NEW RECORD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 217, 14 September 1939, Page 10

NEW RECORD.

FINANCIAL VOTES.

PASSED BY HOUSE.

PUBLIC WORKS ESTIMATES

MINIMUM OF DISCUSSION.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter,

WELLINGTON, this day

A now record for expenditure was established by the House of Representatives last evening when it put through the public works estimates, involving an appropriation of more than £20,000,000, in under an hour and a half.

Normally these estimates provide the Opposition with enough talking points to lust for clays, but on this occasion special circumstance* made the Opposition lorgo its usual privileges and cooperate witli the Government in passing the vote.

In reply to points made by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Hamilton, the lifting-Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, said that the passing of the estimates must be considered in the light of developments. The money devoted to certain purposes would under stress be devoted to the first job that had to be done.

In addition the House passed two bills. The first was the Emergency Regulations Bill, which was introduced the previous evening and which gives the Government almost complete powers of control of the nation'* activities during the war. Discussion of this measure lasted most of the afternoon, and its pausing wm followed by the Transport L*w Amendment Bill in modified form, the principal alterations eliminating the clause requiring registration of bicyclc* and restoring to counties the rights to issue i drivers' licenses. j

A practical suggestion was made during the evening by Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (National, VVaitomo) that tho Government should commcnce a land development scheme at once, «o that farms would be available for soldiers on their return from the theatre of war.