ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16121, 9 July 1914, Page 4

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

DEBATE IN LOWER HOUSE. NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION DEFEATED. [Pn UmtD Pmss Assocmtiok.] WELLINGTON, July 8. The debate on the Address-in-Reply was resumed to-day by Mr G. M. Thomson, who commented upon the fact that tho Opposition had not throughout tho debate presented anything in the way of constructive criticism. Tho only thing which appeared to unite the Opposition was tho desire to oust the Government. The members of that party constituted a band of unholy alliances, and if let loose they would bring about o state of chaos within 12 months. He also compared the Opposition to the hell broth in the Witches Cauldron of M'Beth. Ho advocated tho appointment of a director of agrioulturo. The people would savo considerably on tho cost of living if they would do their own marketing. Ho also mentioned the wasteful domestio methods and the rapid change of fashions as conducive to the high cost of living. Tho appointment of a properly qualified forestry expert would prove of great benefit to the country, and experiments should also bo mado with tho timbers at present wasted. Mr J. C. Thomson hold that there was not an iota of oonstructivo policy in tho Governor's Speech. Who opposed thecloser settlement legislation and the provision of cheap money? The Right Hon. the Prime Minister. It was useless to deny this, because tho utterances were recorded in Hansard. The Government had preached economy, but the Governor's Speech showed largely increased expenditure. Neither had there been any reduction in taxation. Tho expenditure was increasing at a greater rate than tho revenue, and tho disparity this year was more marked than ever. Why did the Government condemn the Social Domoerats when Mr Massey was responsible for placing them in their ?cats in tho House? Instead of decreasing borrowing Mr Massey was borrowing more than the Liberals had borrowed in tho past. Ho instanced tho cases of the renewable leases of endowment lands to show that tho Government had ■backed down on tho land question. Tho only freehold granted was of lease in perpetuity and a renewablo lease of acquired land. The high land values, and not tho cost of houses, were lesponsiblc for increased rent. A confereneo of land valuers should be called to provido a scientifio system of valuation. ' In spito of its past utterances tho Government did propose to bring down a Local Government Bill. Great care should be taken with regard to the reform of tho Legislative Council. Mr Hanan commented upon.the fact that Ministers were showing a remarkable reluctance to defend their policy and administration. Only the Minister of Public Works had spoken, and his speech was weak and colourless and had not provided an adequate defence of the Government. It had been claimed that the Government had carried out its pledges, but no one outside a lunatio asylum could seriously make such ,a pretence. They had been promised electoral reform, but tho repeal of the Second Ballot Act without a substitute was not electoral reform. What had become of tho Primo Minister's declaration that tho House should be elected on the basis of proportional representation? Mr Massey: For tho Upper House. Mr Hanan: No, for this House. The failure now to bring it forward belied the pretentions of the Government, and showed that on the question of electoral reform it was not worthy of _ the confidence of the people. Dealing with finance, he said the duty of the Government was to provido advances for the small men, but this had not been done. 'The Minister of Finance was starving the allowances to settlers department so that he might come down with great credit balances. The claims for great financial reforms would not stand investigation. Nothing had been done beyond what the Liberal Party had performed to prdve the sound position of the country to tho. British investors. If evidences of tammapy and corruption had been found in tho pigeon holes would not the Government papers have declaimed tho fact from one end of the country to the other. He defended the Liberal administration' of tho pufolio service. Mr Hanan warned tho House against wasteful expenditure on defence, and declared that it was impossible for the House to obtain information as to the expenditure now being indulged in. Ho complained that moneys were being kept back from Education Boards. Mr Allen: That, is not correct. Mr Hanan: If the Government challenges that statement let it put up a Minister to answer it. I mako the statement and it awaits an answer. Ho charged tho Government following with slavish docility, and traversed the decisions of somo of the committees set_ up by the .Government to whitewash Ministers. In support of his contention he quoted tho Otago Daily Times to show that that paper condemned the Minister's proceedings in connection with tho Westport''Harbour Board scandal, which ■was exposed by Mr Atmore . Mr Anderson commended the work done by ilie Public Service Commissioners, claiming that they had done an immccce service to the dominion. In their last report they had shown how £60,000 per year" could be savedi, besides developing a business system in connection with the departments, by •which we could tell exactly tho financial position l qf those departments. The attack made upon tho Prime Minister by Mr Isitt in connection with tho Cheviot sections was an evidence that our politics were degenerating, and be quoted freely from the report of last year's Land Committee to show how and why tho committee upheld the action of the Prime Minister in" that matter. Or* tho general question of land settlement he urged; that good as our present system was, the State should still further assist exnerienccd farmers who were without capital. An extension of the Advances Department was necessary, largely on the lines along which land and stock agents had assisted settlors to got stock and implements. Ho advocated insistence upon a living (wage, being jpaidi to all workers, especially to young women in oties, who often did) not get sufficient to keep them in food, housing, and clothing. Many clerks were not receiving justice, and tho Arbitration Court should bo empowered to adjust such matters in accordance with out humanitarian principles. Ho condemned the present oartv s-stem, whidh wag conducive of nothing so much as waste of time. As a remerly, he < suggested proportional representations, and an elective executive. That, he thought, would help to eliminate the bitterness from the proceedings of the House. He would support tho Government Bnd vote against the amendment because the Government had been administering the affairs of the country in a way that reflected credit on it and benefit to the dominion.

