ARMY HUTS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 271, 11 August 1943, Page 6

ARMY HUTS

Arrangements For Supply

The system under which Army huts had been constructed was explained by the Minister of Finance, Mr. Nash, during consideration of the Estimates in the House of Representatives yesterday. Opposition members had quoted from the Controller and Auditor-General’s report that investigations made by the Treasury and Audit had resulted in a saving of £30,000 on hut building contracts. Mr. Nash said no contract had been entered into for the building of huts. It was merely an arrangement under which huts were supplied at a cost of £6B/4/11 each. There was no clause in the agreement to reduce nrices. After the Treasury and Audit had looked into the position the price was reduced to £63/2/8 for huts in Auckland, £65/4/11 in Wellington and £64/12/7 for the South Island. It was the difference between the original agreed price and the reduced one that was mentioned in the AuditorGeneral’s report Mr. Langstone (Government, Waimarino) said ho was unable to understand the high costs of the huts. When he was Minister of Lands his department had supplied huts of approximately the same size lined and with stoves at about £2O each. He thought the experience of the department should have been utilized in connexion with the Army huts.