THE ESTIMATES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 265, 1 August 1908, Page 7

THE ESTIMATES.

\ / LEGISLATIVE DEBTS. . Tho House .then went into committee to discuss the Estimates. ,In discussing tho House of Representatives votes Mr. Hornsby asked tho Premier to consider whether some typewriting assistance could not he provided for members for their correspondence with constituencies during tho session. , Sometimes as many as 250 lettors a week- had to ha answered. ' Mr. LAUTtENSON (Lyttolton) supported the suggestion. The majority of mombers had about one hundred letters a week to get through, and ho described other . work mombers, if conscientious, had to transact. , The PRIME MINISTER said the Government had been willing to help members, but he pointed out difficulties that had intervened this session, Sergeant-at-Arms. Mr. GRAY (Christchurcli North) said the Sergeant-at-Arms ought to be abolished. He was purely ornamental. He carried the "gaudy bauble" upon his shoulder, shouted "Mr. Speaker," and that was all. (Laughter.) Many of the antiquated absurdities of the 'House should be done array with. Tho PRIME MINISTER oaid that Mr. Gray was quite mistaken. Tho officer in question had a great deal to do in ministering to the convenience arid comfort, of members POST AND TELEGRAPH. Mr. ALLEN (Bruce) asked for, general information, regarding the carriage of ovorsea mails especially on the 'Frisco and Vancouver routes. English Mall Sorvlco. The PRIME MINISTER wanted to say the Government had done a great deal in the matter of mail services between hero, Australia, America, and England. The 'Frisco mail service was stopped and 110 negotiations were proceeding between the Government and the former owners of the steamers for, the renewal of the service at present, for tho' r#aoon',tbflt unless the American Government gave a- larger subsidy to the Reamers they were not prepared to carry on unless paid first-class' rates for thoir service. The New Zealand Government were not going to make any further offers until they linew Tvhat oould be done. The steamers at present running between here and 'Frisco, received the usual postal service rates. .As to the service between Vancouver and Australia, the New Zealand Government had all along offered £20,000' for this serrico to be brought to New Zealand. Tho extension would not be made, however, notwithstanding all the New Zealand Government's efforts. The Australian authorities would not allow Brisbane to be omitted as a /port of call which would be necessary. The company received £10,000 a • year for calling there. The New Zealand Government. were at present subsidising the Union Company and tho Huddart-Parker Company to catch ■ the overland express train from ( Sydney to the outgoing mail steamer. But on the whole this service was not satisfactory. It gave us communication via, Suez,, but the length of service between hero and England in thiß route was too great. , Australia was some days nearer, London than wo, therefore Suez suited them. The Government were anxious to bring about .a combined service with Canada,-Britain, and, if possible, Australia. Wo could only get a' fast serrico via either 'Frisco'or Vancouver. "We had already intimated the willingness of this country to pay £75,000 a year, provided we could got a. fast service, via Vancouver, touching at Honolulu, Fiji, and Auckland (or Wellington).' This would reqiiire to be an 18-knot service across tho Pacifio. It would also be necossary to have fast sorvices across the . Atlantic.; He (the Premier) had urged'this while at Home, though then he had advocated a 21-knot Pacific service, which, was, however, found to:be too costly. .Now they were prepared to pay the sum stated for 18knot steamers with refrigerators and proper passenger traffic, and to join with Australia. Canada, and Britain. . The Government did not want to give subsidies for a slower service. The Government could not do more than tlioy were doing. They had not been neglectful | on the contrary, tlioy had beon doing all in thoir power, cspccially to bring about a speedyi all-red service. i Mr. AITKEN (Wellington East) hoped that the Vancouver fortnightly sorvice would bo brought about. Unless, however, that service was fortnightly,- it would bo of little use to tho business community.

The PRIME MINISTER: It would bo fortnightly. Mr. AITKEN, referring to the present service, said that tho inwnrd mail very-often lay for some days in Sydney before tho steamer left with it for New Zoaland. Ho suggested the difficulty could bo ovorcome if a small subsidy 'were paid to oithor tho Huddart Parker, or the -Union Company, to leave with tho mails when the latter arrived at Sydney.' He also pointed out that tho mail for the greator part of tho Dominion, when it did arrive, landed at the northern part of tho Dominion, and had to filter down.

Replying to Messrs. Horries and Massoy, tho Premier said that to connect with tho\Vancouvor boats at Suva would cost the Dominion about £12,000 or £15,000 a year. He added that ho did not think tho cost was worth it. Regarding tho whole matter of tho mail service the position, was that •the Government were on tho alort to do their utmost for a good service, but did not want to ongago in anything inferior. Their negotiations with the countries already mentioned must necessarily bo slow. Country Telephones. A lengthy discussion ensued consequent on somo members complaining of tho rates for country telephones. . Mr. BARBER (Newtown) made complaints regarding tho charges at Newtown. The PREMIER said that for our population the Government had done more in tho lnattor of telephonos for the backblocks than in any other couutry in tho world. The post and telegraph voto (£700,638) was passed. ( INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE. Tho total voto of this Department was £71,289.. At tho item "Trade Representative, £450." Mr. HANAN (Invercargill) asked what llr.

