ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16120, 8 July 1914, Page 8

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

DEBATE IN THK LOWER HOUSE

(Peb Unitbo Pbkss Association.l

WELLINGTON, July 7

Mr ISauolt resumed Uie debate, on tin-AcUiresK-m-iiepiy tins afternoon. Ho t>lioke Willi pleslsun; i-nxm Ulu prospermia state ul our primal;, products, ami welcuim-d the prospc-et tliut tile opening of the. Panama Vaum would o|K>n up new market*, lor our meat in some ol the populous countries ol (;<io Old World. lie .-polio -with approval of the operations of tlnj Public ik'rviee Act and of the proposal to improve; tho position of tcachws and increase their salaries. Ho contended that if wne m.sruprceeiitation to wiy tliat the Government ooiitoinplatcd the establishment oi an independent navy. MrT. K. Y. Sedden urged tliat the Government should give some indication of when the Cost of Living Commiaiion report was to be discussed. IK' denrecatod Uve. failure to givo the West Coast repiveontation upon the" Agricultural Board. Ho complained that tho Governor's made no mention of mining legislation. Since tho bovemment came into office there had teen a sad falling off in attention to the goldlieliis. Compensation with regard to workers in mines was not satisfactory. He hoped that a clear statement of the Government's policy upon the local navy would be given. iVJr Scott said lie knew of no country m the world in whidh the worUcre were so well off, but the time must come when tho overloading oi the empsjyero by high wages would be felt. It was not only the high wages, and tho inefficiency of tho workman which employers in both town and country had to contend with. Ho supported immigration and laix! settlement. Ho was pleased to hear that it was proposed to do away with grants to local bodies. Mr L. M. Lsitt, in congratulating tho members wlho proposed tiie Address-in-Repljy said that they had performed the difficult tusk of making bricks without straw. He wanted to support Sir J. G. Ward's amendment, although he did not for one moment suppose it would bo carried. The Government supporters were eo supine and lamblike in their submission that tihey would submit to anything put forward by tlieir leaders. On only one occasion, when three members had had tho audacity to- oppose tho Prime Minister, tho great "Arikitory" had shaken his fist at them and they had crept back to their places. Since then no squeak had been heard from theao political iriics. It was a triumph' not of mind over matter, but of matter over matter. Ho condemned the Native land legislation of the Government, •which was against the interests of the Native. The one great cry of the Government was settlement, move settlement, and still more settlement. He complained that the small farmer was not represented on the Agricultural Board. He contended that there was aggregation, directly contributed to by the legislation placed upon the Statute Book by Mr Massey. Touching upon the defence question, he declared that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence had abjectly crawled down. It was idle to say that six months ago the. Government was not in favour of an independent navy. The train-

ing of 60 men would cost £50,000 a year, or at the rate of £2500 per man for the three yeare' course. The proposal was reckless and foolish, and there was no fear of the people being cajoled .into the adoption of an independent navy. He ridiculed the; suggestion that tho Reformers were not Conservative. Ho hoped that if they did not carry the no-confidence motion in the House they would see it carried in the country in six months' time.

Mr Rhodes said that the Speech from the Throne was a common-senso document. Tho legislation passed last session had tenckjd to "bring about settlement; He believed it would be possible , to reduce tho cost of living to the people by some adjustment of the Customs taxation, tho provision of workers' homes, etc. He Regretted that no mention was made of mining matters in the Governor's Speech. Many valuable reefs remained to be found.

Mr Webb said he could congratulate the Government upon standing true'to its traditions, i It had brought down a policy which was absolutely barren of anything in tho way of progression. He believed the striko was a relic of barbarism;' but, if that was so, was rot the cause of the strike all tho more a relic of barbarism? There was an economic cause behind every strike. The Government was largely responsible for tho industrial strife. A Government which was so despotic to Labour was one he would be pleased to vote against,,on a no-confidenco motion. . ''

Mr 801 l pointed : out that the condition of the occupancy of the land was due more to tho Liberals than the present Government. Credit was duo to the Government

for increasing the graduated land tax. He was not in favour of. increasing the gradu-

ated land tax on estates which were not suitable for cutting up. He agreed with tho Opposition upon defence, and would far rather have the naval subsidy; but, in view of the 1899 agreement, he did not think the contribution would mean an increase in the navy. He felt, however, that whatever tl-ey paid would only go towards a reduction in tho. Imperial Naval Estimates. IT they could guarantee an increase in tho navy ho Would far prefer the subsidy. Mr Massey was not to blame for disgracing , the interests of the.Native owners of the West Coast lands. The legislation passed by the liberals in 1892 prevented the Natives from occupying their own land. The legislation passed by the Massoy Government was the only legislation passed with the approval of Mr Ell opposed a local navy. Although only three and a-half months in office, the Mackenzie Government did real good work. The second ballot went through last session in its present form because the Opposition members were stopped from speaking by the Chairman of Committees. They heard nothing now of the hardships of settlers-ThcTe was no talk of pack horses in tho mud now. The settlers had* only been used as a whip for the Liberals, and tho sanv was the case with taxation. Tho .policy of the Liberals was to ease tho lot ot tho small taxpayers, taking tho money from the, wealthy people. He quoted extensively to show what substantial remissions had been mado

in the Customs by the Liberals, and further reductions were proposed. Superannuation and other generous schemes were introduced. The Liberal policy in the past was one of which every Liberal might bo proud. The Governor's Speech was n.n empty rag of a thtmg, devoid of any indication of progress. Mr G. M. Thomson moved tho adjournment, and the Honso rose at 0.25 a.m.