PARLIAMENT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 160, 22 July 1916, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON, July 20. The Leg-s!at‘ve Council mot at 2-30 p.m. Sir Francis Bell moved that tne Council agree to the report of the first coni cameo on the Military Service Bin to far as the conference was in agreement. Sir Francis Bell also moved the second reading of tne Legislative Council Amendment Bi.l. Ho traced the history of tile Act and said -Mr Massey aim the Reform party were of the linn opinion that it should he passed into law. They were as determined m 191 G as they were in 1912. He was disappointed that the experiment would not be made next year, hut ais a matter of fair play to Loth sides, it could not he made until alter a general election. That was why it was proposed to amend the Act by substituting the first day of January 1920, ror the first ox January 191 b. Every member who assented to the formation of the National Government was bound to support the arrangement. The Hon. Barr moved an amendment to llie effect that the Act of 1914 ha repealed. The Hon. G. Jones moved the adjournment of the debate. i’ue Council rose at 4.d0. HOUSE OF RERRESENTATiVEB. NEW ZEALAND MEAT. The House or Representatives met at 2-30 p.m. Replying to Mr Witty, the Premie: said ho did not think that a large profit was being made by the British Boartt of Trade out of New Zealand meat, idle Board of Trade had to pay heaw charges for storage in this country. He was satisfied that the price of meat local y would have been very much dearer had it not been for the arrangement made with the imperial Government. VEX ERE AI j DISEA SES.

The Hon. Russell moved that a copy of the speech delivered hy him in tne House last night. on the subject of venereal diseases, be laid on the table and printed.

A general discussion followed, in which members freely endorsed the printing and circulation of the speech as calculated to do considerable good. The Minister, in reply, said his speech did not purport to be a scientifc dissertation on these diseases, but a politcal pronouncement of the intentions of the Government on th esuhjer-+.

The motion was a creed to (In sneaking on the second reading of the War Regulations Bill on Wednesday night. Mr Russell outlined proposals for dealing with the social pvd Amongst them are the inspection of

women leading an immoral life, the prevention of any save legally qualified doctors from diagnosing and treating venereal diseases, the establishment of venereal cUnics at public hospitals, and the increase of the subsidy towards the cost from dO to 75 per cent., educational propaganda, and other precaution. The Minister stated that there had been no cases of the Eastern forms of the disease discovered among returned soldiers, who were very carefully watched to prevent the commwnieation of the disease to New Zealand.) EARLY CLOSING OF HOTEL BARS.

Up to 4-30 the House was engaged m discussing Ministers’ answers to questions. when the debate on the War Regulations Bill was resumed by Mr Anderson, who contended that No-license did reduce the consumption of liquor. He favoured closing the hotels at 8 o’clock. Mr Wilkinson sa'd the liquor trade was a huge and arrogant monopoly, and there was a great need for reform. He favoured closing the hotels at 8.0 o’clock, and in committee an amendment to that effect would he moved. Failing that, an effort would he made to get a referendum, when he had no doubt b o’clock would he carried. Air Statham advocated compensation to publicans in the event of the hours being reduced. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS.

Replying to questions, Ministers said it, was'regretted that the privilege of a three weeks’ railway pass cannot he extended to the wives of convalescent returned soldiers; that the Public Service Commissioner advises special consideration is given to all applications received from the dependents of New Zealand so'd'ers who are serving with the Expeditionary Forces — many such are now employed in the public service; that all school inspectors dcvgte part of their time, when visiting small schools, to giving specimen lessons as a guide to inexperienced teachers.

Mr I-sitt resumed the debate after the dinner adjournment. He congratulated tlio Minister for Health on his statement in regard to venereal diseases, and proceeded to point out the close association between that disease and the consumption of liquor. One means of reducing the disease trouble would bo to limit the hours during which liquor can be sold. He urged the practice of economy in regard to the four millions spent, on drink, and the four millions spent annually on tile totabsator. He denied that any moral claim for compensation would be involved by the reduction of the hours of licensed houses.

Dr. Newman complimented the Minister for Health upon the statement made the previous evening, but be lieved that he was going the wrong way to stamp out the disease. He was utterly opposed to the introduction of anything approaching the C.D. Act, in dealing with the matter. In regard to the liquor clauses of the Bill, his

opinion was that they did not go far enough. If shorter hours were not granted, a referendum would be demanded. ; Mr Webb urged that the House had | more important work than the consi- j deration of the Bill, such, for instance, ; as the cost of living, and other matters which made for national efficiency. He favoured State control of tire liquor traffic. Mr \V right thought in regard to the portion of the Bill dealing with disease and kindred subjects, that too much power was placed in the hands of the Minister. Ho did not approve of too much government by regulation. He favoured greater restriction of the liquor traffic. Mr Scott congratulated the Government on the Bill, a'so the Minister for Health on the statement made the previous evening on the disease question. Ho considered the anti-treating clause in the Bill the greatest blow ever struck at the liquor trade. He saw no necessity for the obtrusion of the six o’clock closing proposal. Mr Payne, while approving the Bil 1 , said the clauses in reference to disease did not go to the root of the matter, which was to be largely found in the existing social conditions. On the liquor question he was an advocate of htato control, Hon. Herdman, in reply, said he desired to associate himself with those who eulogised the address of the Minister of Health on the previous evening. He thought if the Bill passed his colleague could lie relied upon to carry out its provisions with Ins well-known energy and ability. A somewhat singular demand was now being made for limited hours of licensed bars on behalf of soldiers, which was. due, no doubt, I 1(1 the fact that the camp was at Wellington. The evidence they had was that drunkenness was very limited amongst soldiers. The object of the prohibitionists was to seize an opportunity to close the bars from the North Cape to the Bluff at 6 o’clock. Experienced police officers bad reported that there was no necessity to make the change. The military evidence of officers at the camps also reported in favor of the hotels remaining open till TO oh lock. They had no right to deny men \\ ho were going to fight for them a b'ttle liberty. As to efficiency, the men had proved themselves at Gallipoli, and had shown that the opening of hotels to 10 o’clock had not affected the'r efficiency. Prohibition, m his opinion made for evil, not good. More cv’nk was being consumed per head now than was the case years ago. Hotels were not as good as twenty years ago. The voice of the people was not always the voice of wisdom. He did not believe in legal restraint m Bus matter, but rather in the training of their young people to exercise restraint. By that means they would have a strong, vigorous, nation. The second reading was agreed to on the voices. 1 The House rose at 11.40.