TARANAKI’S SHARE OF VOTE

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 296, 10 September 1938, Page 12

TARANAKI’S SHARE OF VOTE

Discrimination Alleged MR. POLSON CRITICAL The allegation that the Taranaki province, which he said was represented entirely by National Party members, had been penalised for its political attitude in the share of the Public Works vote which it bad received, was made by Mr. W. J. Polson (Opposition, Stratford) when speaking in the debate ou the Public Works Statement in the House of Representatives yesterday. Taranaki scenic resorts had been neglected to an extent Unit was becoming a public scandal, lie said.

Mr. Poison said the fact was that Taranaki had not liad anything like a reasonable share of the public works votes that were on the estimates. He agreed with tbc expenditure of much of the money, but 40 per cent, of the total was highway expenditure and be was not so/sure of that. The expenditure on public buildings was unnneccssarily large in some eases and not large enough' ou schools. Taranaki suffered for want of up-to-date schools, and there were a number of buildings being erected for the Government in Wellington and other places which could be done without until the school buildings had been provided.

“Omitting roads, 1 find in the estimates that Taranaki’s share of £8,500,000 is £Bs,ooo—that is, one per cent, of the expenditure,” Mr. Polson said. “There is provision for a hostel at Milford Sounds that will cost £200.000, while there are tourist attractions iu Taranaki as great as in any other part of Nfew Zealand.” Mr. Polson said £50,000 was to be spent iu developing tourist resorts, with nothing at all for Taranaki and nothing for the Egrnont National Park. He thought he was entitled to claim that there was discrimination against a province with au unparalleled resort. Taranaki had been neglected in regard to its scenic resorts to au extent that was becoming a public scandal. The Minister in Charge of Tourist and Health Resorts, Hon. F. Langstone: That is ail loan money.

Mr. Polson: I do not care what sort of money it is so long as Taranaki gets its share.

The Minister of Labour, Hon. 11. T. Armstrong: What about putting away a bit for a rainy day? Mr. Polson: Taranaki is entirely represented by National Party members. It is a sensible province. It lias been penalised for ite political attitude. Mr. A. F. Moncur (Government, Rotorua) : A change is coming.

LOCAL LEGISLATION Karori Cemetery Extension TRAMWAY RENEWAL FUND Several clauses of Wellington interest are included in the Local Legislation Bill, which was introduced by Governor-General’s Message in the House of Representatives yesterday. The Bill provides for tlie suspension for another two years of the annual appropriation of the renewal fund in respect of the tramway and powersupply undertaking of the Wellington City Council. The council is required by legislation to provide a. renewal fund and a reserve fund of 2 per cent, in the value of the depreciable assets of both its tramway and power supply undertaking. Because of the financial position of these undertakings during the past few years legislative authority has been granted to the suspension of the renewal fund payments for a period of five years ended on March 31 last. The reserve fund payments have been made annually as required by law. Authority is also contained in tlie Bill for the extension of the area of Karori Cemetery. An explanatory memorandum states that negotiations have been iu progress for some time past between the Government and the Wellington City Council with regard to tlie extension of the Soldiers’ Cemetery at Karori, and also of the civil portion of the cemetery. At the present rate of burial it is.estimated that tlie available plots iu the existing soldiers’ block will not suffice for more than two years. So fur as tire civil portion of the cemetery is concerned, the city council estimates that accommodation will be available for only another four or live years. Tlie question of extension to the cemetery has therefore become an urgent one.

The Wellington City Council has undertaken to contribute a sum of £5OO toward the cost of acquiring an area of 1 acre 35 perches of the Mackenzie Estate, adjoining the cemetery, to provide for an extension of the existing soldiers’ block. The Government will then provide the balance of the amount necessary to purchase this urea.

The proposal has been considered in conjunction with the necessity for extending the civil portion of the cemetery. and as a .result of the negotiations it is considered desirable, to authorise Hie city council to extend Hie present cemetery by utilising portion—S acres 21 perches—of the council’s property, which adjoins Standen Street, for cemetery purposes. The clause contains the necessary authority so to extend the present Karori Cemetery.

Contributions to the Wellington Free Ambulance Service by the Wellington Hospital Board (£1250), Wellington Harbour Board (£300), Hutt County Council (£150), and Makara County Council (£B6) are validated. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL Wellington City Bill Passed The Wellington City Empowering and Amendment Bill (Hon. T. Brindle), one clause* of which empowers the city council to erect in Oriental Bay a water fountain to be operated and lit by electricity, was passed by the Legislative Council yesterday. Other Bills passed were:— The Opunake Harbour Bill (Hon. W. Perry), providing for the dissolution of the Opunake Harbour Board and the transfer of the functions of the board (o Hie Opunake Borough Council. The Joint Council of the Order of St. John and the New Zealand Red Cross Society Incorporation Bill (Hon. Sir IL Heaton Rhodes)