HALF A MILLION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1271, 28 October 1911, Page 6

HALF A MILLION.

SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES. SALARIES AND OTHER MATTERS. At 9.15 p.m., the House went into Committee of Supply on the Supplementary , Estimates, comprising ,£327,439 chargeable to ordinary revenue account, I besides .£119,653 to the Public "Works Fund, and smaller sums to other accounts. Sir James CARROLL said, in reply to Mr. Wright, that he was about to send a Native and Land Court Judge to tho Cook Islands to,determine the land titles. Ho would be away about six months. Another Native Land Court Judge was to be ; appointed. Mr. USHER said the salary increases for large salaries seemed unduly high as compared with those of the small salaries. The PRIME MINISTER contended that this was not so. Tho total of tho increases of all salaries was .£133,169, and ,£130,000 was for the smaller salaries. Seddon Memorial. Mr. JENNINGS drew attention to the item, "Seddon Memorial, .£925." He said he had great respect for the memory of the late Premier, but he wanted to know how long these votes were to bo continued. The total sum of .£20,000 was boing voted for memorials, and the time was ripo for a protest. Tho Prime Minister's reply was not clearly heard, but ho was understood to say that .£I2OO had been collected by the people of the country, but the work had been a long time in being carried out. Mr. MASSEY said ho had received strong complaints that there was no representation of New Zealand on the Victoria Memorial, London, while other Dominions were represented. We had contributed ,£15,000. The PRIME MINISTER said plans came out for two statues on tho memorial, but he did not know if tho name of New Zealand appeared there. Tho PRIME MINISTER said in Teply to Mr. Masscy that tho item "New Zealand Coronation presentation to his Majesty, ,£150" covered the cost and mounting of the "Hon. Roddy" nugget, but not its transport. The JG3IOO for Coronation celebrations in New Zealand included ,£22SS for tho illumination of public buildings throughout the Dominion. Cost of the Gaming Commission. Mr. JENNINGS asked why the volo for the expenses of tho Gaming Commission, .£2250, was so large. Ho would like to know how it was made up. Mr. GREENSLADE said ho was absolutely ashamed tu see tho item on the Estimates, and to think that five men should spend ,£2250 travelling about New Zealand for a lew weeks. It was a public scandal and ho was thoroughly disgusted. Mr. GLOVER entered an equally emphatic m'otesl'. The PRIME MINISTER said the Commission was travelling for eight weeks, and they had to hire motor-cars, or it would have taken them double the time. They were paid allowances and locomotion expenses like other Commissions. When a Commission was set up by authority of tho House they should not try to repudiate what tho Act provided, for that was tho plain English of it, because somo of them were not pleased with the report. Mr. JENNINGS said that all he wished to know was whether the charges were reasonable. Mr. GREENSLADE moved that the item: Cost of Gaming Commission, .£2250, shoald be reduced by £\ as an indication that the amount was excessive. He placed on record tho fact that the members of tho Commission were Sir Geo. Clifford and Messrs. Cohen, M'Vay, Rowc, and Nolan. Tho PRIME MINISTER interjected that although tho commission had five meinbera, the party which travelled numbered eight. Mr. GREENSLADE said that to him it seemed to bo an absolute scandal that fivo men, or even eight men, travelling .over New Zealand for eight woeks should :cost tho country X 2250. Mr. GLOVER seconded tho motion. Mr. GREENSLADE called for a division, but, after tho doors had been locked, consented to let the motion go upon the voices. It was thereupon declared lost. (Loft Sitting.}