THE SESSION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10847, 12 March 1921, Page 8

THE SESSION

TRIBUTES TO DECEASED LEGISLATORS

LABOUR AMENDMENT TO ADBREBS-IN-REPLY

DETAILS OF YESTERDAY’S BUSINESS

"In the House ot rvepresentatives yesterday afternoon references were made to the memories of a number of deceased legislators—Mr W. D. Rowdied, the Hem. George Jones, Mi- J. T. M. Hornsby, Mr A. W. Hogg, Sir James Prendergast, the Hon. J. A. Tole, Mr Frank Lawry, Mr Samuel Parnell, and Mr C. E. Button. MR W. D. POWDRELL. The Prime Minister moved that the House should record its high sense of the faithful services rendered by the late Mr W. D Pcnfdrell, and respecfully tender tp his widow and family its sincere sympathy with them in their bereavement. Mr Powdrell, ’he said, had only entered the House in December, 1919. Members would agree that the uncertainty of life was as well exemplified in the case of members of Parliament as in the ease of other members of the tommunity. Time after time they had seen members in their usual health only to hear in a few weeks’ time that they had passed away. The late Mr Powdrell represented one of the most important electorates in New Zealand. Ho did a grea.t deal for agriculture in Taranaki, particularly for dairying. He was a good friend of the dairy fanner, and there was reason to believe that the fact was appreciated. The motion was seconded bv the Hon. T. M. Wilford, Leader of the Opposition, who remarked on the frequency with which such resolutions were of late moved in the House. There were now -only the Prime. Minister, the Hon. Sir Heaton Rhodes, and the Hpn. J. A. Hanan who had sat in the House continuously since he (Mr Wilford) first entered it. Speaking as a Taranaki member, HD JR. Masters said that the late Mr- Powdrell had always been a straight, sincere man, who had done a lot in the way of helping others. To his credit it could be said that ho had personally backed quite a number of returned soldiers. Sir Masters believed that in a

sense Mr Powdrell’s death was due to what he had done for' others. Mr W. H. Field reminded the House that Mr Powdrell had. written a most valuable book on the subject of dairy ingin New Zealand. The motion was agreed to. THE HON. GEORGE JONES. A similar resolution was passed respecting the Hon. George Jones, whom the Prime Minister said had been a valuable member of the Bouse of Representatives, and later of the Legislative Council. Mr Gone© was a kindly and upright man, whose public services to New Zealand were great. Mr Wilford, in seconding the resolution. mentioned the help that Mr Jones had often given to those who were junior to him in Parliament. The Hon. E. P. Lee said the loss of Mr Jones was deeply regretted. He was one of the hold, fearless men who in all ages had .stood out for the hettennient of conditions. He had fearlessly fought, the battle against land monopoly, and he was a strong advocate of temperance. Ho was . a man of high character and fine attainments. He would be much missed. Mr Isitt said of the late Mr Jones that he had gone to his grave rich in the love and gratitude of many. MR J. T. M. &ORNSBY. Mr Massey described the late -Mr J. T. M. -Hornsby as one who had been long known in New Zealand politics, and who became better known in the days of the war by the great and valuable services he then rendered the oaUße of the Empire. The advocacy of that cause he took np with all his enthusiasm. He was possessed of natural eloquence, and this he improved by study and practice. He had done hi© share as a public man. All regretted sincerely that his career had ended. Mr . Wilford spoke of the late Parliamentarian a© one who had rendered enthusiastic service during the war, and who had worked generally very hard- in the public interests. He mentioned the part Mr Hornsby had fearlessly played in exposing A. B. Worthington m Christchurch, _ • Tributes were paid by HD A. D. McLeod. Mr T. K. Sidey, the Hon. J. A. Hanan, and the motion was carried. MR A. W. HOGG. Speaking of the late HD A. W. Hogg, Mr Massey said .that Mr Hogg had been an honest and fearless .member of Parliament. He had been a great worker in the cause of education. On the land question Mr Hornsby and he had often crossed swords, but never was there any thing • more than a difference of opinion. Messrs T. M. Wilford,. G. Sykes, A. S. Malcolm, H. B. Holland, and tne Hpn. J. A. Hunan also spoke. Mr Sykes said that Mr Hogg had gone to his reward honoured, revered and. respected by all. He had done much toward the opening up of the backblocks. SIR JAMES PRENDERGAST. Q£ Sir James' Prendergast HD Massey said he was a distinguished lawyer, and one who would he long remembered by New Zealand. Mr Wilford referred to the deceased judge as one ““Who dearly loved New Zealand. He was a judge noted for his kindness to young probationers. He did not correct young men from the Bench, but after the case there was a kindly call to his private room. In New Zealand the name of Sir James Prendergast would never die. \ THE HON. J. A'. TOLE. The Hon. C. J. Parr moved a motion respecting the Hon. -J. A. Tole,' who, he said, was one of tho early stalwarts of the Liberal Party, and one of Sir George Grey’s trusted lieutenants. T 6 his lasting credit stood the First Offenders’ Probation Act, which became law in 1886. Mr Wilford spoke of the deceased gentleman as a lawyer of Dominion reputation, a worker who was indefatigable, a prosecutor who overlooked no point, but was fair. He was a glutton for work, and was very devoted to his profession. MR FRANK LAWRY. Mr Massey said that the late Mr Frank Lawry possessed many very fine qualities, and the proof of that was that for 24 years he held the confidence of the electors. He was a most generous man, whp did not amass weaitii largely because of his generosity. HD Wilford described tho late Mr Lawry as one of. the finest characters in many ways the Sous© had ever seen. He was a man of exceptional kindness, who gave away practically everything he had. MR SAMUEL PARNELL. The next reference was to the late - Samuel Parnelk of wham the Prime

Minister spoke in terms of high praise. Jtr Witt'ord mentioned the great work that the late Mr Parnell had done for his town, Napier: and Mr J. Vigor Brown described him as .one of the most faithful men who ever entered Parliament. MR C. E. BUTTON. In moving respecting tho relatives of the late Mr Charles E. Button, tho Prime Minister spoke of his long public service, ending in tho capacity of an acting-judge of the Supremo Court. Mr Massey mentioned that tho lato Mx Button .was his bench-mate when ho first entered Parliament, and occupied a back. Opposition bench. The House then adjourned till 2.30 on Monday out of respect for tho memory of the deceased gentlemen.

FURTHER AMENDMENT

TCN ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. LABOUR PARTY’S MOVE. When the House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m., Mr H. E. Holland (Duller), chairman of ' the Labour Party, gave notice of the following amendment to the Address-in-Reply : —• “We, however, feel it to be our duty to submit to Your Excellency: (1) That, in view of tho serious economic situation now developing in New Zealand, which renders it inadvisable that Parliament should go into a lengthy recess, and also in view of the complete absence of any detailed reasons for holding the Imperial Conference,' and failing proper provision for the democratic election of a representative by the whole of the people of New Zealand, tho Dominion’s representative at the Imperial Conference should be the High Commissioner for New Zealand, ’who should he definitely instructed by the New Zealand Parliament, but with no power to commit the Dominion to any line of policy, nor to accept responsibility on behalf of the Dominion for Imperial acts, declarations of war, etc., until all such ma tiers shall have received the sanction of both people and Parliament. “(2) That the New Zealand delegate should be instructed to give loyal adherence at "the Conference to the principles laid down in the Covenant of the League" \of Nations (of which League New Zealand is a part), clause 8 <tt which reads: ‘The members of the League recognise that the maintenance of Peace requires the reduction of national armaments.’ The delegate should he instructed to resist every movement in, the direction, of increased armaments; to" oppose every suggestion making for the precipitation of war with America or any.other country; and on every occasion to urge the linking up of the peoples of all countries in a commonwealth of industry and peace. “(3) That the delegate to the Imperial Conference should declare and Vote against all diplomatic secrecy, and that he Should strenuously advocate that*in all treaties between Great Britain and Foreign Powers, and all arrangements between the Dominions and Great Britain, the basis shall not be for naval and military purposes, but for the purpose of social, political, and economic amenities. The present treaty between England and Japan being merely a iwilitary treaty, and both countries being members of the League of Nations, no renewal of the. treaty is required, inasmuch: as Article 20 of the Covenant of the •League says: -‘The members of the League severally agree that this Covenant is accepted as abrogating all obligations or inter se which aro inconsistent with the terms thereof, aaid solemnly undertake that they will mot hereafter enter into any engagements inconsistent with the terms thereof.

“(4) That the New Zealand delegate to the Imperial Conference should resolutely advocate the granting to the people of Deland, India and Egypt that full measure of self-determiiiation to gain which fior all small nationalities tho statesmen of Britain declared the recent world war was fought. “(5) Finally, we feel it to be our duty to represent to Your Excellency our strong disapproval of the action of Your Excellency's Government in appointing to the position of AotingPrime Minister an honourable gentleman who is not a member of the House of Representatives."

SAMOAN MANBATE

AND TREATIES OF PEACE BILL

Mr Wilford (Leader of the Opposition) said that he wished to ask a question, and he hoped that the Prime Minister would not ask him to put it on the Order Pa-peer, as it was an important and urgent matter. Last session the / House passed tho Treaties of Peace Act, 1920, and that measure expiled on October 20th this year. He washed to ask the "Prime Minister:— Whether he proposed, in the Expiring Lows Continuance Bill this session, to provide for this pairticular position; whether the mandate for Samoa issued by the League of Nations had yet come to hand - and whether, as required under article 20 of the Treaty, the degree of New Zealand’s authority under the mandate had been defined P It was absolutely necessary, he said, that it should be defined; and the whole of tho Treaties of Peace Hill expired in October this year. He suggested that the Prime Minister Should put a clause in tho Expiring Laws Continuance Bill, or give the House some indication of what was proposed to he dono iiji the *m atter.

Mr Massey replied) that the point had not been overlooked. He was not quite certain whether any provision was made .in regard to it in the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill; but, if necessary, provision would be made in that hill. His own opinion was that tho House would have am opportunity o{ dealing with the matter some weeks before the date referred to, October 29th next. So far as the "mandate was concerned, it" had not yet reached New Zealand in its entirety. It was on the way. He had alreradv received telegrams making' sundry additions to and amendments in the mandate. He. thought that the mandate would set out tho degree of authority; and that the mandate. w-ould be dealt with during the long session, the business session, this year. Other questions, with and without notice, aje dealt with; elsewhere.

' MONDAYS TAISEN. EOR GOVERNMENT BUSINESS. The Prime Minister gave notice of motion to take Mondays for Government business only", and that Government business should take precedence on "Wednesdays. _ , After references to the deaths or deceased legislators (reported elsewhere} the House adjourned at 4.40 p.m- till 2.30 p.m. on Monday.

QUESTION TIME

WHAT M.P.’s WANT TO KNOW. MAIN ROADS BILL. TO BE CIRCULATED SHORTLY. In the House of Representatives yesterday Mr G. W- Forbes (Hurauui) asked the Minister for Public Works, without notice, when the proposed bill dealing with the upkeep and maintenance of main roads would be circulated. Local bodies throughout the country, he stated, were very anxious to know, as a lot of work connected with main reads was held up at the present time. The Hon. J. Q. Coates stated that the bill had been in the hands of. the Crown Law Draftsman for some time, and. he understood that it was now about ready to be submitted to him for final correction. It would afterwards have to >be approved by Cabinet and printed. He assured the hon. gentleman that the bill would be circulated to local bodies and others concerned at the earliest possible dateSPECIAL CONSTABLES. “NOTHING IN THE RUMOUR.” Could the Prime Minister afford the House of Representatives any information in regard to the truth, or otherwise, of a rumour, which he had seen in one of the papers, that special provision was being made at the present time for the enrolment of special constables; that the forms of enrolment were ready; and that uniforms, batons, qtc., were being prepared? a member inquired. Mr Massey said that he knew nothing of the rumour. He was not now Minister in charge of the Police. The Hon. E. P. Lee was now Minister for Police, and Mr Lee had just informed him that he knew nothing of the mattor to which the honourable member had referred. He ventured to say that there was nothing iu the rumour. CENSUS AND ELECTORATES. THE INCREASED MARGIN. Mr R. MoCallum (Wairau) asked the Prime Minister, whether, m view of the fact that a census was about to be taken and the Boundaries Commissioners would then meet to readjust the electoral boundaries, he would provide, in order that the commissioners might carry out their duties more efficiently, that they be paid their expenses so that they could travel round the various districts. Mr Massey said that he could not give a definite reply; but if, when the Boundary Commissioners far the two islands met, either of them expressed through its chairman a desire that the commissioners have an opportunity of viewing the proposed boundaries, he thought that It could be arranged. He thought there would be no difficulty iq the way; but by an amendment passed last session—he thought at the instance of tho honourable member himself—the margin allowed the commissioners had been made very much wider; and, therefore, there would be much less difficulty m arranging satis-, factory boundaries than in the past. LOCAL BODIES’ LOANS. SHORTER TERMS. HIGHER INTEREST? Could the Prime Minister have legia -latioai introduced this year giving local

bodies, subject to the consent of the ratepayers, the right- to reduce the term of their loans and raise the interest to six per cent.? asked Mr J. A. Nash (Palmerston Ncrth), without notice in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. Mr Massey replied, that the question of the term of loans was now under the consideration of the Law Drafting Department; and, if recommended by the departmentj a clause would be inserted in the Finance Bill giving the power desired. There was do very serious difficulty in raising the rate of interest; as, if it could not be increased in one way, it could be in another, by means of discount. Bat he would like to tell the House, that if they increased the rate of interest to 8 per cent, he did not think that it wonld get over the financial difficulty in the very slightest. There would still be as peat a demand for money; and he that the House would agree with him that, fn the interests of the whole country, the rate of interest should be kept down as much as possible. (Hear, heard