CARRYING ON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18894, 21 June 1923, Page 9

CARRYING ON.

LIBERALS WASN'T ASSTTE- ■ ANCES. INFORMATION DEMANDED OS? ' POLICY. NAVAL VOTE DISCLOSED, * jFsov Ode Own Cdeesspondkst.) , WELLINGTON, Juno 20. “Whether this session ends next month or the following’ month depends on the legislation which i. brought down,” - dared Mr Wilford to-day. Not a soul'in the House wished to extend the. session a day longer than was necessary, but ■ tHe country was crying out for important legislation to be placed on the Statute Book, and there was no possible chance of any] obstruction of the Governmeiit if the couth try’s legislative needs were met. •Mr Lysnar: Then why not drop your motion of no-confidence? Mr Wilford went on to say that .at Oamarii the Prime Minister had declared that with a majority of five he could pot through his policy measures and conduct an ordinary session unhampered. He did not possess that majority. Did ho intend to make this fact a loophole, or did he intend to try to put forward the measures needed for the country's interests? If so, • the House had seen nothing of them. He had asked that the necessary work of the country should be allowed to proceed. He\ had asked that the Agenda Paper of t the Imperial Conference, which he knew the Prime Minister possessed, should be explained. The House was entitled ten know what views the Prim© Minister proposed to express on a question such aa defence. ; The Horn© authorities wished ■ tor consult the overseas dominions on considered schemes of development, and the Government should let the House know what Were those considered . schemes. Let New Zealand hear them, for we were part of the great Empire. On the question of preference, it might not be possible to give preference on .any particular article, out Great Britain could bring forward some such scheme as had built up the German, mercantile marine by a system of subsidy towards the cost of freights from this country to the _ Homeland. “ Gan we send the Prime Minister or anyone else to :fhe Imperial Conference,” asked Mr Wilfosrd, “ without, knowing his mind?” Was ha still of the ,same opinion as in. 1921,-,when’ ' he thoiight New Zealand should, pay . ft* share of four battleships, each of winch) : would cost £7,500,000? 'iUJ The Hon. Mr. Parr (Minister of Educe* Virion), i answering _ these criticisms, discussed the relative importance of the matters coming before the House. He declared that, the question of representation [ at the Imperial Conference transcended in real importance any. domestic-concern’. The ; Leader of the Opposition was curious' to know about the Older Paper of the Conference. It. wah easy to-understand-What subjects would be discussed.- New ■ Zealand’s status in the Empire would receive consideration. Our participation in - the foreign policy was also .sure to be raised, and a strong representative-was wanted’to voice New Zealand’s opinion that the Empire should be kept whole and strong. Canada’s movement for the independent! ■ (appointment of an Ambassador to ' the i •foreign Powers had a sinister significance for the good of the Empire. iw , Mr parr next dealt with naval defence, and said ,he believed the Minister -- of Finance , would aak' the House to vote almost double the present vote to the navy. The speaker believed that it would- ,be‘. a sound policy .that£loo,ooo shoulA.vbo.. offered to the British Government to - ai<£ it in its work in establishing the base ijab Singapore. Incidentally, Mr Parr added that the Chatham would shortly be replaced _by an oil-buming vessel. .New Zealand would never make war, but might be called upon to defend herself against a, foreign attack. We would be criminally: negligent if w© did not send a representative to deal with the question of ’ the- defence of the Pacific. \ Reverting to Singapore, the Minister said ho thought our strongest policy was to have our own units here, and in time ofi war they would link up with and 'form, part of the British navy for attack and) defence. ■