THE BUDGET DEBATE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XL, Issue 13160, 21 August 1913, Page 4

THE BUDGET DEBATE.

(Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, last night

In the House* to-day, Mr Harris resumed the debate on the Budget., He contended that the Opposition would find out' what the country thought nf the Reform , Government at the next election.

Dr. Pomare said there was nothing m regard to the administration of tlie Cook Islands" which the Government v.na afraid to lay on the table of the House. Judge. MoCormack'a report was furnished at hia (Dr. Pomare' b) instance, and lie*'- at th_ instance of any Opposition membery and .therefore it was quite natural that he shoWd keep it m his own office. fl* traversed Mr Isitt's statements, of the pfevfous e>? mn £ c » n " ceming the mismanagement vi tfte^ slam ' s by the present Government. "' Dr.' ' Pomare said bush beer-drittkiftg had been a custom m the islands ever sirice bafianas had been known. Judge McCormack had reported that drinkiivi wui notincreasing ifl the islands. What had occurred was that the elder people had lessened their consumption' and the yourige? men were less discreet than their elders' were.

Mr Robertson fallowed. He dealt at length! with' 'what' -'he teamed "political turncoats." Ho eluded the Government "with being on the Ministerial benches by the aiid of turncoats. He def endued the Social Democratic party against responsibility for the views and actions of the Ued Federation, to which it succeeded, and iilsG denounced the attempt of the Reform p&fty's ougan, Light and Liberty, to brand _ the Social Democrats as a party hostile" to religion s—a5 — a charge completely answered by the fast that m their Tanks were Salvationists s*nd Church of England clergymen. Tlie attempt of the Reform party to stir up religious prejudice was despicable, lie proceeded to quote oif behalf of the member for Grey Lynn several instances of alleged maladministration m the Defence Department. Personally, he was not against defence, but he thought H would pay the country handsomely to give a Dreadnought to the navy every two or! three yearn than to spend the money we were doing on compulsory training. The country had been crying out for tariff, revision. They cried for bread, and were offered a stone. There was no talk by the Government of reduction m the cost of living. The Government was not m a hurry to effect anything m that direction. ■ ■

Mr Smith (Waimarino) deplored the absence of policy m the Budget. It was—as 'one Reformer expressed it — a crude statement, devoid alike of originality and initiative. He severely criticised the policy of innuendo indulged m by th« Reform party prior to the election as compared with their failure to substantiate suggestions of corrupt ion sinco they had been able to get at the pigeon-holes. The House had been told that the policy of the Government would ba declared m Bills brought down. Where were the promises of reduction of Customs duties? Where was the square deal to workers? All the workers had got was an increase m the price of coal and a reduction of the rates of pay on public works. Where was tiie assured finance for local bodies. Local bodies had neyer been so starved as since the present Government came into power, because they had diverted £200,000 that ought to have been spent on the backblocks. Tlie freehold given was more or less a farce, and he challenged the Government to do justice to Main Trunk settlers. ~ Mr Wilkinson continued the debate till 11.36. When the -debate' was adjourned by Mr Ell, _rid\the House rose.