POLICY DEBATE.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1920, Page 5

POLICY DEBATE.

: REMEDY FOR COAL SHORTAGE BETTER conditions urged* LONDON OFFICE CRITICISED. St Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Wellington, Last Night. When the House of Representatives assembled at 2.30 p.m. to-day, the House immediately went into committee of supply for the purpose of considering an Imprest Supply Bill appropriating £3,171,900 for salaries, wages, and general purposes. On the second reading, Mr. G. Witty (Eiccarton) maintained that the acuteness of the coal shortage might be relieved greatly if the Government would only help in improving the conditions at the mines, particularly the housing conditions. He also commented adversely on the stalling of the High Comrnissioner's office, which appeared to be tun by landowners who knew next to nothing about New Zealand. The staff ought to be changed eveTy three years, so that they might be kept thoroughly up-to-date. Mr. J. McCombs (Lyttelton) ' said there were enough coal mines open in ,New Zealand to supply the Dominion with all the coal it required. What was wanted was more miners, and these might easily be got if the con--ditions were made attractive enough. There- \ .ta an admitted coal shortage in the country at the present time, yet in face of this he found the Railway Department contemplated running twentyone excursion trains in connection with a race meeting at Auckland. Unit, he thought, was scarcely acsential. and ou?ht to be cut out.

. DEFENCE EXTRAVAGANCE. Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition) criticised what he called "the extravagant running of thy headquarters' staff of the Defence Department." He held there was a great need of economy in connection with expenditure in this department. The establishment of the staff cbrps was too large and too costly. There was, ho urged, a need i for strict investigation into the cost of this part of our defence organisation. He outlined the changes in connection with the Wellington district, which, he claimed would dispense with 33 oflicers, ranking from lieutenant to captain, and mult in il saving of from £3OOO to £6OOO a year. He characterised the system of military districts as "top heavy," and suggested that the number should be cut down to two, effecting a great saving.

Mr. Wilford added that there was great dissatisfaction in the Dominion in regard to courts-martial, and he instanced the Burgeson case, in which two brothers were tried by court-martial at Palmerston North in April last. One was acquitted and the otlier was convicted and imprisoned, but on the matter being brought before the Judge Advocate, he quashed the conviction, and the man was set at liberty, but without jedress or compensation. He asked if the Minister was conversant with this case, and was he satisfied thiit. courtsmartial dealt fairly with the men brought before them.

LOAN BILL NF-XT WTJSK. Mr. W. T. Jennings (Waitomo) remarked that recently 150,000 tons of coal were sent from Australia to London, and lie asked why New Zealand could not get coal from Australia. Mr. Massey: "We are getting 50,000 tons per month." Mr. Jennings: "We should get 150,000 tons." The Hon. J. A. Hanan (Tnvercargill) urged the Government to issue the new loan as soon as possible, i Mr. Massey stated that he proposed to put the Loan Bill before the House next week. Mr. H. Atmore (Nelson) said the country should stimulate production and manufacture, so that it would be selfcontained and self-reliant. Industrial unrest was prevalent, and there were many urgent 'social and economic reasons for this which needed removal, and New Zealand was perhaps in a better position than any other country in the world to make an attempt to bring about improved conditions. Referring to the coal question, Mr. H. (?. Holland (Labor leader) said a member had stated that it cost £0 per ton to get coal from oversea, yet the mineowners fought the miners to the last ditch when tliey wanted a few extra pence per ton. Coal could be put aboard ship at Westport for less than £1 per ton. PREMIER ON COAL POSITION. Tho Prime Minister said he admitted that the miners' life was full of hardship, and he never spoke in a deprei catory manner of them. Touching on the question of economy, the Premier said he was 'glad to hear members express a desire for a policy of economy, yet requests for various works regarded as urgent came in continually. The Government would see that the public expenditure was not allowed to be influenced by anything but the actual needs of districts. The Premier explained the apparent undue increase of the Finance Department's expenditure last year as due to the purchase of wheat from Australia, and the naval expenditure. Referring to local government, he said it would not be possible to put legislation on the subject through this session. Reverting to the coal question, Mr. Massey said he did not believe nationalisation would cure the troubles. Mi McTntyre. chairman of the Buller County Council, who was quoted as an authority on the coal position, had told him the position was improving at the mines. The Premier said lie believed there should be a compulsory secret ballot on the question of striking, and if the provisions of the Compulsory Disputes Act were complied with in all details, lie was ready to stand by the result- He believed that the recent dislocations of work at tho Waikato nines and others were not acquiesced in by tho majority of the men. There was a great deal of coal in New Zealand easily accessible if it could be opened up, he said, but there were not enough miners to work the deposits. Touching on the present shortage, he believed he could say that the outlook had improved, and he intended to keep the railways running as long as it was possible. He quoted figures showing the wages per shfft corned by tho miners in the State mines during the last six months, showing that these ranged from 24s 4d to 27s Bd, an average of 26s Id. At 11.35 p.m. the second reading was agreed to, and tho Bill was put through its remaining stages as a matter of urgency. The House rose at 1,30 a.m., fill 7.30 gp,tn. 0