WAR QUESTIONS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 178, 2 September 1914, Page 11

WAR QUESTIONS.

THE MINISTER BOMBARDED. OFFICERS WIVEsTn TROOPSHIPS. pprom our own Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, September 1. The usual batch of questions arising out of the war crisis was brought up in the House of Representatives this evening. Mr J. B. Hine (Stratford) asked if it were true that some of the officers of the Expeditionary Force were being allowed to take their wives home with them on the transports. . Mr Allen: Yes, jt is true that some of the officers wives are going Home in the transports, and I am glad of this opportunity to explain the matter. He said that some of the English officers who had been engaged in the training of the New Zealand forces had almost completed their engagements. Presently: they and their wives would have gone home at the Government's expense but, on the representation of the officers, their wives were going to toe allowed to go Home now. There were six or seven of them, no more. The Government would thus be saved the expense of paying the fares of these ladies. . In response to a question by Mr J. S. Dickson (Parnell), Mr Allen said that he would make enquiries as to whether one of the officers had taken his wife .to Samoa. He had no knowledge of > this having been done. CODED CABLEGRAMS. Mr A. M. Myers . : (Auckland East) brought up the question, of the present arrangements for cabling ordinary commercial cablegrams. Many firms found their business seriously hampered owipg. to tjieir not being allowed to code their cable messages. In the case of kauri gum,, for instance, there were nearly one hundred kinds, and the Department was insisting upon each, being, described instead of: being coded. Mr Myers wanted to know if some better arrangements could not be made.

The Hon. R. 11. Rhodes (PostmasterGeneral) said, he quite appreciated the difficulty in which gum merchants found themselves, but there were other firms as-well who had found it hampering them. -."■'' Mr Myers: Haven't you given banks a "concession in this matter. , ; Mr Rhodes said that was true. It had been arranged that one word could be used in connection with the remission of money.' He would look further into the matter,, and see if other ar r rangements could be made. SADDLERY CONTRACTS. , Mr-;T. (Dunedin South)/ asked the Minister of Defence whether it was correct that all the saddlery required for the Expeditionary Force was being manufactured in Auckland. Hon. ',], Allen said that, any statement to this effect was .entirely incorrect. Tenders had r been galled Jor. the,, making pf saddlery Tri "Dunedin,'the district in which the honourable gentleman was most interested, and the lowest tender had been accepted. ENROLMENT OF MARRIED MEN. Mr G, W. Russell (Avon) brought' up the question of the enrolling of men in the' Expeditionary Force, who had wives and children dependent upon them. He instanced the case .of one man Who had a wife and five children, and he could not see how, a soldier's half pay would provide for thpm. He suggested that the Government should confine enrolment to single men.

The Minister, of Defence (Hon. J. v Allen), pointed out that half of every man's pay was being retained in the Dominion, and every man had also to make provision for the payment of his debts, lind for the keeping alive *of his life insurance policy. A form was being issued to . all married men which would allow them to devote more than their half pay to their families, and it was hoped that they would leave practically the whole of their pay. So far as he could see there was no reason why these men should not leave practically the whole of their pay; they would not have need for a great deal of money while on service. They were fed and clothed, and all they would need to purchase would be a few luxuries. So. far as the enrolment of married men was concerned he"' could not say that they would jaot be taken, but their enrolment would be restricted as far as possible. When it became necessary to call for further volunteers, instructions would be given to restrict i the enrolment of married men as much as possible. At the same time they would- not be altogether excluded. A large proportion of "the .officers, and also of the non-commissioned officers, must j be married'men, at the same time, so | far as was possible, only unmarried men would be taken. RENTS AND DRUGS. Mr A. M. Myers (Auckland East) asked the Prime Minister whether the increase in rents was to be included in the. order of reference of the; Food Commission for Enquiry. He had been told that a landlord in Auckland had raised his rents "owing to the war." The war was. hitting the man of the artisan class very hard, and it would be advisable, he thought, if the Government should take steps under the power'of the commission. Mr J. A. Young (Waikato) said that there were many complaints as to the high price of drugs. Was this to be covered' by the commission? The Printe Minister said that ■ the price of drugs was one of the subjects into which the commission would enquire. He was very sorry to hear the case mentioned by Mr Myers. Unfortunately the legislation setting up the commission referred only to food and commerce generally, and, if it were to cover the rent question, further legislation would have to be passed. He had not heard of rents being raised war as the excuse.

Mr Myers: I will show you the letter written by the tenant. Mr Massey: I don't doubt the hon. gentleman. I believe he has ample grounds for asking the question, but I do regret that such a thing as he has mentioned is taking place. (Hear, hear. Continuing, the Prime Minister announced that the commission would begin its sittings on Thursday, the chairman (Mr Justice Stringer) having advised him that he would arrive from Auckland that morning. The other members of the commission were being summoned to Wellington. NO MORE NURSES REQUIRED. In reply to Sir Joseph Ward the

Minister of Defence stated that it had been definitely decided not to send nurses to Europe with the Expeditionary Force, it being. considered that sufficient nurses would be available in England.