THE ESTIMATES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3173, 25 August 1917, Page 8

THE ESTIMATES

I'JRST ITEM DISCUSSION. Tho ib'st question raised in tho First item debate had to do with the butterfat levy. Mr. U. J. Anderson urged that the Government should refund tho amount of tho levy, and not only ono farthing per pound, one-third of tho levy, as was proposed. Mr. G. Willy, after a passing reference (o General (jodley, announced his intention of holding up tho Estimates until a promise was given that less mcugro allowances would bo given to school committees. Mr. I'. C. Webb asked for more wages for prison warders, saying that better men wero badly needed for the work. Also, the warders had U> work too long hours. L'r; A. K. Newman wished to knowfrom tho Finance Minister whether the wives of soldiers at tho front, young women who were employed in the Civil Service, would get the full war bonus. The Hon. W. D. S. MitcDonald, replying to tho member for Mataura, said that he was not now in charge, of the Board of Trade. ..Tie justified the'imposition of the levy in the first instance. He said that tho levy would remain until, tho end of August, and after that there would be an adjustment of the moneys collected. Mr. A. Harris pressed the Minister iof Railways to restore in part tho suburban train services. Cheap Fish, The .Hoii. G. AY. Russell, referring to the cost of living, said lie did uot think any Government had yet realised tho importance of the food of the people. He had visited the Thames during tho recess and had seen the work o'f trawlers in the Hauraki Gulf, which was tho. best, fishing ground in New Zealand. Ho believed that the proper distribution of the available fish would reduce •• enormously the cost of living. Fish oucht to be cheap and plentiful in every part, of the country. The fisheries were inexhaustible, and all that was needed was proper organisation for the catching and oistribulion of the fish. Any area that threatened to be fished out could be given a rest. The available fishing beds were almost limitless in area. He did not think that cool stores would 1» provided on any emended scale at the present time, owing to the cost, but in years In conic, suitable stores and fishing settlements would have to be established round the. coast, with a fishing popul.v ,fion that would bo the foundation of New Zealand's Navy. The Children's Needs, ' Mr, W. T. Jennings (TaiHiiarunui) urged the need for the establishment of a ■school for feeble-minded children in the North Island. It was painful to parents to send their ..children to the-southern institutions. The majority of New Zealand's children were in the North Island. Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (lvgmout) made an appeal for improved educational facilities for back-block children. The present provision was not adequate and the Government ought to subsidise very liberally the men who went into the back-blocks with children who needed education. Mr. W. H. Field (Otaki) asked the Minister of Railway to reconsider the reduction of the suburban railway services. The inconvenience and loss inflicted on the public were greater than any advan 7 tage gained. The abolition of race trains seemed to be a sacrifice of revenue to no stood purpose at all. The refusal of the Railway Depaitment l.u carry people to the Otaki races had cost .£2OOO, and had Uscn an act.of injustice to many people. Rotorua's Trout. Mr. T. >\f. Wilford -(Mult) said that no member should place any. reliance on Professor Prime's report regarding the fishing at Taupo and Rotorua. The report was entirely misleading. Its author had known nothing of his subject and had not been entitled to write on the matter at all. Professor Prince had spent a day or two at Jtotorna, and had failed to collect the information that was possessed by the men who knew; the, lake conditions and the facts regarding* the trout. If the "'expert" knew 110 more about the s*a fisheries than lie did about the lake fisheries his report: was of 110 value. Suburban Train Services. The Hun. W. H. Merries, Minister of Railways, said that ho would be very glad to restore ail (lie suburban .train's and a!! the other trains if railway:;:,;-,

were «flt required for Hie front' and if Kuftii'k'iil co;-,l woi-j guanmleed. But liu could not restore- one train without restoring til tho trains. If ho was to send 101)0 men to the front from tho railway service, ho must reduce the services. Ho ilid not wish to reduce tho goods trains or to deprive tho back-block people ot essentia! train.-. The 1 eduction had to be made in the suburban traffic and tha other passenger servhes. The matter was before Cabinet, and if his colleagues decided that men were not required ho could restore tho trains. Mr. Parr (Eden): But arc, not men ta'.viug tho railway service? 51V. Hemes: "T am sorry lo say they are. That is because we do not pay high enough wages.'' He had been sorry to disappoint tho Otaki racegoers, but the totalisator returns showed that tho (dub had not suffered. If the strike in Australia continued, it might be necessary to further teduce (he'train services. Coa,l had to bo available for freezing works and other available industries. A member: What <!oes :ho Efficiency Board say about coal? They have made a. report. Mr. Hemes: I have not.seen it. t think the Government will eventually have to take over the coal supplies of the West Coast. If the Australian strike continues for a month or two months position will be serious. We will not be able, to get coal until tho Australian States have renewed their supplies." Mr. .Wilford (Hutt) said that the Government ought to take over every coal area in New Zealand at once, giving the owners .debentures. The coal supplies ought to bo controlled by the State in war time, and the Government could reduce the cost of living very substantially by buying the mines in this country. The Government ought lo deal with this matter without waiting for a crisis to arise. The lirst item was passed at 0.10 a.m. and the House rose forthwith.