I move—

If is hardly necessary to point out that during this short sitting of Parliament it is necessary to get forward with the work as speedily as possible.

Mr. B. J. PIENAAR seconded.

I do not object to the Prime Minister taking more of the time of the House than is permitted by our rules at this stage of the session. We are all agreed that we want to shorten the proceedings as much as possible. We have already sat for some months this year, and we are looking forward to another session next year, and we are all agreed to help the Government as far as possible and not prolong this special session unduly. But I would submit to the Prime Minister that if we are to give facilities, and if we are to help to make this special session as short as possible, the Government should confine their work to matters which are really special and of urgent public importance. We on our side are prepared to help, but I claim that we should confine our attention in this session to the special matters of urgent public importance. Now, if I look at what the Government have already brought forward, and what the Government still threaten to bring forward, I am afraid that we are going to have a lengthy session, and that we are going to deal with a number of matters which are not of special importance or of urgent importance. Take the last two Bills which we have here this afternoon, one of which has just passed first reading, the Bill to repeal certain clauses of the Financial Relations Act relating to uniform teachers’ salaries. The Prime Minister knows, and every member of this House knows, that this is a contentious matter, that it is a matter over which we fought almost two months last session, and if this matter is brought forward now it opens a wide field of contention again. I assume that it is the policy of the Government to reverse the decision which was come to last year, and not to go on with this idea of making teachers’ salaries uniform. I think all that is necessary in that case would be to stay the proceedings of the Public Service Commission. The Public Service Commission is charged with the task of consulting with the teachers and making recommendations to the Government, which will lead to uniform salaries. All that is necessary at this stage is simply to stay those proceedings, to see that the Public Service Commission does not go on with its inquiry, or if it does go on with its enquiry, that the Government does not do anything further this session. Next year when we meet, in January, we shall have ample time to go into this whole question, and, if necessary, the Provincial question at large. I am very much afraid that the Prime Minister will find next session that the question is a very important and a very difficult one, that there is a great deal to be said on both sides, and if the Prime Minister allows himself time to consider, it is quite possible that he may even change his mind, and that next session he may find that this matter may have assumed a different form, and he himself may then have gathered doubts which he cannot now have. I think he ought to give the Minister of Finance some time. It is a most difficult matter; it is not a mere Party measure; it is part of the finances of this country, and I think the Government should not do itself an injustice. It is not giving itself a proper chance in this hurry. I think that, knowing that this is a contentious matter, that we are going to wrangle over this matter of the Financial Relations Act, knowing that it is a matter that requires careful thought on the part of the Government, they may repent at leisure at a later stage any step they take now in haste. No serious harm would be done by delay. I am not discussing the Act of last year at all. I am simply giving reasons why no precipitate action should be taken now, why the time should be given to necessary business. We are simply going to occupy the time of the House unduly by pressing this matter unnecessarily at this stage. The matter is entirely in the hands of the Government, and it is simply for them to say that they are going to take these matters later. Now, take number 3: the establishment of the office of a Government Attorney.

That has not yet been moved, I want to remind the hon. member.

Is the hon. member in order in discussing the details of the Bill?

The hon. member has a right to deal fairly broadly with the Bill.

No, but it is going to be moved. I am trying to help the Government. Here is a matter which is going to be very contentious. It is going to lead to a great deal of discussion and take a great deal of time, and there is no urgency about it. I have heard a great deal about unemployment, but it is news to me that the appointment of a Government Attorney is part of the Government’s policy to solve unemployment. I seriously advise the Prime Minister not to proceed with this matter, which can very well be dealt with at our next ordinary session. We look upon this as a special session, which we want to get through as quickly as possible. Under those circumstances I would ask the Prime Minister to drop matters which are not really urgent. We shall have time next year to deal with this matter of a Government Attorney. Let me mention another matter. I see in the King’s Speech a proposal to render uniform native taxation throughout the Union. I do not believe from my experience that anything more contentious can be brought before this House than a measure which is intended to render uniform native taxation. It brings to the front vital differences between the Provinces; it brings to the front not only the question of native taxation but the related questions of coloured and white taxation as well. During the five years I was Minister of Native Affairs I continually went into this matter with a view to bringing it before Parliament. It is one of the most important matters that Parliament can deal with, but I felt it was a very contentious matter and would take much time. I would ask the Prime Minister—because I appreciate the importance and the far-reaching effect of this matter—I would ask the Prime Minister to let that matter stand over also to next session. Let us confine this session to what is really urgent and important. If the Government wants to introduce anything of real urgency, they will find nothing but assistance from this side of the House, but I would appeal to them not to raise large matters of policy which are very contentious. I am not raising these points in any contentious spirit, but because I am convinced in my own mind that if the programme as it is now before us is carried out, we shall be sitting here for months. That is not the intention of the Prime Minister, I am sure, nor of those who are supporting him. It is our wish that the Government should as soon as possible get to grips with their serious tasks. It is impossible for the Government whilst they have to sit here in Parliament, and meet the necessary fighting and sniping which takes place in Parliament, to give their attention to the very serious questions which confront them. Let us make the session short. It is in the interests of the country that it should be short, and the Government should have a chance to deal with the subjects which are entrusted to their charge. I warn my hon. friend that with the best intentions in the world he has embarked upon a programme which is going to keep Parliament here for months. We have done without a Government Attorney’s department for a long time, and I hope we shall continue to do so a little longer.

