INFORMATION NOT PUBLIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 252, 24 October 1931, Page 10

INFORMATION NOT PUBLIC.

DEPARTMENTAL AFFAIRS.

PROTEST IN PARLIAMENT.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, this- day.

When speaking in the House of Representatives yesterday Mr. J. T. Hogan . (Independent, Rangitikei) said 'that as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee he had. been absolutely as- ; tounded at the impotence of that com-, mittee when dealing with the Estimates. Last year the committee.had examined 71 officers, who, had given valuable information, in respect to items connected with their Departments. Those officers had shown they had' a wide knowledge of their work, and.had given information which would have been of the greatest value to the House when itf was considering the Estimates. ...... He had found, however, that that in-, formation was not to be supplied to the House, but was to be sent on to the respective' Ministers., He had conferred with the Speaker on the matter, and had been told that the committee had no request from the House to report back, and thus lie had found himself listening t£> members asking questions and being supplied with answers which he could have given more fully. For instance, he could have told members the truth about the Government steamer Maui Pomarc, Mr. Hogan suggested that the Public Accounts Committee should be given a direction to report back to the House on the Estimates.

Mr Apirana Ngata said what Mr. Hogan had paid about the Maui Pomarc was not news to members'of thc Hoiwe, because the Industries and Commerce had had tJje facts before it, either one or two i-esscioiis previously.