THE SESSION

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24389, 16 October 1944, Page 4

THE SESSION

EVENTFUL SITTINGS LAST WEEK ESTIMATES STILL TO BE CONSIDERED (From ' Our Parliamentary Reporter.) T WELLINGTON, October 15. Last week was the most eventful of this session of the House of Representatives. Main interest centred in the long discussion of the. Turakina and Fordell tunnels, but this subject ap r peared to be exhausted for the time being at least, whereas two other incidents of the week were left in the air. Both of these concerned the Minister of Defence (the Hon. P, Jones) in that breaches of members’ confidences by officers were alleged, though Mr Jones personally denied any ’knowledge of them. • The first was when Mr F. Findlay (Opposition, Hamilton) said Mr Jones had used. the name' of a person giving information about the destruction of Army stores after a promise had been given by the Security and Intelligence Bureau that the name would not be divulged. The second was When Mr C. G. Barker (Opposition;, Waipawa) said a letter he had shown 1 to the Minister in confidence had fanned the basis of an Army court-of inquiry, In the first case the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) indicated that the Opposition Would get an opportunity to discuss the question on a finance bill. Possibly, if the Opposition takes this opportunity, it may also raise again the subject of M# Barker’s letter, j There were not the only features of the week which produced a neat tactical movement by the Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash). He adopted the unusual course of speaking to an Imprest Supply Bill resolution, switching the whole course of the discussion, obviously planned by the Opposition, to one on lend-lease. The effect the Turakina and Fordell tunnels discussion had in clearing the air was shown on Friday afternoon. when all the Public Works Department estimates, including the electricity vote, were passed in a few hours.. It ' was the fastest progress made in Committee of Supply this session.

The vote for. the Railway Department is the only one under the con- 1 trpl of the Hon. R. Semple which'has still to be discussed, after Which the estimates of the departments administered by the Hon, C. F. Skinner and the Hon. B. Roberts only will remain. The Prime Minister said on - Friday that.he hoped to have consideration of all the main Estimates finished ip two days this week. It was arranged last week that the House should take the second reading of the Milk Bill on Wednesday, There is also the Earthquake and War Damage Insurance Bill on the order paper. . It has been left there unusually lone after the interruption by the adjournment on September 29 by -the' speech of the Minister of Finance in moving the second reading.