WAR REGULATIONS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 762, 20 July 1916, Page 2

WAR REGULATIONS.

THE ENEMY'S TRADE. WHAT BRITAIN HAS DONE. THREE STAGES OF CONTROL. IFrom our own Parliamentary Reporter.] | WELLINGTON, July 19. The jseeond reading of llic War Regulations Bill was taken in the House of Representatives this evening, and xs an evidence of the interest taken in the measure the galleries were more crowded thai', at tiny time since the passing of the Military Service Hill. THE LADIES WITHDRAW.

Before the Hon. A. L. Herdman rose to move the second reading, Mr J. T. M. Hornsby (Wairarapa) suggested Ibid it would be wise if the lathes, of whom there were a large number present, withdrew. The Rill, dealt with matters that would liaVe to be discussed in a plain manner. There were such things to be discussed as cannot be discussed in the presence of women.

The Speaker said he had given instructions to the orderlies to notify all ladies before they entered of the nature of the discussion. He had not the power to order that the galleries be cleared, but he would take the opportunity of calling the attention of the ladies to the Rill that was being discussed. Thereupon all the ladies rose and left the Chamber, five later returning. A WAR MEASURE. ! In moving the second reading of the Bill, the Hon. A. L. Herdman said it was essentially a war measure. R had been framed with the idea of what was fair and just to the community, and be fell confident that no section of the House would make an endeavour to use it as a means of furthering their own particular propaganda. It dealt with a variety of subjects. It asked first of all that Parliament should make valid certain war regulations that had been passed from time to time since the House last met. It also asked Parliament to arm the Government with greater powers in the way of making additional war regulations —to furnish power to make regulations dealing more effectively with the conduct of licensed liquor so that good order might be maintained while the war was on. It dealt with the suppression of prostitution and the question of venereal disease. With this question the Minister of Public Health would deal when he spoken The Rill asked the House !to empower the Government to make regulations which it, might have tO make To preserve essential industries while the war was, on. ENEMY TRADE.

In dealing with the important matter of enemy should remember the magnitude of the war in which we were engaged in formulating any policy. It \vas of importance that not only should the Dominions act upon lines that were uniform but 6n"lineS"ihat were uniform with what was laid down by the Imperial 'Government. II was of the highest importance, that Britain should remain on friendly terms with neutral countries, bers should consider the difficulties that must have faced English slatesmen when they took up this •:matter.

It was of importance, that in carrying on this war Britain should be able to control the exports and imports of Germany. II was necessary that she should so carry out this policy as not to offend her nearest neighbours. A very great and difficult task had thus been carried out. ' METHODS ADOPTED.

The steps taken by the Imperial Government were far-reaching. They had established a Contraband Committee which examined the cargoes of ships, and had entered into alliance with commercial people in neutral countries for the purpose of making sure that goods going into Holland, for instance, were not gelting into Germany. A topical instance of this kind was the agreement entered into with the Netherland Oversea Trust. ' Goods were consigned to that trust, and its members were under heavy penally if the loads found their way into enemy territory. Agreements were also entered into with the shipping lines not to carry goods destined for an enemy country. It was made a condition of providing bunker coal for Scandinavian ships that they carried nothing for enemy countries. Then there was the system of rationing. There were three different stages in the policy of the Imperial Government. At first there was the oldfashioned idea of looking only at the country in which a person resided without looking at his nationality. In April, 191"), came England's determination to carry on a strict blockade. The third stage was reached this year, when it was decided that trading with an enemy subject in any part of Hie world, connected with any trading firm or business in Germany, was trading with the enemy.