The division was rthen taken on tho amendment moved by Sir Joseph Ward, the voting being as follows—Ayes 34, Noes 39. The amendment was lost. Following- was tho division list:—

For the Amendment (34). —Afrnoro, Brown, Buxton, Carroll, Colvin, Craigie, Davey, Dickie, Ell, Forbes, Glover. Hanan, Hmdmarsh, Isitt, M'Callum, M'Combs, Macdonakl v M'Kemio Myers, Parata, Payne. Poland, Rangihiroa. Robertson, Russell, Seddon. Sidcy, R. W. Smith, J C. Thomson, Veitob, Ward, Webb, Wilford, Witty.

Against tho Amendment (39).—Alien, Anderson, J. Bollard, it. F. Bollard, Bradney, Buchanan. Buick, Campbell, Coates, Dickson, Escott, Fisher, Frascr. Guthrie, Harris, Hcrdmaa. Herrie, Hino, .Hunter, Leo, Maleolmn, Mander, Massey, A. K. Newman, Nosworthy, Okev, Pearce, Pomare. Reed, R. H. Rhodes. "\V. Rhodes, •Scott, F. H. Smith Statham, Sykes, G. M. Thomson. Wilkinson, Wilson, Young. Pairs.—Ayes: Buddo and Ngata. Noes: Bell and E. Newman.

The debate on tho main question was resumed by Mr Brown, who censured the administration of tho Pensions Department os being run on tho lines of spoils to tho victors. Ho blamed the Government for stopping tho East Coast railway, while at tho pamo time it was starting another railway in thp Prime Minister's district. Amplo provision -was not bping made, for tho teachers to attract tihe best men to tho profession or keep thero in it. Better pay was being riven to the police timn to the te-chers, and any increase that had been given was forced upon the Governemnt by the Opposition.

Mr Wilkinson claimed tint there were orilv 28 Liberals in the division taken that night. Thero Vcro six Labourites, who were out to use either sido sis best they could, so th'it it was not ar.y comfort to tho Opposition to have them as a following. Ho justified the extra expenditure of tho Government by the growth of the demands upon t3r> State, which could not be denied unless they were going to chock progress. Ho favoured a Ineal nary, and condemned the Japanese Alliance as a rotten reed to depend upon for the defence of the Pacific. Tho Liberal Party was discredited, and he wanted to. know wihere its policy was.

The debate was adjourned on the motion of Mr M'Combs, arid the House rose at 11.20 p.m.