PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2527, 14 June 1909, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. SATURDAY’S SITTING. [Pijh Phess Association.] WELLINGTON, Jane 12. The Legislative Council met at 10.30 a.m. In .answer to the Hon. Mr Rigg tho Attorney-General said ho was not prepared to say when the Dreadnought motion would ,■come on. The Hon. Mr iigg urged the necessity o 7 giving notice. If it was brought on by surprise as ho might deem it his duty to object. Tho Council then adjourned till Monday morning. HOUSE OF REPFTESENTAT! VES, ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE. Tho House met at 11.30 a.m. The debate on the Address-in-Reply was continued led by Mr Buick. Ho said it was tho duty of the House to confirm tho Government’s offer of a Dreadnought, though ho considered it should first b.avo been submitted to Parliament. Ho believed tho Premier would learn a lesson or two at Homo. It was a great pity that business should not go on in his absence. He held that ij’oung men wore leaving the country because they had no chance here. Mr Luke said that he would vote for the amendment. He claimed to be an independent member. Tho Premier was nutting tho interests of party before those of country, and he strongly condemned an adjournment of the session.

The Hon. A. W. Hogg referred to remarks by the Opposition on his own and his colleagues’ position. Ho denied that they were dumb dogs. He had not sought his present position. Ho charged the Leader of the Opposition with seeking to accompany the Premier Home. Ho regretted* the fact that men were out of work, but no attempts would be made to reduce wages. He expressed himself strongly on the subject of land monopoly and contended that it was large estates that were largely responsible for the present distress. Land settlement would have to go on side by side with the [and taxation, bat he had always regarded land monopoly as a crime. He explained his remarks regarding notes issued by the State. His idea was to make caintal as plentiful as possible. Mr. Buchanan said he was in a position to prove the suggestion that Mr Massey should accompany the Premier emanated from the Government side. The Premier said he cou.d prove otherwise.

Mr Buchanan went on to criticise Mr Hogg’s speech and said he would be better employed settling Crown and opening Native lands than lecturing the Opposition. He hoped tlie Premier would frankly state what he felt himself empowered to do at the Conference. The House adjourned till 2.30 p.m. The House resumed at 2.30 p.m. Mr. G. W. Russell continued the debate on the Address-in-Reply. He opposed the amendment, but acknowledged the support the Government had received from the Opposition and the press in connection with the Dreadnought offer. It was, he said, impossible for New Zealand to defend herself. She must rely on the British navy. He was in favor of giving the Premier carte blanclie at the conference. Compulsory training was neither desirable! nor necessary in the Dominion. The first essential in connection with defengp was to have one impregnable port. . In the second place we should have naval volunteers and rifle clubs,, the latter to be provided with free rifles and ammunition. There should also be two ammunition factories in the Dominion. Mr. Thomson (Dunedin North) said he was disappointed at the amount of irrelevant matter introduced into , the debate. He saw' no reason for losing the time of Parliament during the Premier’s absence. ±ie suggested as a suitable title for Sir Joseph Ward Lord Bluff of Awarua. (Laughter.) Mr. Guthrie supported the amendment. Messrs Clark, Anderson, and Pearce opposed the amendment. Mr. McLaren said that the burden of empire rested on the shoulders of the toiling masses, and the problem would never be solved until social conditions were reformed and justice done to the poorest classes. (Hear, hear.) Outlining the question of unemployment, he said lief did not blame the Government for the present distress. He read reports from various districts in the colony, giving information as to the unemployed. He criticised the Government method of assisting immigration. , . Mr. Malcolm went over the points m Jtr. McLaren’s speech, and declared that the latter ignored the land question. Tlie members of the Opposition were not in favor of land monopoly. The demand for the leasehold by tho city members was actuated by mean greed. Mr. Malcolm said that lie condemned the Government for extravagance while public servants were being dismissed in'"tlie score. During Mr. Malcolm’s speech, air. Massey said that Sir Harry Atkinson had' nothing to do with the position leading up te the retrenchments of ISB7. . . ■ . . , The Hon. T. Mackenzie interjected: Absolutely false. Mr. Massey demanded a withdrawal of the expression, which was made. The House rose at 5.30 p.m. 'l'lie House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr Malcolm continued tlie debate. Mr. Scott supported the amendment. He advocated a scheme of national defence and training ships for tlio youth of tho Dominion. Messrs Dive, Hander.; and Wright also spoke in support of the amendment. The last caused great uproar bv stating- that the member for Hawke’s Buy (Mr. Dillon) was a land monopolist, which the latter member described as most unjust. Mr. Wright quoted an article m a Clmstclmich weekly paper from the pen of Mr. G. W. Russell (member for Avon), giving good reasons why Parliament should not be prorogued. , ~ Mr. Graham complimented the new members on their speeches. He described the Cabinet as the most incongruous one which he had scon during the last sixteen years, lho Premier, ho said, could only rely on two ot ms Ministers to lead the House during Ins absence. On the whole it was wise’of the Premier to stipulate for the prorogation of Parliament during lus absence at tho Conference? THE OPPOSITION AMENDMENT NEGATIVED. Mr Massey’s amendment. “That the words kind that an early prorogation of Parliament take place’ be deleted from tho Address-in-Reply,” was then put. On a division, the amendment was lost by 45 to 29. ■

The division list is as follows :— — Ayes: Messrs Arnold, Baume, Brow Buddo. Buxton, Carroll. Clark, Colvi Craigie, Davoy, Dillon, Hon T. Y. Duncan, Ell. Forbes, Fowlds. Glover, Graham, Greenslade, Hunan, Hogan, Hogg, Jennings, Kaihau, Laurenson. Lawry, Macdonald, R. McKenzie, :nT. Mackenzie. Millar, Ngata, Parata, Poland, Poole, Reid. Remington, Ross, Russell, Seddon, Sidey, 3 tall worthy, Taylor, Buck Thomson, Ward, Wilford.

Noes: Messrs Allen. Anderson, Bollard. Buchanan, Buick, Dive. Duncan, Fisher, Fraser, Guthrie, Hardy, Herdman, Herries, Lang. Luko, McLaren, Malcolm, Hander, Massey, Newman, Nosworthy, Okey, Pearce, Phillips, Rhodes, Scott, G. M. Thomson, Witty. Wright. THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF COMMITTEES. ? The Premier moved that Mr. T. M Wilford be appointed Chairman > Committee. Mr, Massey opposed the motion, and moved as an amendment “that the appointment of Chairman of Committees he left over till next session.” He cited the precedent of 1906, when the appointment of Chairman of Committees was postponed till the actual session of Parliament on the occasion of the Premier’s visit to the Imperial Conference. On a division being taken, the amendment was lost by 44 to 27. The Premier snovcjd the adjournment, and the House rose at 12.10 a.m.