POLITICAL TOPICS

Southland Times, Issue 19025, 22 August 1923, Page 5

POLITICAL TOPICS

CHRISTCHURCH MEMBERS’ LOQUACITY. (Special to the WELLINGTON, August 21. If anyone were to take the trouble to divide the speeches made in Parliament this session up in districts, they would probably find that Christchurch and its affairs have occupied almost as much time as the whole of the affairs of the remainder of the Dominion put together. Christchurch’s representation is divided among four Labour members, Messrs Armstrong, Howard, McCombs and Sullivan, one Liberal, Mr Isitt, and one Independent, Mr Witty. The Reform party has no representative in the Cathedral city. Whether it is that the Opposition parties do most of the talking, or whether Labour men have special predeliction for hearing themselves heard or getting speeches into Hanzard, the fact remains that the whole of this afternoon, when the Government expected to get a fair slice cut off the Order Paper, was occupied talking out a report by the Locals Bills Committee on the Bill introduced by Mr Isitt regarding electric power for Christchurch. The Bill introduced by Mr Isitt sought to amend the Act passed in 1902, in regard to harnessing the Waimakiriri river. Under provision of the former measure, the Christchurch City Council, with the authority of the ratepayers had power to borrow approximately £300,000, which would have been sufficient at that time to carry out the scheme. The present Bill provides for £900,000. Sir George Hunter, chairman of the Local Bills Committee, reported that the committee having taken exhaustive evidence, recommended that it be referred to a commission. The Christchurch members vigorously protested against the Bill being not allowed to proceed. Mr McCombs (Lyttelton), described it as an attempt to shelve the Bill, and prevent the citizens of Christchurch from exercising the same legal rights as other municipalities in the Dominion, notably Dunedin and Invercargill as well as local authorities in the North Island. Sir George Hunter indignantly denied the imputation of high-handed action on the part of the committee. They endeavoured to do what was right. Having regard to evidence for and against the Bill, the Committee was unanimous about having a Commission set up. It was, he said, an equitable and just report. The Minister of Public Works, resented the imputations against his Department of neglecting the proposals for the improvement of Christchurch. As an earnest proof of his sincerity, he said he would forego the usual practice of allowing 10 per cent for error in the estimates of the engineers and made an offer that the Government would provide electricity at the cost estimated by the Waimakiriri engineers. The Christchurch members agreed to discuss the Minister’s offer with the Christchurch City Council. PUBLIC DEBT. Interesting details of how and where the public debt is held, were given in a state ment by the Prime Minister at the request of the Hon. J. A. Hanan. Of the total debt of £2lB 953.324, the sum of £ll4. 544,007 is held in inscribed stock, of which £78,941,260 is in London, £434,950 in Australia and £35,227,797 in New Zealand, and £104,359,317 in debentures of which £31,727,008 is held in London, £1,734,540 in Australia, and £74,897,769 in New Zealand. The percentages held in each country are as follows: London 50.54; Australia 0.99; New Zealand 48.47. OPPOSITION’S LA MEN TA TION After the Christchurch members had occupied all the afternoon on the Waimakariri scheme, the evening was devoted to serious business. The Prime Minister, in moving the second reading of the Finance Bill, said that it opened no new line of policy, being merely the financial authorisation for money for the New State Advances Act and public works expenditure. Nevertheless a long debate ensued and the measure did not reach the Committee stage until nearly midnight. The Leader of the Opposition painted a doleful picture of the future and predicted a fall in prices, that would make investors chary of taking up loans. Russia ould, he said, eventually be flooded with American capital and secondary industries in the Dominion were not being exploited. He chose the opportunity of again urging the Agricultural Bank Bill. “A hotchpotch measure, such as one might expect in the days of panic,” was how the Hon. J. A. Hanan described the measure. He has constantly found fault with the methods of handling public fin ances, and deprecated the further increase in interest in the Bill.

‘The lamentations of Jeremiah.” was how the Hon. W. Nosworthy described Mr Hanan’s outbreak. He saw quite a Jot o f contentment ahead of the d*'* 1 * -• , ew

Zealand, but did not see how it was to be brought about by means of the big hydro electricity schemes, in hand, unless by the palpable methods of financing them, with loans, was continued. Mr Veitch foresaw disaster to the exchange, if New Zealand borrowed lhe moneys Mr Massey wanted for State Advances and public works. Mr Holland said the State's mortgagee would foreclose on us if mor? borrowing went on,