PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 41, 12 November 1907, Page 6

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

DEBATED IN THE BOUSE. THE WANTS OF COUNTRY MEMBERS. THE MANAWATU RAILWAY. - , Both Houses of Parliament, began their ,day's work at 7.30.p.m. yesterday. In the {Council, the land Bill and several minor Government measures were put through their remaining stages and passed.' Tho Hon. J. <■ H*Gowan'B Coal Mines Act Amendment Bill was read a second time, and the Sea ' Fisheries Bill was under discussion at supper tiino, when the Council roso. ■ In tho House, after preliminary business, . -the adjournment was formally moved to go into Committee of Supply on tho Public l\Vorks Statement. A debate on tho Statement and Estimates then ensued. Mr. .Massey, who declared the Estimates should be down in tho - year, vigorously ' denounced the allocation for roads and bridges as inadequate, and complained of tho larger. amounts to be expended in other directions, especially in connection with the Tourist Department. IHe also compared tho proposed expenditure jthis 'year with that of last year, contending jthe new money scheduled was less. Tho (Premier based his reply chiefly on Mr. tMassey's statements./ Ho pointed out that ,in order to bring the Public Works Statement down oarlier, Parliament would require ito meet in February, which would be unacceptable to country members. He generally 'defended the proposed allocations, announced fthat tho Government proposed to ask for j-power to -expend up to, £100,000 on irrigation in Central Otago, and defined tho indention of tho Government in regard to"the :acquiring of tho Manawatu Railway. Mr. Vames Allen followed the Premier, and deVoted the greater portion of his time to an •analysis of the Otago allocations, which he 'compared-with those in other portions of the Dominion.', Ho stated that in regard to railway and roads the amonnts.for Otago were Slower considerably than Jast' year. The Hon. C. H. Mills followed, arid .the debate was taken up generally, by members on both sides of the House.