Parliament

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXXI, Issue 20, 12 August 1920, Page 5

Parliament

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Per Press Association. Wellington, August 11. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to Mr McCombs, the Hon. E. P. Lee said the statement that the Government had purchased a controlling interest in the Samoan Times was contrary to fact. In the evening the second reading of the Native Land Amendment Bill was moved by Mr Wilford, pro forma. The Bill was read a second time, and referred to the Native Affairs Committee. The Police Offences Amendment Bill was", on the motion of Mr Statham, read a second time without debate. Mr Statham explained that the effect of the Bill, if passed, would be to make it an offence to take part in a live pigeon match. On the motion of the Prime Minister the Dominion State Bank Bill, introduced by Mr Veitch, was struck off the order paper. His reason for taking this course was that the Bill was an appropriation measure, and could not proceed without the consent of the Crown. MAORI WAR MEDAL. The House then went into committee on the Maori War Medal Bill, in charge of Mr Wright ("Wellington Souths. Mr W. T. Jennings intimated that in Clause 2 he would move, in line 13, after the word "fire," t| insert the following words: "Or who was called up for service, and waf under arms during the Parihaka anj East Const disturbances after' <tW| year 1866-69." He said he did not approve of the Bill, but if it was intended to open the door again then it ought to be opened wide enough to include those who took part in the Parihaka and East Coast disturbances. The Hon. Sir Heaton Rhodes saia that had he been present when the Bill was read a second time he would have opposed it. It opened the door far too wide, and would entitle thousands to claim the medal, which would utterly destroy its value. The Bill was called the Maori War M«dal, but there was no Maori War Medal so that he presumed a special medal would have to he struck to comply with the terms of the measure. ' Mr Wright, in his reply to criticism, said the Bill would not cost the country a penny, because he life tended to provide that a recipient of the medal should defray the cost at the decoration. He said he would take the sense of the House on the voices, whereupon progress was reported on th o Bill. A similar course was adopted with the War Pensions Amendment Bill, in .charge &a" is - tl * Government was embodying his proposal in one of their measures.

ANZAC DAY. Lieut.. Colonel Mitchell moved the second reading of the Anzac Day Bill: He said some might object to anothet, holiday, but he thought we should not cbject to consecrating April 2oth as a day on which to commemorate the memory of our soldiers. No matter where our soldiers France, in Flanders, Egypt, or Palestine—they were always worthy of our people, and for that reason they ask. ed that one etay be dedicated to them, a day to be kept as a Sunday, not merely as an excuse for another race meetirg or some other form of enjoyment. Their sacrifices were surely worthy of this, for they fought, not to make a few rich men, but to make all men free. Mr W. T, Jennings said we celebrated St. George's, St. Andrew's, and St. Patrick's Day in this country, and we knew very little about these saints, but to mary homes in this country Anzac meant a great deal, and he entirely concurred in the idea of Celebrating it. M* Massey said he entirely approved of the idea of setting apart a dajf in memory of our soldiers, and he glad April 25th had been selected by returned soldiers for that purpose. He hoped it would be a holy day rather than a holiday of rejoicing. It should niark the great achievements of our men, and should be a day of thanksgiving as the result of those achievemeLts, wh c.i would help to keep our Empire together, and hand it down greater, better and brighter than ever. Mr Isitt stressed the propriety of keep this day as one of solemn thanksgiving that oar son s were not found wanting at a time of a great crisis in the history of the Empire, and everyone, especially the children, shot.ld be set free to take part "i celebrations which should lift this day

to an ever higher plane in New Zealand than Independence Day is held in. estimation by the American .people. Messrs Soddon, Craigie, Totter and Hockly supported the Bill, which was read n second time on the voices. Members then rose and sang the Natonal Anthem. 'J he House adjourned at 10.25 p.m.