VIEWS OF PUBLIC MEN

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13792, 12 June 1915, Page 3

VIEWS OF PUBLIC MEN

In proposing the toast of "The Parliament" at tbo Post and Telegraph Association's .social last evening, MiHarry Atmore said that it would be the dutyTof Parliament to ■ provide-- a, wartax ::nd Kinking, fnml, and the lax should be an equitable oive. and .one that would be placed on the shoulders of those best able to Lear it and net on our soldiers. (Applause.) Parliament, he faid, must- see that a fair thing was done* to tho people. Tht pensions to soldiers must bo on a generovs scale. Our soldiers were nob only fighting for civilisation,, bub in the defence- of oar properly, and, said Mr Atmore, the aggregate cost of the pensions should bo on those- in receipt of Die- larger incomes, and those holding the iarger estates of the Dominion. (Applause.) Tho Hon. A. T. Maginnity, M.L.C., in responding, said that when the question of pensions came before the Upper House, his vote would be for a liberal scale, and in his opinion tho pensions should be not less than from £2 to £2 10s per week. (Applause.) Mr T. A. H. Field, M.P., in sponkino- to the toast, said that the question of"the. war-tax would exercise the greatest skill of members of Parliament. Theitax should be placed where it would be least felt, and on the shoulders of those best able to bear it. (Applause.) In the past the heroes ot England had been;lauded in song and verse but had been allowed to die-, in the workhouse. It had been a disgrace to .the nation,-and bo-'lioped tlwt nothin«- like that would occur m Now Zealand in regard to the men .who' were going to the-front;' '(Applause;)- •