PARLIAMENT

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16310, 11 August 1917, Page 7

PARLIAMENT

STATE CONTROL OF LIQUOR, TOO EXPENSIVE FOR WAR TIME. From Our Own Correspondent. WELLINGTON, Aug. 10. In view of the fact that the Canadian Government has taken over private railways, Mr Reed (Bay of Islands) recently asked the Prime Minister whether the Government- will apply tho principle to this Dominion in regard to the liquor trade. Mr Massey to-day replied that the Government cannot see its way to increase the financial liabilities of the Dominion duriiig the war period. THE MILITARY. CHIEFS. INFORMATION REGARDING EMOLUMENTS.

A question by Mr Witty elicited the following reply from Sir James Allen — (1) The Chief of the General Staff was on active service throughout tlie three years of the South African war. He has several times asked to be permitted to go to the Front, but I have deemed it my duty to request him to remain in New Zealand. His services are, in my opinion, of more value to this country in his present positionthan at the Front.

(2) He is paid £BOO per annum, which is what he would receive in the Imperial Army, to which he belongs. In addition lie lias drawn ration allowance, 2s per diem, which is paid to all officers, n.c.o's and men of the New Zealand military forces who are not in receipt oL? free rations, and the liorse allowance provided by the financial regulations for officers who require to keep a horse for Government purposes. (3) The General Officer Commanding is in receipt of pay at the rate of £llOO per annum, in accordance with the scale laid down. lie also receives a ration allowance of 2s per diem. PRELIMINARY TO WAR LOAN. Sir Joseph Ward gave notice to-day to introduce the New Zealand Inscribed Stock Bill. He explained that it was necessary to paps this Bill before a loan ■could be floated. The Bill would come before the House at an early date. FLUCTUATING PRICE OF BUTTER, In answer to Dr. Newman, the Prime Minister said the maximum price of liut-ter stood as before. The Board of Trade reported that it was being sold at between I s ? 6d and Is 8d some months ago. Owners butter wer« under the impression that they could not get their supplv away, and the nrice went down to Is 3d. T,n.ter the~=" found thnt the simply might bs r- a h fiwav enrtv in the season and the price went, up again. THE "WTTEAT OTTR«TTON. CABINET TO CONSIDER, In answer to Mr Poole (Auckland West) the Prime Minister said that early in the year the Government. Statistician advised that there was not sufficient wheat in New Zealand to last Until nfcxt harvest; therefore some Australian wheat was purchased. Recently, however, it had been found that a quantity of Australian flour had been imported. and this had nut some r>P the southern mills out of' act'en. Tho mat-tor would come befo->-o flip Oab'npt to-morrow, h>'t he could not «a.y what action would he. taken. ONE OF MR. WEBB'S BILLS. REJECTED ON SECOND READING. Mr Webb moved the second reading of a War Regulations Amendment Bill. He stated that at the present tinie some of tile best people ih tho country were behind prison bars through the working of tlie War Regulations. They were men of British birth, who had no German thoughts whatever, but were merely endeavouring to protect the masses Of people from a privileged few who were making huge profits out of the war. He contended that it was a brght day for New Zealand when Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward left for England, as the two men letft at the head of the Government (Sir James Allen and Mr MacDouald) had displayed more indications of real states- \ manship than Mr Massev or Sir Joseph j Ward bad ever done. They had done a great deal to suppress industrial I trouble. The men had tried hard since ( the commencement of the war to evade industrial .trouble. In the ; others had done their utmost to pile | rn their millions out of the war. New I Zealand stood nut as the one conntrv I iii the Empire which had had no industrial trolib T e throughout the war, and the men who were responsible for that condition were now in gaol, men who, iif thev raised a finger to-hiorrow. coiiVl create industrial turmoil. Tn his opinion the time had arrived when the people of the country should demand some de.crree of justice on the floor o~ thf House. Th,° motion for the second read'ner of the BiH was de f en+ed by 34 to 10. tl'C minor't'- including Sir John . Findlay and Mr Sidey. I nT'TiritrT TTFTIATE * The debate on the Financial Statement was continued to-riight by Dr. Thacker. Mr Noswortliy, and Mr Forbes. Nothing new was developed by any of the speakers.