THE ESTIMATES

Evening Star, Issue 18714, 16 August 1924, Page 4

THE ESTIMATES

FIE.ST ITEM PASSED. [Pee United Peess Association.] August 15. The House of Representatives went into Committee of Supply to consider the Estimates, the first item being the vote of £60,494 for the Legislative Department. Mr Sidey, criticising the method of preparing the estimates of revenue, said the Prime Minister had forecasted a reduction of £1,000,000 in taxation, but had given no indication how that reduction was going to he allocated. The uncertainty on the point was causing much concern to many business and other interests.

The Hon. D. Buddo urged that every precaution be taken to prevent tlio introduction of rinderpest, foot-and-mouth, or similar cattle diseases into A'ew Zealand, either through the medium of stock or fodder or other agricultural imports. He quoted the position in Argentina, where the disease was carried in fodder imports and was extremely difficult to eradicate.

Mr G. W. Forbes asked if the Minister of Agriculture could explain how it was proposed to expend the additional £63,000 placed on the Estimates this year.

Mr 11. Poland drew attention to the delay in completing the documents relating in lands taken up by intending settlers. He cited the case of an immigrant who had to wait five months before he received his lease.

The Hon. W. Nosworthy, replying to Mr Forbes, said there Had been considerable recoveries hist year for the Agricultural Department’s operations. This year he was providing for assistance in connection with apple export trade and for the establishment of agricultural colleges. The Hon. A. D. M’Leod, replying to a complaint regarding the delay in granting relief to the Han raid settlors, agreed that the essence of the matter in such cases was the quickness of giving assistance. Speaking of the lands administration generally, ho considered the various Land Boards throughout the country had very wide powers so far as soldiers’ settlement was concerned. It must bo remembered that the country bad entered upon a big trading concern with a capital of £30,000,000 odd, and he believed the administration was, under the circumstances, very satisfactory. The losses, he was convinced, would be smaller than would have been suffered by ordinary trading concerns if called upon to undertake a similar task at the same short notice. Mr P. A. De la Perrelle considered the item £II,OOO for members of the Legislative Council too much. At this point the Chairman of Committees intervened, and Mr Perroilo turned his attention to the Government subsidies to county councils, which, he declared, were altogether inadequate. Mr J. It. Corrigan commended the work of the Advances and Insurance Departments, and advocated the inclusion of accident and marine business in the scope of the latter department’s work.

.Mr E. A. Ransom drew attention to the need for a larger amount of l assistance to the dependents of prison inmates. Ho cited a case where charitable aid boards denied liability, and a woman with several children was thrown on the charity of the people in a district where she was a stranger. Mr Wilford said the Liberal Party had fully considered the question of promoting agricultural education, and he was in a position to say that the Liberals would heartily co-operate with the Government in doing everything possible to advance this branch of education.

Replying to Mr Sidey, Mr Massey said he was not going to disclose how taxation would be reduced until the Bills came down.

After midnight Mr Fraser moved to reduce the vote by £5, as an indication that the Legislative Council should ho abolished. This was rejected practically without discussion by 34 votes to 19. At 1.30 a.m. the first item of the Estimates was read without division. The House rose at 1.35 a.m. till 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday.