ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1066, 12 July 1917, Page 8

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

MR McCOMBS'S AMENDMENT. DOMINION'S PART IN THE WAR. LABOUR MEMBERS' CRITICISM. ! [From pur Own Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, July 11. A surprise was sprung on the Mouse of Representatives this evening. It had been arranged that several loading members, including Sir John Findlav. should speak on the Address-in-Reply debate, but all the pfans were upset by the action of Mr J. McCombs, who had moved the adjournment on the previous day, I bringing down what was practically la motion of no-confidence. Mr McCombs commenced by strongly criticising Mr Massey and i Sir Joseph Ward for going to Great Britain and there arranging for an increase in the price of our produce. |Mr Lloyd George had said that the war would be won by the silver bullet, but the effect of our taking more money from the Mother Country than before the war was to rob Great Britain of much of the strength of her silver bullet. (Laughter and dissent.) CONSCRIPTION ATTACKED. He went on to attack the conscription policy, as adopted by the New Zealand Government. In the earlier 'days of the war the response to the appeal for voluntary recruits was excellent, but the Defence Minister had entered into so many commitments that i! became necessary to bring in conscription in order to get men to provide forces we had promised. When the National Register was taken Sir James Allen had said it was merely to get a census of the manhood of the nation, and that there was no intention of introducing conscription. This promise had been flagrantly broken. The secrecy of the National Register had also been violated in direct contravention of all undertakings. Public opinion was now so strong that members of the Cabinet were showing signs of weakening on the question of conscription and soldiers' pay. Were it not for that public opinion, they would still stick to their attitude of last session and continue to protect the financial shirker. The Government was prepared to make provision for certain soldiers, but the benefits extended only to such men as already owned property, as the assistance granted was chiefly in the way of paying interest and mortgage fees. The Government might very well follow the example of the Chfistehurch City Council, which made up the whole pay of every one of ils employees who went to the front. Voluntaryism had not failed in New Zealand. The Dominion had raised 75,000 men voluntarily, and if Canada had raised men in proportion they would have provided 000,000 men. And yet Canada was now bringing in conscription to bring up her total of soldiers lo 500,000. The truth was that the Minister, or somebody, had gone mad on the question of reinforcements. THE SECOND DIVISION. He was glad that many members were coming to realise that the call-ing-up of the Second Division was a serious matter. He could not believe that Ihe Imperial authorities were asking one part of the Empire to do more than all the others. Sir James Allen had stated, in Dur.edin, that when the Second Division was exhausted, Ihey could lower aii'l raise the military ages. "Some of you old buffers who voted for conscription," said Mr McCombs amidst laughter, "will have to look out or you will be dragged in." He moved a very lengthy amendment to the motion for a presentation of a vespectful addrcss-in-reply to the speech of his Excellency the Gov-ernor-General. The amendment proposed that there be added to the molion, "That this House is of opinion thai the lime has arrived when New Zealand's pari in Ihe war should be carefulv reviewed, and that the Defence Minister he. instructed that all troops authorised and raised for war purposes should be used for the purposes for which they were raised." There was a very great deal more o r the amendment but the rest of if was all to the same effect. Mr A. Walker (Dunedin North) seconded the amendment. Sir Joseph Ward asked the Sneaker to allow Ihe debate to proceed as If the amendment had not been moved. He wondered whether Mr McCombs had consulted his party before moving his amendment. (Loud laughter.) PRIME MINISTER ATTACKED. Mr A. 11. Hindmarsh (Wellington South) congratulated Mr McCombs on iv ring his amendment, and wenl on to speak of the high rents in Wellington which would go very hardly against dependents of members of the Second Division if called up for service. The members of Ihe House were nearly all elderly men whose interests lay entirely in property. Speaking with his accustomed vehemence Mr Hindmarsh accused the Prime Minister of protecting the rich producers. Should such a man be now in charge of the Dominion's affairs'? What had Mr Massey done to lessen the cost of living to Ihe people? A member: He has bought wheal. Mr Hindmarsh: Any fool can buy wheat when all he has to do is to draw a cheque, but some people cannot buy sense. (Loud laughter.) There was a manly ring about the speech of the member for Lyttelton, but because he was courageous enough to say what he thought, he was shouted at by men on the oilier side of the House. A Member: There is no other side now. We are all one family. (Laughter.) Continuing, Mr Hindmarsh said Mr j McCombs was as loyal as any other | member, and those who shouted I against him were merely annoyed | because Ihey were thwarted in their vulgar desire to rule. (Loud laugh. ■ ler.) He strongly attacked Sir James j Allen for his habit of saying: "You ; leave my officers alone," whenever : Ihe Defence Department was criticised. If Sir James Allen had the right lo stand by his officers, why should he not stand by men whom these officers wronged? A TYPICAL OUTBURST. Mr J. Payne (Grey Lynn) said the Minister of Defence had cast a slur upon the men who had died on Gallipoli, when he said that for their sakes it would be necessary to tear married men away from their wives and families. The people of Ihe Dominion were beginning lo think,

and they had come to the conclusion that this was no time for blatherskite—(Hear, hear, and laughter)— but for solemn consideration of what wo ought to do. Was it I lie kind of skunk who attended dairyfed farmers’ ■ conferences that our soldiers had fought for? (Laughter.) If so, the sacrifice was too great. It would almost be as well to he conquered by the Germans as to have this kind of Germanism in our midst. At 10.55 p.m. the adjournment was carried, on the motion of Mr T. A. ]]. Field (Nelson).