PARLIAMENT

Southland Times, Issue 17749, 2 June 1916, Page 7

PARLIAMENT

'nirusi’Av, isi .M'Xi:. 1 KKGISRATIVE GtU’X' 'll.. i I’cr t’nitffl Kress Association. i WERRIXGTOX, June I. KEX.SIOXS A.MEXDMEXT BIRR BASS E D. Tiic Gouucil met at 2.: fit p.m. The I lon. Sir K. H. D. KERR moved the second dreading of the War Pensions Amendment Kill. He explained that toeing essentially a money Kill it could not he altered by the Council. He outlined the amendments made by the Kill to the principal Act. Hon W. KETCH AX said that parents should toe given the pension toy right provided for by eltm.se 9 in the eti.se of widows. Sir W. HARR-.IOXE.S referred to the pensions granted to members of the Civil Service, and claimed that men who risked their lives for (he Empire were entitled to the most, favourable consideration. Mon. R. MOORE said the Act had been considerably widened, and thought Mr Beehan’s suggestion was going too far. Hon, S. T, GEORGE contended that a scheme of insurance might have been arranged to cover the lives of men at the war. This would have cost about one million for f.0,000 men. He considered this was a matter for consideration toy the Government. Hon. Sir K. H. IX BELL briefly replied • to the points raised and the second reading was carried. The Kill was reported from Committee without amendment, read a third time and passed. The Council at 3.20 p.m. adjourned to Wednesday next. fIOI’HK OP REl I RESKXTATIVES. The House met at 2.110 p.m. THE WTT.I.OCHK.V. KR E A KING QUA RA X TIX E. Replying to Mr C. H. KOORK, The Hon G. W. RfSSERR stated that there laid been absolutely no differentiation regarding the officers uiuj! crew of tiie quarantined Willochra. One of the •>ninv, tiie Cliief Engineer, had deliberately broken his quarantine, and had induced a junior officer to act similarly. Another officer applied for-leave to visit a sister who was dying in Wellington die believed she had since died), and after quarantine, obligations had been discharged in their entirely, and after medical officers were convinced that vaccination had taken, that man was allowed to make the trip to Wellington. There was a, desire that the the Willochra should not. be changed at tiie present juncture. When he returned to Xe.w Zealand there was no doubt but that he would he dealt with. REAVE FOR SOLDI 1C It M.sT. Reave of absence was granted for tiie session to Rieut. Stewart, Lieut. Scdtlmi, Captain Mine, and Captain Coates. THE COMPURPIOX BIRR. DEBATE COXTIXR’ED. T. W. .RHODES (Thames) in continuing the debate on the Military Service Kill said he supported tiie principle so as to ensure equality of sacrifice. He held however,, that it was the duty of Parliain«nt to make adequate provision for the men and their dependents. lie agreed with previous speakers that the wealth of the community should Vie called up to provide for (he war, and lie also believed in securing a proportion of war profits. .Mr W. T. JEXXIXGS (TaumaranuD warned the House against military despotism. Although he. would support the Bill on the second reading he proposed to strenuously oppose some clauses in committee. What he. mainly objected to was the swagger of some officers. Mr ARRKX; There is no swagger in our army. Mr .1 EXXINGS: Oh, yes. He complained of the delay in tiie payment of dead soldiers’ hack pay, and hoped the Bill would compel those now shirking to come forward. .Mr W. .1. DICKIE ISelwyn) supported the principle of tiie Hill. Ho had confidence that the Government would do 'their best. He praised-the administration of tiie Defence. Department by the .Minister, but objected’to boys of under twenty going to the war. Tiie Kill was necessary as a matter of justice to our gallant Allies fighting with us. Mr .1. T. M. HORXSKV (Wairarapa i could not admit the force of those who objected to compulsion. He protested against tiie slighting remarks made of Era nee as a conscripted nation. He also complained of the levelling down tactics of some of those living in tiie country. A man who spoke with a, view to deterring recruiting was guilty of disloyalty of tiie worst kind, and was worse than a German. There had been threats made that if the Kill passed it would be followed by industrial trouble. It was a disgrace to any men to utter one word against recruiting while tiie enemy was at our gates. We had to maintain the pledge given on the outbreak of war, cube everlastingly disgraced. He ((noted instances of sons prevented by their fathers from enlisting, and asked was this fair. lie offered a tribute of honour to tiie noble manner in which the working men had offered their services, and looked forward to their doing even better in tiie future. He considered that tiie conscientious objector to fighting for his country should not he allowed to vote. Mr .). DICKSON" (Port Chalmers), regretted that the Kill had not been introduced the previous .session. In his opinion the voluntary system had been a failure. He favoured the alteration of the enlisting ages to 21 and .13. He said (he members of the Exemption Board would have to be very carefully selected.

