Dissatisfied With Ministers’ Replies

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31124, 29 July 1966, Page 14

Dissatisfied With Ministers’ Replies

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 28. Dissatisfaction about some of the replies given by ministers to questions asked by members was expressed in Parliament tonight by Mr S. A. Whitehead (Opp., Nelson).

Opening the half-hour adjournment debate, he said; “This afternoon two questions were asked—of two different ministers —on the same subject—and we got two different replies.” Mr Whitehead accused the Prime' Minister (Mr Holyoake) of doing the same

thing. Recently the Prime Minister had been asked about the number of young people who wanted to get farms in New Zealand. Mr Whitehead said the Prime Minister had replied that 1,110,000 acres of land providing about 1500 farms was set aside for young farmers. Mr Whitehead said that a reply from the Minister of Lands said there had been 540 applicants for 61 farms. Then the Lands Department report said there were 825 applicants in the ballot for the 61 farms. “Where are we getting to with these answers? The Prime Minister’s answer would indicate to the people that there were plenty of farms available,” he said. In reply, the Minister of Lands (Mr Gerard) reminded Mr Whitehead that for the first time in the history of New Zealand there was more than one million acres of land under development for future farms. “I agree that the number of farms sold last year was not high enough. I have said in this House that I was very disappointed that we could not have more farms available. But we have got to be sure we do not lose too much of the taxpayer’s money.”