We have got him.

The teachers’ question can stand over. The Prime Minister need only say that no scheme of uniformity will be put forward. As soon as we start on this native taxation the Prime Minister will find all over the Union the natives do not understand what this matter means. There will be a great deal of unrest and misunderstanding, and in his laudable effort to do justice to the native, he will do just the opposite. He will create a temper among the natives which will prejudice very much the carrying out of any fair native policy in the future. I have no objection to urge against the motion, but I would very seriously ask you to pause before going on with this programme, and to jettison these jim-jams; especially to jettison a matter like native taxation, which is far too important to be dealt with during a short session like the present. I can assure you that we on this side of the House will use every endeavour to expedite the work of the Government as much as possible—on condition that these matters are left over.

I am quite sure that the leader of the Opposition will find out that the Government is just as anxious that the session be a short one. I can assure him that the matters introduced will be found to be of the utmost urgency. I hope to show that the matters raised by my Department are very urgent, and both intimately affect the financial position of the country. Let us take the question of teachers’ salaries. Last session a measure was introduced by the late Government which took up a great deal of the time of this House. Its object was to give a uniform scale for teachers’ salaries. The measure was passed, but unfortunately the position to-day is that the teachers have not got uniform salaries. What did the late Government do? They gave themselves the powers and then merely proclaimed the existing scales! We have taken away the rights of the Provinces to deal with teachers’ salaries, and we cannot possibly leave the question as it stands at present. This Government is not prepared to undertake the responsibility of leaving matters in their present state in view of the attitude which we took up in Opposition. We propose to restore to the Provinces their former rights. The Provinces cannot balance their budgets. They are coming to us for assistance, and the Union Government will not assist them.

The hon. member cannot enter into the merits of the case, but should confine himself to the motion.

The right hon. member for Standerton (Gen. Smuts) has tried to show to the House that this is not an urgent matter, and I am trying to show that this is a very urgent matter to the Provinces. We must at least restore their powers, and the hon. member (Gen. Smuts), will agree that this is a very urgent matter. When I took Office I found that the Government had promised to provide £100,000 on the Estimates for the development of Native education. They had also made provision for the past year, but they had not provided the necessary funds from native sources which the Act contemplated. The late Government had promised to provide £100,000 for the same purpose this year. Does the hon. member for Standerton (Gen-Smuts), expect me to provide the money? If I must follow his suggestion, then I must decline to find the amount referred to. I do not think that we can ask the white people of this country to make this sacrifice for the natives.

They did last year.

They did last year on the distinct understanding that it would be recoverable from this year’s taxation. Well, that being so, I think that the sense of the House will not deny that if we do not introduce this Bill, I will be compelled to withdraw the amount from the Estimates.

The motion was put and agreed to.

I move—

I move the motion for the same reason as for the preceding one.

Mr. HEYNS seconded.

I only want to say this—After what has fallen from the Minister of Finance, I am afraid that this is going to be “some” session! I take it from what he has said that the Government is determined to go on with these things, but I am afraid that some of them will eventually have to be dropped. I would ask the Prime Minister this: If the Government thinks it is necessary to take Fridays from private members, let us make the sacrifice, but I wish to have an assurance from the Prime Minister that it will be helpful. Take the Accountancy Bill, which is a bit of private legislation which has been a very, very difficult piece of work. Unless this Bill is allowed to pass its remaining stages this session, I am afraid a grave injustice will be done to the interests concerned. If the Prime Minister will give an undertaking to fairly consider any measure privately introduced on Fridays I will make no opposition. If this were a short session I should not mind.

I wish to support the suggestion made by the right hon. gentleman. I happen to be in charge of the South African Society of Accountants Bill, which went through Select Committee last session. A great deal of money has been spent on the Bill, a great deal of thought has been given to it, and there has been considerable co-ordination between the societies of the four Provinces in order to secure harmony on the subject. I wish to ask the Prime Minister to give real consideration to the claims of that Bill. It is not an ordinary private Bill, it is really a public Bill, and affects the interest of the whole community.

I would like as much as possible to avoid unnecessary expense, and I am not sure, but I think that unless the Accountants Bill is brought on again this session it lapses, and in that case it would have to be started de novo. If possible I shall be only too pleased to assist in having it brought on. At the same time I hope it is not very contentious—I am afraid it was so at the start, but I hope it is less so since it came out of Select Committee. In regard to any other matter which really is important and is reasonable, we shall always give the necessary opportunities, but I do wish to say this to the right hon. the Leader of the Opposition, I think he unnecessarily fears the extension of the session. We are all very anxious to have it as short as possible, and we are not going to detain hon. members any longer than is absolutely necessary. With regard to native taxation I was under the impression that I was going to do a great favour to my right hon. friend. I got that Bill ready, and I believe it was drafted under his ӕgis with the quite unanimous opinion of all those who were consulted by him.

It is a most contentious thing.