Mr 11. OKKV (Taranaki pointed out that. (In- principle of compulsion proved effective in isr.s in the time of the Maori war. He supported the Bill. Necessary amendments, no doubt, would be made in comm i I tee. Mr A. 10. • !L<)VKft (Auckland Central'! supported the Bill, which In; regarded an a matter of expediency. JOVENJXC: SITTINC, ,Mi- (V. NO.S VVO BTi IY (Ashburton ; alluded to the sacrilices made by all secI lion of the community. He thought that if any section ind failed it hud hem the statesmen a.ml politicians. He. re.grette.l tlial the Government had not brought down the measure now before the House earlier, lie lieliev-ed the Hill to he a, good one. There were few loopholes for eseeoc. The majority of the speakers in the debate had been loyal and patriotic. IU; umk strong exception to remarks made to the effect that rich me.n were not doing their share. l.abour members i were opposed t.o eonscriptioii. ! .Mr W. .KHBBBS (Hurunnii said i that when there was a surplus of nopu--1 iation the voluntary system was satis- \ factory, but the time had arrived when i the compulsion system was repaired. I.a----t pour members should support (he. Bill ! M s (|.ey claimed the sons of rich men ! were not enlisting under the voluntary svste.m. . This Bill would compel all eia'-ses without reser-vallon lo Join the coheirs. Ho Irusie.l Ho- ib.vernment to .In its plain duly in regard to taxation. ! Mon- would liave |o h- done in this dire.-. ; jj,, n ihnn in the past. He e.,„ipb-i ined : that legislation was being brought, down 1 in picrcim-al fashion. lie considered ! provision should lie made to assist those I with financial obligations who might bo 1 coiiscrinted. He held it to he the duly ! ,‘vcry member to give all possible assistance in making the Bill a complete , success. Hon A- T' NGATA < Eastern Mae>ni made a lengthy statement as to the history ..f lh‘- Maori contingents. Tim men ; ~ | ; hj,. front were calling for reinlorcrrnents. No Maori blood could be slo-d V.itlo.nt calling for revenge. That was (he reason why llv- nati\*s asi.e.j to he ineinded in the Military Service Bill. He thought bis rime would be invigorated by the war, and that, many misunderstandings bet wee.n the two races would disa.p----i ,„.ar as the result of lighting side bj sitle " He Would warn the House that if ; (he ' .Military Service Board were e..jn- .,| ~f military men I lie whole thing would break down. tb. far as the Maoris wore concerned la- would ex-uupt 11;.Maori race from the Bill, hut th.-re really was no necessity for its exemption. He j mem iotied that recruiting in the Botonia i district had been such a success that it i cost Mb per recruit. TITK riIKMIERAS .SI’HECIH. Mr MASHKT said that, the policy of ‘ho Government since the war began had : been in support of (he F.mplre and to keep the country prosperous. After two I years of war no one could aay they hud I not done their duty, and that, the conn ; - T .. a -, 0,1 rT ,vT«i’->r VV*;in rega rd

