PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 13, 31 August 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (Per Press Association.) Wellington, August 30. The Council mot at 2.30 a.m. 'i lie Imprest Supply Pill, No. 2, was passed through all its stages without discussion. Sir J. G. Findlay gave a resume of the subjects dealt with hy the Imperial Conference. He pointed to the danger of encouraging the view that the oversea dependencies were a loose collection of 'nations that could at any time sever from the Mother Country. He spoke of the necessity for some such nody as had been suggested by Sir Joseph Ward to deal with Imperial matters in which the various sections of the dominions wen- concerned, and dealt with the several proposals which wore brought forward witn the object of unifying the Empire. The Hon. Mr. Jonkinson moved resolutions appreciative of the services rendered by the Premier and Sir J. G. Findlay at the Conference. The debate was adjourned, and the Council rose. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30 p.m. Mr. Greenslade drew tiie attention of the Minister for Defence to the action of a drill instructor in Auckland in ordering that Territorials’ hair shall be of a uniform length. Mr. Clark said the Territorials should not he harrassed. There was a certain amount of feeling against compulsory training at present, and the lot of the men should be made as congenial as possible. Sir Joseph Ward said he had asked for a report on the matter. He would not approve of anything derogatory to the service. He did not intend to allow such a state of affairs as had been mentioned in a newspaper report. It might be found to lie exaggerated. Major-General Godlcy was most desirous that the system should be carried out properly, and any irregularity, if brought before the MajorGeneral, would promptly be set right.

Sir Joseph then made a statement regarding the invitations to tiic Coronation. He had received the invitations, marked private, and was not in a position to disclose the contents. Mr. Massey had seen a document addressed to the Governor, which was really in the form of an enquiry made by tiie Homo Government with a view of sending invitations later. Ho had suggested to Mr.- Massey that three Opposition and five Government members should go. His interview with Mr. Massey was strictly confidential. Later an article appeared in the “Dominion,” dealing with the matter. Someone had committed a gross breach of confidence. He had informed Mr. Massey that prepared to give facilities to every member to go Homo at his own expense, and suggested postponing the opening of Parliament till early in August, and putting off the elections till- February. Mr. Massey later informed him that ho had discussed the matter witli his party, and they had decided that they could not ■ accept the invitation. As the outcome of that, lie asked His Excellency the Governor to cable Home to, see if the matter could not be brought before Parliament. The reply he received was that arrangements had not progressed far enough to allow the matter to go to the House. On October 6 an item appeared in the “Evening Post” concerning the visit Home. At that time lie had received no invitations. He read the letter from the Under-Secretary for the Colonies, which stated that the House of Lords and the House of Commons Committee had forwarded invitations on February 23. Ho sent telegrams to the members immediately on ro ceipt of that communication. Only one member (Mr. Rhodes) expressed a willingness to go Home. He then sent a message Home explaining that the time was too short to accept the invitations, and that there had been no response from the members. Mr. Massey said he had respected Sir Joseph Ward’s confidence. Mo objected to the condition of the postponement of the session and the general election, and therefore could not go. Sir Joseph Ward, interjecting, said that eight members going had nothing to do with the suggestion ( that the House be postponed. Mr. Massey said he understood that the postponement would ho necessary. He reiterated there had been no breach of confidence on the part of any member of his party, and ho had not- given the information to any newspaper. The House adjourned at 5.39.

EVENING SITTING. . The House resumed at 7.30. In answer to questions, the Minister said— Telephone regulations wore now under revision. It was hoped shortly to be able to announce the decision in reference to reduction to country settlors. The Local Government Bill is now in course of preparation, and will be circulated this session. Mr. Herd man moved the second loading of the Public Service Reform Bill. The- Bill aimed at the elimination of political influence from appointments to the Civil Service. The discussion was on the linos of the debate on the first reading of the Bill. The Hon. T. Mackenzie said that if the mover of the Bill were conversant with the work of Ministers he would know that they would not stuff their departments full of incompetent officers. The position was too impossible. Sir Joseph Ward, replying to the arguments in support of the measure, said it was of the greatest importance to the humblest and highest that there should lie a good public service. The difference between the Civil Service of to-day and when their opponents were in power was the difference between paradise and somewhere else. Ho wanted to know if they were to have the handing over to a Czar or an autocrat the destinies of the Civil Servants, who were getting old, and who would bo liable to lie reduced in salary on account of ago. Wellington, August 31. Mr. Smith twitted Mr. Massey with not daring to speak on this measure. Ho said the measure involved retrenchment and the lowering of wages. Mr. Herdman, in reply, denied Mr. Smith’s contentions, holding that reform would have the opposite effect. The retrenchments of two years ago were due to the mismanagement of the public service. Other examples of mismanagement were-shown at the recent Police Commission. Sir Charles Lucas, who recently visited Australasia, said on his return to England that what impressed him most in Australia was the endeavour to keep public servants outside political influence. The second reading of the Bill was rejected by 30 to IS. The House rose, at 1.15 a.m.