AN AMENDMENT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 247, 26 July 1940, Page 6

AN AMENDMENT

PUBLIC WORKS ESTIMATES.

SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTiON WANTED. MOTION IN THE HOUSE. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, This Day. When the House of Representatives met. at 10.30, discussion of the Public Works Statement was begun by the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. A. Hamilton) who drew attention to- the steep increase in public works expenditure since 1033 when the amount had arisen from £3,500,000 to over £23,000,000 last year. This year, he said, it was proposed that expenditure on Public Works should be about £20,500,000 and he urged the Minister to reduce it as much as possible ,especially in view of the cost of the Dominion's war effort.

Mr Hamilton urged the Minister to take back, the Public Works Estimates with a view to a reduction in expenditure.

Mr W. J. Broadfoot (National, Waitomo) also urged a reduction in expenditure on Public Works, but he congratulated the Government on its Native settlement programme, which was an effort to solve a grave problem, namely, what to do with the Maori people and how to help them rehabilitate themselves. Mr Broadfoot moved an amendment to the motion oo which the debate on the Public Works Estimates is taking place, to the effect “‘that the Public Works Estimates be referred back to the Government with a view to substantial reduction in expenditure other than war expenditure.”