SOCIAL SERVICES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 120, 17 November 1937, Page 6

SOCIAL SERVICES

REDUCED EXPENDITURE

■ When the Cook Islands section of the Vote was being discussed, Mr. S. Cr. Holland (National, Christchurch North), who was a member of the Parliamentary Committee that visited the Islands last year, asked for an explanation of an item of £10,000 "ad 4 vance to fruit scheme." Was it for replanting ... Rarotonga. or would the money, be used for the outer islands? He also drew attention to the amount allocated for medical and nursing services for the group. " Last year the Vote was £7000, he said. This year only £5000 was being provided. He asked the reason for the reduction. It was thought by those who had visited the Islands that there was need for an increased Vote.

Another Vote that had been reduced was that for education services, said Mr. .Holland. Last year the sum of £6237 was expended, but the Estimates authorised only £6000 this year. The native teachers were doing wonderful work and received only about 30s a month in New Zealand currency. The Committee had recommended an increase in this department.

VALUE OF WIRELESS,

Mr. Holland said that last year £500 was voted and spent 'on a wireless'service, but no provision was made on the Estimates for wireless this year., Money spent on such services was of inestimable value to the residents.. The outer islands depended on wireless. He gave aii instance of wireless messages being transmitted from Rarotonga giving details of treatment for a person reported sick. When'the service was used' fbr. sueh s humanitarian purposes expenditure should not be stinted. Mr. Savage said that the, Government would do its'level best to see that the health conditions in the Cook Islands' were of the best. "We will not allow the grass to grow under our feet, he added. • "Money would not be saved lat the expense of the people residing in the Islands. He would make mI quiry into the position of the wireless services. The £10,000 advance for the fruit scheme would be free of interest and was for replanting. The Government was not squeezing or bringing anybody down to a low level.