the debate.' Concerning the question of further reinforcements, he considered it the duty of the Dominion to hold on until victory was secured.

After the dinnejr adjournment the debate was resumed by Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui), who condemned 1 the town versus country cry, but said that if th<* country members wanted things all their own way they were making a mistake, because the country had more to lose in such a quarrel than the" townspeople. He could not. understand the opposition to the butter-fat tax, which ought to have provoked the highest admiration. The position was absolutely wrong that the producers should charge famine prices He considered the Minister had only done his duty in preventing the price of butter soaring and the public being seriously exploited. He favoured an increase in the land-tax to make the agricultural industry bear the cost of its own future development. Cheap and abundant power was essential to the development of in dustnes, and to this end hydro-electrical power must be utilised as it could be provided more cheaply than in Norway. The Common Complaint.

*¥\?' -A W l ight (Hngton Suburbs) said he understood that the National Government was unpopular throughout the Dominion, but that was easily understood because in the performance of its duty to the country it had been compelled to tread on the "corns of almost every section of the community He advocated the abolition of the excess profits tax and increased military pensions. People who were unable to go to the front must realise that their share in the great conflict was to find money. The question of reinforcements required careful consideration. So far as he could see the casualties for 28 months averaged under 1000 a month. If that was so, where was the necessity to send 2000 a month' Mr. C. J. Talbot (Temuka) protested apamst the shipping merger, and declared that the manner in which the shipping companies treated the farmers justified the latter establishing their own shipping facilities. He maintained that the reports of the Efficiency Board should be laid before Parliament without delav Members were to a great extent being treated as cyphers. THev had the right to know what the board thought of .essential industries. He denounced extravagance going on in the Dominion in the purchase of motor-cars and fur coats, and ursred the Government to arrange taxation in such a wav a to check this expenditure on luxuries. As to the cost of the war. be did not favour the view that it should be paid for out of loan monev New Zealand should shoulder the responsibility by imposing adequate taxation rather than leaving it to posterity. The House adjourned at 11.20 pm