THE ESTIMATES. DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 135, 4 December 1909, Page 5

THE ESTIMATES. DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT.

Shortly after the House, resumed last .night the Consolidated Estimates came up for consideration. LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENTS. This was the first class taken.. The total vote was £26,168 — Legislative Council £1350, House of Representatives £5295, general expenses £19,523. In answer to questions, the Prime Minister declared that the savings effected in the working of the departments, as shown on the Estimates, were bona fide, and, if possible, further savings would be effected next year. Mr. Jas. Allen insisted that fuller details should be given in the expenditure column of individual salaries. The Prime Minister replied that that" could be done under a system of postaudit. Under a system of pre-audit it [would cost too much. Considerable discussion ensued as io why the Estimates could not contain the same amount of detail as is given in the Estimates in some other countries, particularly in regard to salary, and a motion by Mr. Jas. Allen to reduce the vote by £1, by way of protest, was lost by 36 to 26. THE LIBRARY STAFF. Mr. J. A. Hanan urged that there ■was no necessity for the General Assembly Library staff being kept up during the recess at its full strength, at a total cost per annum of £2203. This, he urged, was an opportunity for economy that should not* be neglected. Mr. W. Frase-r, chairman of the Library Committee, urged that the library had to be kept up to date, that it was being kept up to date, and that it was no small or unimportant task to look after it during either the session or the recess. He thought that the work of the library at present was very Well done. Tho Prime Minister gave figures to show thaKthe library was economically managed, costing less now than years ago, in spite of increases in regard -to the work entailed. Mr. Jas. Allen paid a high tribute to the valuable assistance that members received from the Chief Librarian (Mr. C. Wilson). Mr G. W. Russell urged that facilities for research work should be given to members of professorial boards of colleges outside Wellington. Sir Joseph. Ward, answering further criticism, urged, as on former occasions, that we should have the post-andit system, as in Canada, urging that it would be far more conducive to publication of details than (.he present system, and would throw far more responsibility on Ministers. Mi-. Massey said he had a distinct recollection that in the past a committee elicited from the Auditor-General the statement that, whether under a system of pre-audit or post-audit, there- would be no difficulty in supplying the details of expenditure. Sir Joseph Ward said he was in favour of the post-audit system 1 , but he objected to being asked to give details of expenditure which had not been made. A motion to strike out the item "£4OO for Financial Adviser to the Goveriiment, London," was agreed to by 35 votes to 25. The division list appears elsewhere in this issue. INLAND REVENUE DEPART- ■ MENT. 1 Total vote for Land Tax branch, £10,236. _ Mr. James Allen asked for information respecting the retrenchment which had been carried out in connection with this department. The Prime Minister said the merging of the Land and Income Tax, Valuation and Stamps Departments had effected a saving of £30,000 per year. Mr Pearce complained that Government valuers were being dismissed, while the work of the department would be greatly increased if the Land 'gill were passed. Sir Joseph Ward said the work of the Valuation Department would be carried on as heretofore. The valuers, however, had been reduced and the districts had been enlarged. A long discussion took place on the Land and Income Tax Branch of the Inland Revenue Department with particular reference to the recent enquiry held into certain allegations made. In reply to a question Sir Joseph Ward aaid a saving of £10,000 had been effected by retrenchment in this department. He also announced that further retrenchment would take place in connection with the Stamps Branch of the department. The total retrenchment savings up to date were £303,603. • POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT. Total vote for salaries, £528,648. In reply to a question Sir Joseph Ward said a saving of over £20,000 had been effected in this department by retrenchment. The items on which savings had been effected included : — Cadets and messengers, £1000"; maintenance of lines, £7717, lorry srvices, £547; office expenses, £1069 ; special allowances and transfer expenses, £4610; travelling and other expenses, £3463. The estimates for the salaries cf the clerical staff of the department passed with little comment, and it was agreed that the vote for mail services should be postponed. The item of £122,310 for miscellaneous services for the department was also carried with little discussion. PUBLIC BUILDINGS, ETC. Total vote, £85,145; expended last year, £85,596. Mr. James Allen and Mr. Massey both endeavoured to secure information as to what it cost to fix up a temporary home for Parliament. Mr. Massey said a grievous mistake had been made in deciding on a new building scheme on a ,new site. He hoped the decision arrived at would yet be revoked. The present place of meeting was most unsuitable. Sir Joseph Ward said that from the start Mr. Massey had objected to what the Government had done. As a matter of fact the amount spent on the present buildings was less than would have been required for the rent of the Town Hall. Mr. J. P. Luke : You could not have got it. Sir Joseph declared that provision had to be made for the future. It would nave been quite impossible to have provided adequate and reasonable accommodation in the portion of the old Buildings which been, left standing. The scheme of rebuilding decided on would pay for itself and provide a sinking fund too. They were going to build not for a year but for many years. Mr. Massey repeated that in his opinion the .members of the House could have met in the Library upstairs, and that accommodation could easily 'haye been provided. The money spent so far had simply been wasted. Sir Joseph Ward asked where committee rooms were to be found. Alterations would have been in process the whole time members were sitting, and the position would have been unbearable. Mr. Massey's suggestion was absurd. Tile vote, which also included Government Domains (£1198) and maintenance and improvement of roads (£25,000) passed at 3.25 a.m. I Another ten mimites was spent in a discussion on the Hospitals Bill and the amendments made by the Legislative Council before Mr. Speaker (an objection being taken by Mr. Massey) ruled it to be new business and members went home.