to tin- organisation of industries lie mentioned that instead of a census being taken next year it had been arranged that it would be taken in Detobe.r next. Ho appreciated the remarks of members i oncoming the marriage clause ol the Hill, and lie could state that he and his colleagues were prepared to amend that clause. He also appreciated the remarks of Hon. A. A. Xgata concerning Maoris and compulsion, and if the Maori members desired it they wore prepared to eliminate the -Maoris from the operations of the Dill, leaving them to volunteer. Ho pointc-d uiit lluit in Hio/UuK days of the Maori war conscript ion was general in Auckland district. fhe Dill did not at. all do away with voluntaryism, and lie would like to say that, no Dill that had ever come before .Darlnfment had received such consideration as the present one. The compulsory clauses of the Dill would not be put into operation unless some district failed to produce its quota. The difference between their Dill ami the Dill of Abraham Lmeoln was that this Dill made no distinction between the millionaire and the wage-earner, whereas Lincoln s measure allowed a man to provide a. substitute or to huv himself out. The difference oetween Lincoln's war and our own was that the former was fought for the free, dom of slaves-, and we were fighting fot our own freedom. They hud not compelled one territorial to go to the war as had supprostofl by some members. K^.-

garding Labour's altitude in the House he challenged the member for Lyttelton to speak on behalf of labour. He asked him if it were a fact, that at a recent meeting In Wellington where a unanimous vote against compulsion was said to have, been carried many of the delegates present left Iho room, Mr McCOMBK: That is absolutely m- ’ eorreel. ! Mr MASSEY: I was told that it was so i by a member who was present, j- M,r MASSEY directed the attention ol the’House to the several resolutions I carried and enactments passed in rotiiI tat ion of the allegation that there was | no authority for the sending away of ■ the Expeditionary Forces. He believed ;°t.be people had made great sacrifices so far, hut be also believed they would be called upon to make greater sacrifices in the future. He would say Hint the honour of the country was concerned and. that the 60,000 men who had gone away would be supported up to the last man in the country. The Slate was entitled for its defence to the services of every male in the community. While Europcan countries were armed to the teetu it was foolish for Britain ° n (lf ': pending upon the Navy (great work that it had done) ,and a. voluntary arm>. l*c*Ui,lff with tho argument concerning: conseriptiou of wealth, lie stated that the war was costing us something iike twelve millions annually, and if wm ot m members' arguments were carried out. thev should collect eleven millions m the country annually. "f course that was absurd. He mentioned with regard to the Military Service Board tluit they would probably find a Stipendiary Magistrate presiding over the tribunal. He further Stated that telegrams were beginning lo come to him and other rnemi tiers of the Government, suggesting that i peace terms should tie, arranged m the ! not too. distant future. He imped there, would be no premature peace that there would be no peace until the Allies bad administer*/! the "knocU-ont MovuMr ,1. MeCOMDE (Lyttelton! stated that he had the assurance of the secretary of the Trades Hall that Mr Massey s assertion that there was a division ol opinion concerning the Military Scryieo Dill was contrary to fact. The lion. D. Buddo (fvaiapoil supported the Bill because, apart from other reasons, it. brought all.classes into line 'Che Hon. G. W. BUSSELL said he had Sir Joseph Ward's authority for saying that he hoped to be present at the third reading, add to he able, to-state that the Bill had his full support. J he. H'> ! | iail been given most careful consideration, and was placed before the House as petfeet as possible. Members would note, that telegrams in the newspapers showed that the Bill had already caused a sharp rise in recruiting. However, they bad to redeem their promissory note, and the Bill presented an-alternative should the voluntary system not supply the reel mts required. He explained matters m regard to the taking of toe ballot. the Crown was taking no steps to claim 'exemption' 'for their servants,- woo- would be in the same position its private employers. j second heading caddied. i ONLY FIVE OPPONENTS; •fne debate was continued by Messrs Buiek (Palmerston), Field (Otakit, Mander (Marsden), Young (Waikato), Dr McXal) and K. W. Smith i Waimanno), who all supported the Bill. The Hon. JAB. ALLEN, replying, said the bulk of the criticism had been in connection with details, not against the principle of the Bill. Dealing with Objections from Labour he thought that if Labour men from the trenches could he hoard they would take up a different attitude. to'that adopted by their leaders. The nay of New Zealand soldiers with a wife and five children was the highest paid to anv soldier in the world. He answered objections raised during Dm debate, and said that amendments could be made in committee. Tlie second reading was earned on division by 10 to S. The House rose at Dio a.m.