TALK ON ESTIMATES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 237, 7 October 1930, Page 5

TALK ON ESTIMATES.

"A CHATTERING MATTER." "THREE AND A-QUARTER PARTIES." MINISTER ASKS FOR HASTE. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Monday. Hoping to pass five classes of the Estimates at to-clay's sitting, but disposing of only two, Sir Apirana Ngata, acting-Leader of the House, expressed disappointment at the slow progress, and announced his intention of moving for urgency on Tuesday, so that the sitting might continue until a definite amount of work had been done. He said hie experience was that the Estimates were usually put through in five nights, not like those under present conditions, but five abnormal nights. Mr. P. Fraser (Labour, Wellington Central) : In 1912 the hon. gentleman's friends held up one class five days. "That's a different thing," retorUd -SUP; Apirana smilingly. "The discussion on some of these Estimates has been a ?. chattering matter." |i He said he would ij ask the House to dei; bate the Samoa reij port on Tuesday ij afternoon. Two un- \ usually interesting I reports, those of the | Public Works DeI partment and the § Railways Commia- | sion, had to be deis bated during the

week, which would take at least two days, and it was the Government's intention to bring the session to a close. Mr. Eraser: At the end of the month? Sir Apirana: If possible by Saturday week. Sir Apirana Ngata remarked that the majority of members did not want that. The Government was well aware of the difficulties in a House with three and one quarter parties (laughter), each entitled to discuss everything fully, but the Estimates had taken an extraordinarily long time.

Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour party, declared he had repeatedly urged the adoption of an orderly arrangement between the parties to expedite business, but the Government had not accepted it, nor had the Leader of the Opposition. Such an arrangement could put the business through without unduly curtailing anyone's rights, but he would not agree to granting urgency. The Hon. W. D. Stewart, acting-Leader of the Opposition, asked Mr. Holland what he meant by systematising business arrangements. Did he suggest a time limit of, say, one hour for the Agricultural Department? Mr. Holland: I suggest a time limit to each class, and speakers to be selected who specialise on certain subjects. "Systematisation is like rationalisation ; I don't know what it means," replied Mr. Stewart. He pointed out that if any arrangement were 'made someone was sure to break it, on the ground that the question was so urgent that it needed longer discussion. The House then adjourned without a definite development.