PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 145902, 8 August 1917, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON. August 7. The Legislative Council resumed this afternoon. Sir Francis Bell moved a resolution, on the lines of tile Lower House, to continue the war to n victorious conclusion. and in doing so lie said the fact that the Empire was entering into the foilrih year of war did not bring with it aiiv feeling of alarm to the people. The spirit of the nation was, ns over, unchanged. and no step would be taken backward. The motion was seconded by the Hon. Captain Baiilie, and after various eoiiueillors had expressed there warm approval of it. it was unanimously adapted. The Expiring Laws Continuance Bill and War Purposes Loan Bill, authorising the raising of £3-1,003,000, were put through all stages and passed. The Council adjourned at o.l’o p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THE ANNIVERSARY DECLARATION. Mr. Massey moved a resolution affirming. on the third anniversary nl the declaration el war. our inflexible determination to continue the war till vie.tory was achieved. In doing so. he said this resolution had been carried at .'IOO centres on Saturday, as enthusiastically as on the first anniversary. The statement just, made hy the Minister of Defence showed we had sent thousands <:f men to the front, every one cf whom had done his duty faithfully at Gallipoli, and in the field in France; inanv rf whom, lie regretted to say. would never see home and friends again. In full recognition of the fact that the war may he a long-drawn-out struggle, he asked the people to declare their intention to carry on until the nation which had deluged the world in hlond was brought to its knees, and the Allies had extracted from her a peace as would make such a. war impossible in future. We wore not actuated hy a desire for conquest, but hy love of freedom, and it was our duty to strengthen the bonds of those fighting for freedom, however far off the end might he. There wa.s no “cold foot” amongst those left behind, hut we must do everything in our power to lighten their task. Regarding the part of the resolution recording the thanks of the people to the men at the front, he said nothing so impressed him when at Home as the courage and gallantry of the men fighting in the trenches, and lie felt they richly deserved this mode of recognition. Sir Joseph Ward, in seconding the motion, said that not many people in tile Dominion before the outbreak of war would have contemplated with unanimity the prospect of our finding men and money for a- throe years’ struggle. but the fact remained. The real strength and real spirit of the Empire had been developed during these three years, and he felt confident that the spirit would, not he diminished until victory was achieved. The resolution was the finest evidence of the high regard in which the people held the men who had gone to the front, and. who had yet to go. The'tributes' of the officers 'to our men were of the highest, for these men, though new to war, never turned tail, and wo had reason to be proud of their achievements. Wo wore inspired not only hy the feeling of gratitude for what our men had clone, but one of positive hope'that sooner or later the Allies would achieve victory, which means securing freedom for the world.

Tho Motion was supported by Messrs AVilford, Poole, Hindnmrsh, Isitt and Dr. Newman, and carried, members rising and singing the National Anthem. QUESTION TIME.

Replying to Mr. AUCallum, Sir Joseph AVartl said ample provision would bo made for tho security of the war loan debentures as inscribed stock when the Dill was passed by tho House. AATiord pest offices had not now sufficient safe accommodation to store the debentures he had given orders that such accommodation is to ho provided. Sir Joseph also said ho was contemplating a working arrangement favourable to small investors in the war loan. A detailed statement would bo made to the House at an early date.

Replying to Air. Ngata, the Premier said tho Government proposed to consider tho question of the appointment of a Maori representative to tho Legislative Council this session.

Replying to Air. Boole, Sir J. Allen ' said the experience of segregation camps for the treatment of soldiers’ diseases had been most satisfactory. Replying to criticism regarding the payments to soldiers, Sir J. Allen said the Financial Board was in some cases making provision for the payment of a share of soldiers’ insurance premiums. It could not bo done in all cases, ns there was a danger of the State being imposed upon. For all civil servants, the superannuation fees were being paid, hut in order to get educated men as officers of the Defence Department in tlie early stage of tho war he did offer to provide some of tho civil pay of such men. That was necessary under the voluntary system, but did not apply in tho case of men balloted, where all wore equal, which was an argument in favour of conscription. BUDGET DEBATE. VATicn tho House resumed at 7.30, Mr. AA'ilford opened the debate on the Budget, which, he .said, had to bo considered in the light that £10,105.437 of loans was falling due in four years time, as well as £1,168,431 Treasury Bills which were negotiated in London for war expenditure. He thought it was - a mattcy for congratulation that out of tho sixteen million loan last year eleven million had been raised in the Dominion, and raised cheaply, but ho thought tho House was .entitled to know how the money had been expended and who benefited thereby. He favoured increased interest being paid to depositors in the post office sayings bank during the war, if not !onee°. and regretted that more had not Imen said regarding the work of tho Board of J rade. He expected to find tho Budget bristling with facts concerning the reduction in the cost of living, hut scarcely anything was said, though it was well known that prices wei« rising all the while.

Mr. Massey: You will pet. the report of the Board of Trade in a. low days.

Milford: That is the trouble. Me pet the report in a few days, but wo have to discuss the Board now. Continuing, Mr. Milford advocated a partial payment system in connection with the war loan, by which largo employers could enable their employees to invest in the bonds. He behaved the time would, come when the State would say how much money the sons of the, rich could inherit. In the meantime he did not say their inheritance should ho confiscated, but he did say the money inherited should be taxed'. An anti-hoarding bill should also ho passed on similar lines to the American Act,

n order to prevent merchants holding oodstnfl’s for a rise. Hie broad piin■iple of graduation imposed in conneo ion with the land mid iticorv Lix ippcaled to him, for the principle enun'latcd was both fair and logical. There Lould he no tax on tea, the cost of iving being already too high. the imnsoinent tax should bo on films; not m tickets. The tax on silks was, likevise, a mistake, the only result being ;he reducing of the quality of the silk niported rather than.the quantity, consequently we would have, to use n less humble material.

Mr. Sidcv said we should not nay our war expenditure out of capitid but out of revenue, but. unless the Treasurer greatly underestimated the revenue, as be did last year, then his expected, surplus would fall far short of requirements for tho coming year. AVhat he, would like to see was the profits tax go side hy side with the income, tax, so as to make sure that those who were making the actual war profits would pay as they deserved to pay. Ho deprecated conscription of wealth in the form of capital as unprofitable to the State. The compulsory proposals in connection with the' war loan required careful attention, otherwise an injustice might ho done. Tho tax on tea. would cause more irritation than it was worth. He regretted tbcro was no indication given as to the principle on which the increased allowances were to bo given to soldiers. Tho varying circumstances of th'e men needed some 'more elastic •system than the flat rate. The only fair way was to place all ranks on tho same level. Mr. Rhodes (Thames) criticised the details of tho proposed graduated income tax. contending there should be more consideration shown to a man with a family as against a bachelor. Tho amusement tax should increase in graduation more rapidly as tho price, of admission rises. Tho tax on tea was altogether unwarranted, while gold mining should not bo subject to special war taxation. Tho House rose at 10.50 p.m.