BUDGET AND PUBLIC WORKS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22464, 27 July 1938, Page 5

BUDGET AND PUBLIC WORKS

AN APPARENT DISPARITY EXPLAINED [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON. July 26. , A disparity in the estimates of expenditure on public works as announced in the Budget, and as summarised in the Public Works Estimates, was explained in an interview this evening by the Minister for Finance (the Hon. W. Nash). It was pointed out to Mr Nash that the grand total in the estimates for the general purposes account and the electric sunply account, together with the main highways account was £16.712,230. whereas the figure given in summarised form in the Budget under the heading of public works was £20,719,700. "It was stated in the Budget,” said Mr Nash, ‘‘that the figure of £20,000,000 odd included maintenance, operating, and working expenses, which, in some cases, are covered by votes from different accounts. The Budget states that a whole picture of the expenditure would not bo given if only a part of the outlays were discussed. For instance, the Budget item of £5.186,000 for railway construction and improvements includes the purchase and maintenance of machinery and rolling stock, and not all these items are covered under the Public Wol-ks Fund.

“The disparity, after all, is only apparent.” the Minister added. “It arises .from the fact that different sums must come from different accounts: but the Budget figure, as previously stated, gives a true picture of the projected expenditure on public works and associated activities.”