PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21197, 22 June 1934, Page 10

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

+ TRANSFER OF HIGHWAYS FUNDS CRITICISM BY MOTORISTS Criticism of the statement of the Minister for Finance (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) concerning the January forecast of the budgetary position was expressed at a meeting of the council of the Canterbury Autom bile Association last night. The council decided that Mr F. W. Johnston, president of the South Island Motor Union, should introduce the matter at the quarterly meeting of the union at Timaru on Friday next, and that delegates from the association should be instructed to support a protest against "incomplete statements" and "depredations on the highways funds." Particular reference was made to the transfer of £500,000 from the highways funds and the difference of £ 1,000,000 which was described by members as an "unexposed" amount. "I agree entirely with the views expressed this morni ig by the editor of 'The Press' on the accounts," said the president, Mr W. R. Carey. "We are not children; we are grown citizens," he continued. "We agreed to do our best to push along the 'cart of State' and the result might be the spending of a million pounds to overtake the f 500,000. "I consider tjiat I am doing my duty as a motorist and in the interests of improvements to the highways in making this statement. The Railways Board is taking over the licensed transport routes, such as the Wellington to Wanganui service." "No Notice Taken" Mr F. W. Freeman: The Cabinet has taken no notice of the Main Highways Board's report. The Engineer-in-Chief has described how our roads are suffering. The report was tabled in the House, but no notice was taken of it. If the £500,000 was spent on the roads it would repay us fourfold. "The only way to secure a glimmer of understanding is to try to understand the agricultural and pastoral mentality governing the country," said Mr Johnston, who explained that he was speaking purely as an individual. "It seems to be a case of 'take all.' We are taxed in all possible forms. The motorist stuck by the Government and the \vay has been made easy for it. " hat do we receive in return?" he asked. "This taking of money which should be expended on the roads was supposed to be a temporary measure, but the Government will still take it, quite contrary to the gentlemen's agreement." Government Appointments Mr Johnston went on to criticise the means of Government appointment, mentioning particularly the Transport Co-ordination Board. It had been said, he continued, that appointments had been made of men whose minds were blank to the co-ordination of transport. A voice: Blank is right! "I have been there, and the advocacy on behalf of the Railway De-. partment has been strenuous. Indeed, it has had the greatest weight paid to it," continued Mr Johnston. "When the South Island Motor Union got out a map the Lands Department demanded a royalty. Apart from the legal aspect the claim is entirely immoral and unjust. All these appointments are political and are made entirely because a man happens to be of the right political colour. It is time a political Christ arose and drove some of these political heads—if they have any heads—out of the political temple." Mr Freeman: Better stick to the evils we know than tempt the evils we do not know. Bernard Shaw's Comment Mr Johnston: Oh, not at all. Well did Bernard Shaw say that New Zealand was the greatest communistic country in the world and did not know it. Mr Carey: What is the good of a budget if there is an unexposed million pounds? Here the discussion ended.