QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28629, 4 July 1958, Page 10

QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE

“Rebate” Report Wanted (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 3. Two questions based on the Controller and Auditor-General’s report to Parliament were directed to the Prime Minister (Mr Nash) and the Minister of Finance (Mr Nordmeyer) by Mr J. K. McAlpine (Opposition, Selwyn) and Mr J. R. Hanan (Opposition, Invercargill), in the House of Representatives today. Mr McAlpine asked Mr Nash for an assurance that in future he would not resort to spending money belonging, by law, to the Social Security Fund to keep the Government in office. In a note to the question, Mr McAlpine said the figures, as set out in the report, showed that most of the accounts were at a very low level. The one most affected was the Social Security Fund, but other balances had been called on to assist by using their free cash to buy investments from the Consolidated Fund and the Social Security Fund. Mr Hanan asked Mr Nordmeyer whether he would obtain from the Auditor-General the special report prepared for submission to Parliament in which attention was drawn to the critical situation which could arise as a result of remitting income tax to the extent of £l9 million by way of the “so-called” £lOO rebate so that the public might be fully informed of the financial implications of the Government’s “extraordinary” election promise. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Holyoake): A shocking indictment.

The Speaker (Mr Macfarlane) said the question would be revised to eliminate comment