POLITICAL NOTES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16212, 24 August 1923, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES

WHEN MR, HOLLAND IS PRIME

MINISTER

A remark by Mr. Holland that no member of the community could socially earn an income of £2OOO a year, was referred to by tho Prime Minister when replying to the second reading debate on tho Taxing Bill. “I think the honorable member is looking forward to the time when he will bo Prime Minister, with a salary of approximately £2OOO a year,” suggested Mr. Massey. Mr. Hoiland: “I will cut tho salary down.” (Laughter.) BURGLARS AND RIFLE CLUBS.

“I hopei that tho Minister and the Government are not going to adopt- tho argument of one Reform member of the Cabinet that rifle) clubs are dangerous because burglars might form such clubs,” declared tho leader of the Opposition, when appealing for support for the rifle clubs. The Prime Minister: It was a joke. Mr. Wilford: It was a poor joke. Mr. Massey: Were you present? Mr. Wilford: No. Mr. Massey : You know it was a joke, and you ought to say so.

Mr. Wilford : 1 only know it was reported in all three papers. Tho rifle clubs are of importance to this country, and should bo encouraged.

FIGHTING THE . KAISER WITH A FOUNTAIN PEN.

Something tha’t tho Minister of Education (the Hon. C. J. Parr) said in the course of his remarks on naval defence elicitel a vehement protest from Mr. H. E. Holland (Buller), who said tho Minister had worked himself up into a. frenzy in his advocacy of the slaughter of war. '

Mr. Holland referred to tho lion, gentleman as one of those who was during tho war “fighting the Kaiser with .a fountain pen, working quietly 10,000 miles behind the line.” lie had no reason to east a slur upon tho men who went through tho battle of Hell. A voice: You have done your share of that. Mi*. Parr: You did a lot to win the war.

Mr. Holland: I upheld the principles of British freedom, which a lot of people are doing their best to destroy.

ELECTORAL BILL,

Referring in the House of Representatives to tho Electoral Reform Bill, the Prime Minister said that it contained over forty clauses, but would not bo passed this session. Tliet House would bo given aiv opportunity of passing it next year. While tho measure provided for compulsory registration, ho did not think tho time had arrived for compulsory voting. Another feature of the Bill was that it would make tho Residential qualification throe months jnstead of one month as at present. It would not be a party measure. Mr, Massey added that it was not intended to go on with the inquiry as to what happened at! the Oamaru by-elec-tion, when some 400 registration claims were) found to bo missing. It was not possible to discover what had occurred iu connection with these claims, and that was tho reason why the matter was not being pursued any further. MR. LYSNAR’S INDEPENDENCE.

The poiitcial inclinations! of Mr. W. D. Hiysnar, tho member for Gisborne, wore) under review by members of tho Labor Party in the House of Representatives (states tho Post).

Mr. Lysnar had beeni defending the appointments made by the Government to certain harbor boards, which prompted Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Christchurch East) to l'cmark that it was impossible! to find a more slavish supporter of tho Government than Mr. Lysnar, who had proclaimed that ho was an Imdefendent.

ho is still an Independent,” declared Mr. Lysnar. Mr. Speaker: “Order!” “He is such a slavish adherent of the Govcimmcnt' that he is prepared to defend anything at all, no matter how base it may be, or how scandalous it may bo from a political point of view,” continued Mr. Armstrong. “If tho Government has dono it, it must necessarily be right.” “WOE UNTO YOU, YE LABORITES.” There were some lively moments in the House of Representatives when the l’l'imo Minister and the Rubor members engaged in somei verbal sniping. Mr. Massey, retorting to '"Some, interjections, said that since tho Labor Party had increased in strength in the House they claimed to have unto themselves all the virtues which * politicians possessed. “woe unto you, ye Laborites,” said the Prim 6 Minister, “for ye lade men with burdens too grevious t,o be borne, but you yourselves will not touch those burdens with one of your fingeta.” , . Mr. Holland: “Even the Devil can quote Scripture sometimes.” (Laughter.) '• “DISLOYAL LABOR PARTY.”

Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne), speaking on the Naval Defence vote in, tho House, remarked that while Mr. Leo had fought at the front with distinction and lost a limb, ho was now opposed to defence expenditure; and that was what the House was now eoncernril about. 11)0 explanation was no doubt that the lion.' member was no longer under the* control of a loyal British officer but under’ the control of the disloyal Labor party. Mr. Holland asked the Chairman of Committees if such language was in order.

Mr. J. A. Young said that, according to the Standing Orders, if any member imputed unworthy motives to any member of the House, and among unworthy motives certainly was disloyalty, it was against tho Standing Orders. It iwas not in order to impute such motives to individuals; and as political parties com sisted of individuals, ho thought the hon. members would bo well-advised forth© sake of decorifm in debate not to refer in such terms to them. •

Mr. Fraser hold that the imputation of disloyalty to tho party implied that the hon. member under tho control of the party was himself disloyal. Tho Chairman of Committees: I ask the hon. member to withdraw the imputation. Mr. Lysnar: I cheerfully do so. (Laughter.) j--“FOR ENEMY PURPOSES.” K

A little later Mr. Lysnar remarked that some Labor members wanted information for enemy purposes. Mr. Fraser raised a point of order.

The Chairman ruk-d that members could not make ; imputations against other members, and asked Mr. Lysnar to state exactly what bo said. Anrdst roars of laughter Mr. Lysnar proceeded to talk of what had been at tho back of his mind. Tho supper .adjournment intervened, and after tho committee resumed Mr. Lysnar said that if, what he said was thought to be unfair he was prepared to withdraw the observation and apologise. Mr. Fraser: Very good; very good indeed. The incident was closed.