THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY

Southland Times, Issue 17698, 9 July 1914, Page 5

THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY

DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON. July 8. When the House; of Representatives resumed at 2..10 p.m to-day the Address-in-Reply debate w-Js continued by Mr G. M. THOMPSON (Dunedin North) who said that the Opposition was a hand of untidy alliances an.l if let loose would create chaos. Mr J. G. THOMSON (Wallace) held that there was not an iota of constructive policy in the Governor's speech. The Government had preached economy but the spcccli showed that there was a largely increased expenditure. Neither bad tint- been any reduction in taxation. Great care should be taken with regard t> the reform of the Legislative found'. -Mr J. A. HANAN flrrvcreargiil) said that Ministers were showing remarkable reluctaneo to defend their administration. ( nly the Minister of Public Works had spoken and his speech was weak and colourless. 11 had been claimed that the Government nad carried out. its pledges, but no one could seriously make such a pretence. The repeal of the Second Ballot Act without a substitute was nor. electoral reform and showed that on the. question of electoral reform the Government weje pot worthy of the confidence of the people. The Minister of (•'insnee was starving the Advances to Settlors Department-so that he might come down with great credit balances. His claims for great financial reforms would n.t stand investigation. If evidences of Tamraanv and corruption had been found in the pigeon holes would not the Government papers have declaimed the fact from one end of the country to the other. On the House resuming at 7..20 p.m. Mr Har.au continued. He warned the House against wasteful expenditure on defence and declared that it wa-s impossible to obtain information as to the expenditure now being indulged in. He chided the Govo-rn-ment's following vith slavish docility and traversed the decisions <0 some of the committees so*, up by the Government to whitewash it. Mr G. J. ANDERSON (Mata lira) cornmemied the work done by the. Public Service fommissioners, claiming that they had done an Immense service to tlie doT'.iinion, In their la.sl report the> had sh>• v. n how sixty thousand pounds a\eur c-ruld he saved, besides developing a business system in connection with the departments bv which we could tell exactly the financial position of those departments. On the question of laud settlement, he urged that good as our present system was Hie Slate should still further assist experienced 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 settlers to get stock and implements, lie advocated the insistence upon a living wage being paid to all workers, especially to young women in cities. He would vote against the no-confidence amendment because Hie Government hud been administering the affairs of the country *.n a way that reflected credit on theni and a benefit to the dominion. After the division, on tbe no-confidence amendment had been taken (reported elsewhere) the debate was continued by Mr .1. VIGOR BROWN « Napier), who censured Hie Government for stopping the East Boast railway while at the same time starting another railway in the. Premier’s district. Better pay was being given to (he police than to school fptarhorp .md any uias forced upon the Government by the Opposition.