WAR REGULATIONS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15303, 26 August 1920, Page 9

WAR REGULATIONS.

WELLINGTON, last night. In the House tho debate was resumed ion a motion to go into committee on the i j War Regulations Continuance Bill. I

Mr _-t.at.ham urged that, provision should be made under which Syrians whose loyalty could not be.' impugned might be excluded from the restrictions imposed by the regulations dealing with aliens. Mr Wilford considered tho House should pass the second reading, leaving controversial sections to be discussed m committee.

Mr Is'itt said he knew Syrians who regarded themselves as British subjects and were bitterly oposed to the Turks. There were Austrians also similarly placed, whose loyalty to Britain' could not be doubted.

The Hon. W. D; S. MacDonnld snid the Liberal party were as jealous as any of the rights, privileges, and freedom of the people, but so far as he could sno there was a need for the measure under discussion to prevent any small "section of the community from putting its foot on the neck of tbe rest of the people. The Prime Minister said, he had a great deal of sympathy for Syrians. These nominally were Turkish subjects. * but he knew many of them and they had proved their loyalty. The Government had done every thing to make the Syrians' lot as j easy as possible. Whenever tho Government found aheng _oynl to Britain t-hev were treated ,<*,].»» overy consideration*. 1,10 . ro £*tW.u>»!S dealing with urnis wore '■ c< l"_red. because the Arms Act did not c Y*mo into operation till February next, \vhen the regulations would lapse. So far as the' Government was concerned it did not care whether the Bill passed or not. The Government was quite prepared to drop the measure if the House was against the second reading. The member for Buller had declared that the shipowners bad conspired to, causo tbe present crisis on the Wellington wharf. • Tliis was absolutely incorrect.-— Mr Holland: You know it's correct.— The Premier: J do not know it. No man has done more to make industrial trouble than tlfe*inember for Buller.

The critics <jf the Bill, continued the Premier, were .not candid. They suggested that all the war regulations were to be continued, whereas the Bill really provided for the repeal of all but such as were required for the preservation of public welfare.

The motion, to go jnto committee was Carried on tho voices.

In committee Mr McCombs objected to the Prime Minister's claim "that the measure was a repeal Bill, despite tho fact that its title was the War Regulations Continuaiico Bill. Ho declared the Bill was unnecessary, because the original War Regulation Bill provided for automatic repeal at a stated time after the termination of the war.

The Premier enumerated the regulations ifc was proposed to .repeal. These could not be repealed automatically till next year.

Mr Potter said the extremist members had raised- a wail about the sufferings of women nnd children as the result of the present industrial trouble m Wellington, but they never heard that cry when the- miners were striking or were "going slow." He asked if tho men on the waterfront were going to obey their own union's rnaudate, or would they disregard their own vote to resume work. He challenged the extremists to make good their claims they were making that the miners at Hunfcly and Hikurangi produced a full day's' output of ooal an< abandoned the practices advocated by the 1.W.W., of which the extremist members of the House and a few persons outside were the direct agents. Mr McCombs urged that no person charged with an offence should 'be denied j trial, by jury as proposed under this measure.

Mr Holland declared that the Bill was designed to euabla the Government tc fight Labor organisations m cases of industrial trouble.

Mr Young asked what effect the regulations to be continued Would have on t,hr Jugo-Slavs who belonged to a country which was how part of a- new Statf friendly to the* Allies.

The Prime Minister said Jugo-Slavs had been subject to the regulations during the war, but now that their country was. included m a frieudly State they would be treated accordingly. .--■■ Mr Savage declared the Bill gave the Government powers ifc should not possess. Tho war regulations had been used harshly against Labor. He himself had been followed throughout tho West Coast by men m bluo. . ' .

Mr Fraser said the country had passively accepted the regulations, but never 'expected they would be continued.

Mr Glenn said he had beard the challenge issued by the Labor members tc the Premier. He would issue a challenge to the member for Buller to resign and coptcst. his (Mr Glenn's) seat against him. (L'au'ghtor.) He "represented Labor. The Labor party . members as at present constituted would never bring any good tp their followers.

Mr Holland said he had not challenged tho Prime Minister to contest an election, bht proceeded to, express his willingness to resign aud re-contest tho seat under certain conditions, when the chairman called him to order amidst laughter

Tho Prime Minister said lie was prepared to submit an amendment permitting bail for persons, charged under the* proposed -legislation. With slight amendments the Bill, was put through its final stages and the House rose. — Press Assn. i -