I am very sorry to hear it. As pointed out by the Minister of Finance, it is an important measure, because we feel rather in this position, that we have been committed to rather large sums of money by my hon. friend on the other side, and I hope that he will be quite prepared to assist us in getting the necessary source from which to derive the money requirements to meet these demands.

The motion was agreed to.

I have great pleasure in seconding the motion. I believe with his past experience the hon. member will be a credit to the position.

Agreed to.

I move—

Most members know the hon. member better even than I do, and they are doubtless well convinced of his capacity for the office.

Rev. Mr. MULLINEUX seconded.

Agreed to.

I move—

Mr. B. J. PIENAAR seconded.

Agreed to.

I move—

Mr. C. A. van NIEKERK seconded.

Agreed to.

I move—

The question of war pensions was discussed during the last session, and there is a con-census of opinion that the matter should be further investigated. Consequently I shall move to-morrow that petitions and complaints in respect of war pensions be referred to this Committee, and I suggest that the House specially concern itself with war pensions relating to the Boer war as well as the late war.

Mr. B. J. PIENAAR seconded.

Before you put this motion I thought the Minister would have informed this House that all petitions which stood over from last session relating to pensions would also be referred to the Committee:

Yes, that is so.

May I appeal to the Minister to reconsider his decision. It is a very important question and we ought to go into the evidence very fully, so that the matter can be gone into thoroughly, and I would appeal to the Minister to appoint a special committee so that there can be a thorough enquiry.

The hon. member can deal with that when the motion comes up.

I only wish to say that I approved of the adoption of this course, because this was the course recommended by the House last session—that this matter should be referred to this Committee, when it was realized that it was difficult to obtain the service of members on a special committee. I will consider this question whether on this occasion the matter referred to should not go to a special committee. I only wish to say that if the matter is properly thrashed out, and if the hon. members of this committee can be got together, and they can conveniently do the work, there will be no objection. I shall discuss the matter with hon. members who are interested.

Mr. BLACKWELL rose to speak—

The debate is closed on the matter.

No opportunity was given to other hon. members to stand up when the hon. member for Cape Town, Harbour (Maj. G. B. van Zyl), sat down.

I am very sorry, but the hon. Minister has already replied.

The motion was agreed to.

I move, as an unopposed motion—

I second the motion. Will the petition, which was dealt with by the previous Select Committee, be reconsidered?

The House will have an opportunity of discussing their report.

The Minister of Finance, in his anxiety to be courteous to this side of the House, rose too quickly to reply to the hon. member for Cape Town, Harbour (Maj. G. B. van Zyl). May I, with your leave, put my point in the form of a question to the hon. Minister, and ask him and the Prime Minister whether a deputation did not see the Minister during the recent election campaign from the Military Pensioners Organization—and whether that body did not ask the Prime Minister to institute a special Commission, not a Select Committee, to enquire into the administration of war pensions. Certainly the statement appeared in the press.

I want to point out to the hon. member that the motion before the House is one simply dealing with petitions dealt with last session by the Select Committee—petitions that stood over, and the question of military pensions is not germane to the particular motion before the House now. The hon. member must take some other opportunity of bringing this matter forward.

The motion was agreed to.

Mr. SPEAKER stated that the petitions were upon the Table.

I move—

Mr. C. A. VAN NIEKERK seconded.

Agreed to.

I move—

Mr. C. A. VAN NIEKERK seconded.

Agreed to.

I move—

Mr. VERMOOTEN seconded.

Agreed to.

I move—

Mr. C. A. VAN NIEKERK seconded.

Agreed to.

I move—

Mr. VERMOOTEN seconded.

Agreed to.

I move—

Mr. B. J. PIENAAR seconded.

Agreed to.

Mr. SPEAKER stated that the Report (Annexure No. 419—’24) was upon the Table.

I move—

What is this report that is referred to in the motion?

You have had three months to consider it.

Yes, but we were not expecting that it would be considered this afternoon. I submit that we should have an opportunity of refreshing our memory with regard to the contents of this report, which was printed three months ago. I hope that the Minister will allow us at least a day to consider the report.

The MINISTER OF NATIVE AFFAIRS thereupon moved that the report be set down for consideration on Wednesday, July 30.

Mr. C. A. VAN NIEKERK seconded.

Agreed to.

I move—

Mr. B. J. PIENAAR seconded.

Agreed to.

Mr. SPEAKER stated that the Report (Annexure No. 452—’24) was upon the Table.

I move—

Mr. B. J. PIENAAR seconded.

Agreed to.

I think that date is very soon; we have not got time to study this Bill properly. Surely the Minister is not going to rush it through on Wednesday.

The reason why I moved Wednesday is that probably we shall have time during the course of the afternoon which will not be otherwise occupied, and I wish to fill in that time by dealing with this Bill in the House, though the second reading debate itself will probably be at a later stage. After the purport of the Bill has been explained to the House there will be no objection to the debate being postponed to a later stage to give the House an opportunity of dealing with the matter. We do not wish to have a part of the afternoon lost. I will certainly agree to the further debate being adjourned after I have introduced the Bill into the House.

Agreed to.