HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXI, Issue 16690, 21 July 1916, Page 6

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

NEW ZEALAND MEAT

Tlie House of Representatives met at 2-30 p.m. Replying to Mr Witty, the Premier said he did not think that a large profit was being made by the British' Board nf Trade out ofr New Zealand meat. The Board of Trade had to pay heavy charges for storage in this country. He was satisfied that the price of meat locally would have been very much dearer had it not been for the arrangement made with the Imperial Government. VENEREAL DISEASES. The Hon. Russell moved that a copy of the speech delivered by him in the 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 scientific dissertation on these diseases, but a ; politcal pronouncement of the intentions of the Government on th esubject. The motion was agreed to. (In speaking on the second reading of the War Regulations Bill on Wednesday night, Mr Russell outlined proIjosals'for dealing with the social evil. Amongst them are thn 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 clinics at public hospitals, and the increase of the subsidy towards the cast from 50 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 communication of the disease to New Zealand.) EARLY CLOSING OF HOTEL BARS. * .Tip to 4-30 the House was engaged in 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 said the liquor trade was a huge and arrogant monopoly, and there was a great need for reform. He favoured closing the hotels a.t 8.0 o'clock, and in committee an amendment to that effect would be moved. Failing that, an effort would be made to get a referendum, when he had no doubt 6 o'clock would be carried. Mr Statham advocated compensation to > publicans in the event of the hours being reduced. " REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Replying to,questions. Ministers said «t was regretted that the privilege of a three weeks' railway pass cannot be extended to the wives of convalescent returned soldiers; that the Public Service Commissioner advises special consideration is,gi\:eji to all applications received from the dependents or New Zealand s.o'diers who are serving with the Expeditionary Forces many such are now employed in the public service; that all school inspectors devote part of their time, when visiting small schools, to giving specimen lessons as a guide to inexperienced teachers. *uMI- Isitt res»med the debate after the dinner adjournment. He congratu Jated the 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 durin"which liquor can be sold. He urged the practice of economy in regard to tlie four millions spenl on drink, and tie four millions spent annually on the tocalisator. He denied that any moral claim for compensation would be involved by the reduction of the hours or licensed houses. • r* /^'"lan complimented the Minister for Health upon the statement made the previous evening, but be- . Jieved that lie was goinm the wrong vvav to stamp out the disease. He was utterly opposed to the introduction of anything approaching the 0:1} Act in dealing with the matter. In regard to the liquor clauses of the Bill his opinion was that they did not far enough If shorter hours M -ei e not granted, a referendum would be demanded.

Mr Webb urged that the House had n.ore important work than the oonsi-

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 the liquor traffic.

Mi- Wright 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. He did not approve of too much government by regulation. He favoured greater restriction of the iiquor traffic. Mr. ■ McCombs strongly advocated holding a referendum on the early closing question, as was done in Australia."' /

Mr S ".'--I-1 ': v: rntu'ated the Government o-. .... _.h, n ■;.-.• Hie Minister for Health un the stat . c .. made the previous evening on the disease question. Ho considered the anti-treating clause in the Bill the greatest blow ever struck at tiie liquor trade. He saw no necessity for the obtrusion of the six o'clock closing proposal.

Mr Payne, while approving the Bill, said the clauses in reference to disease did r.ot go to the root of the matter, which was to be largely found m t.ho existing social conditions. On the liquor question he was an advocate of State control.

Hon. Herdnian, 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 be relied upon to ciit/ out its provisions with his 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, to the fact that the camp was at Wel Ungton. The evidence they had wnv 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 had reported that there was no necessity to make thfl change. The military evidence of officers at the camps also reported in favor of thfi hotels remaining open till 10 o'clock. They had no right to deny men who were going to fight for them a little liberty. As to efficiency, tha men had proved themselves at Gallipoli, and had shown that the opening of hotels to 10 o'clock had not affected their efficiency. Prohibition, in his opinion made for evil, not good. More drink 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 jn legal restraint in this matter, but rather in tne 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.

The House rose at 11.40