THE BASIC REQUIREMENT

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 287, 1 September 1941, Page 6

THE BASIC REQUIREMENT

The Public Accounts Committee is to investigate the discrepancies between figures in an official departmental report and those in a return supplied by . order of the House, relating to expenditure on the development of certain blocks of land for the small farms scheme. That, of course, is desirable but it will not affect the real issue. Official figures should be absolutely correct, and the fact that there was a marked difference between those contained in the two documents may be capable of explanation, but the vital point is that the particulars relating to costs necessary for the public to ascertain for itself the facts of the position have been withheld. An explanation of the apparent discrepancies will not be of much value unless there is, at the same time, some undertaking given to make available to the public full particulars of the expenditure of public money. Here are State operations involving in the aggregate hundreds of thousands of pounds and it is impossible to discover from the departmental accounts what any particular block has cost to develop. The tables included in the reports are not complete and give a wholly erroneous impression. This land settlement scheme was instituted by a previous Government to provide constructive work for the unemployed. It was admitted that the land, when developed, would be unable to carry the complete cost, and that losses must be expected. But it should be possible for the people to learn what the total costs have been, for it is public money that has been expended. That is the most serious aspect of the position.- There are areas on which, according to the latest report, the total expenditure disclosed on development despite the costs since incurred is less today than it was when this Government took office. That certainly calls for some explanation. The withholding of information as to what the total development costs are today cannot be defended on any grounds. An inquiry into discrepancies in figures that have been made public will not meet the. position. What is vyanted, and what the Dominion has the right to expect at all times is full information regarding State expenditure and, as far' as ‘these extensive land operations are concerned, that information has not been made available.