J. G. Gow (tho trado representative) had been doing in tho Dominion during the last six months, what new markets ho had discovered, what work ho had done to develop tho commerce of tho Dominion, and other information that would justify his appointment at a salary of £450. Mr. 1-lanan understood Mr. Gow was now in tho country, and drawing his salary. The Hon. J. M'GOWAN (representing tho Minister for Internal Affairs, tho Hon. Dr. Findlay) said Mr. Gow was at present employed at tlit; Central Office, Wellington. It was hnpossiblo to estimate tho value of his services. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) It could not be dono by anyone filling his position. Wliilo away travelling ho obtained genoral information on the trade of tho various countries. '

Mr. Wilford: Ho is on a good wicket. A member: Not out yet I .' Tho Minister said that Mr. Gow's last year's report had been issued. Mr. Gow's services had been vory valuable to tlio country.

Mr. T. MACKENZIE said that if any Department required revivifying it was this ono. Ho had no hesitation in saying this. If thero were figuros wanted for tiio Commerce Committee, this Department would be tho last from which to get them. The Department was rustic! and out of dato, and tho books wore mixed up in confusion. Nothing up to date could bo got. Wo had Trado Commissioners hero and at Home, and what information had been given the Dominion—in regard to wool, for instance? Tho latest information in regard to trade should bo availablo. Tho niembor had asked for information on wool recently aiid the latest ho could get was a report from Mr. H. C. Cameron, and was too old to bo of much use. Ho also pointed out the necessity of having the Dominion's Commissioner's oflico in the trade centro at Homo. Mr. MASSEY thought tho above remarks very apposito. Mr. Gow had been travelling round the world at tho Dominion's expense, and how much information had ho given the people? ■ Mr. Tanner: None. Mr. Massey went on to say that tlio reports of Mr. Gow's visits should have been laid before tho House. They should have tourist reports, too. He was pleased to seo a spirit of criticism abroad in connection with this offico and regarding similar matters of expenditure. Ho asserted that there ,was not a member in tho Houso know what an item of " £10,000 Canadian steam service' subsidy " really consisted of, and whether valuo was being received for,the money. Mr. TANNER (A.von) understood that when Mr. Gow was appointed a. vigorous policy was to be pursued regarding tho opening up of new markets abroad. ' He had watched tho operations of this representative with growing dissatisfaction. Ho thought tho stage had arrived, after seeing tho failure of .tho Department, for tho Houso to express . its opinion or the matter. To t»ko oho example: before' Mr.. Gow went to China New Zealand did a trado with that country of £15,000 a year. After ho had been there our trade fell till now wo sent £69 worth. Mr. Tanner had been told he travelled round liko an Eastern potentate, smoking , Mombors: Oh, no! Oh, no I Mr. Tanner: Well, I don't believo it. But I was told so. At any rate, ho costs the country, I fully believe, £1000 a year, and I want to know what ho is worth and what ho is doing. (Hear, hoar.) Mr. Tanner would not mind saying that the trado of tho whole seaboard of Asia would not pay for running the Department. H« suggested that tho time might bo ripe for a change. Mr. HERRIES criticised the lion-submis-sion of the Trades and Commerce report. Possibly if the report were available tho strictures just mauo, would not have been • made. ' Tbo PRIME MINISTER said that a great deal more information had.' been furnished this session-, .and tho , two preceding ones than in previous sessions. He believed a mistake was inado in withdrawing Mr. Gov/ from South Africa. When tho Government was urged to spend a largo sum; of monoy on freezing works in South Africa, Mr. Gow's advice was the moans of stopping that unwiso proposal. Ho (tho Promier) also, thought a mistake was made when men wero withdrawn from Asia as tho result of criticism. Tho trado was lost and Australia by sending out higher paid men got that trade and quadrupled it. The money spent in sending this> oificor about was well invested. ' Mr. MASSEY said wo paid £90,000 to tho South African steamers for carrying Australian produce, lie believed in encouraging trado with tho countries with which wo had dircct communication. Ho had no fault to find with "Mr. Gow. Rotorua Problems.. On the Tourist Department vote, Mr. Wilford pleaded that tho Rotorua- Maoris should be allowed to fish, for trout for their own use with rod aiid lino, as compensation for tho disappearanco of tho koura. Tho Hon. J. M'Gowan said tlio Maoris should not get tho trout free, but should be allowed to get it at a low rate. The Prime Minister deprecated attempts to decry tho work of tho Tourist Department. Last yoar tho Department spent £49,000, and actually paid into the Treasury £20,000. In addition to this tho tourists from overseas spent, at tho lowest'estimate, £430,000 in the. country.. • Could any other Department show such results? In reply to Mr. Guinness, Mr; Poland, and Mr. Gray, who contended that increased facilities should bo provided for tho treats mont of tho indigent sick of tlio Dominion at llotorua, tho Promier said theso people had to bo certified by tlio chairman of a Charitablo Aid Board as unablo to pay for treatment. There was a sum on tho Estimates to pay their railway fares, and thero were four freo beds in the summer and three in tho winter. . If, all such suffcrerfc wero taken in free' thero would bo no room for anybody olso. Too. many peoplo who could afford to pay tried to get . thero for nothing. Tho Industries, and Commerce and Tourist Department vote of £57,588 was passed unaltorod. Old Ase Pensions. Tho old ago pensions vota of £7772 was also passed, and tli-a Houso rose at 1.57 a.m.