IMPREST SUPPLY

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 June 1914, Page 3

IMPREST SUPPLY

OPPOSITION CRITICISMS. « TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION WELLINGTON, June 26. In the House this afternoon the Hon. J. Ulen introduced the Imprest Supply Bill providing £954,000 for payment of the mblic services. Sir Joseph Ward asked when the Finan;ial Statement would be brought down. Hon. W. F. Massey said that it would >e probably in about three weeks. During ,he interval he would introduce the licensing Bill. On the third reading Sir Joseph Ward jroceeded to discuss Rear-Admiral Henlerson's report on the establishment of a ocal navy, to show that his statement hat the cost of the fleet would be 325,295,000 was correct. Mr Massey said that Sir Joseph Ward's e'erence to the Land" Tax was paltry. In he last two years there had been two and i-half million. The suggestion that apjointments to the Council _ were being nade to block the Land Tax was absurd. Che appointments were being made to en,ble the Government to pass its Bill. The )roper thing to do was to pass the Bill ,his session, and allow it to como into >peration at the following general elec,ion.

Mr G. W. Russell (Avon) criticised the ccounts of the Railway, Defence, and .ana's Departments, and said that he was fraid that the wonderful skill shown in he management of the March quarter acounts had a great deal to do with the )roduction of the surplus of £426,000. He hought that the Government had done hat it had often accused its opponents of 'oing, taking the -surplus. Ho characerised the proposals for a change of the onstitution as an act of political perfidy, 'he Government were nominating mem■era to the Council, while with tongues in heir cheeks they proposed to reform the ,ody. He contended that the Government .ad a sufficient majority in the Council to ■ass the Bill, and the Council should first <e tested before the proposed appointments vere made. These appointments were beng made for seven years. Language failed lim to express his opinion of the proposal o bring the reform into operation in ,1917. The Hon. J. Allen asked what mandate ; ie Mackenzie Ministry had for the apojntment of three members to the Coun•il. That ought to answer the Opposilon's objections to the Government's xtion. In reply to Mr G. W. Russell, he lealt with the quarter's accounts, and repudiated the suggestion that payments •ad been withheld to swell the surplus. )ealing with Legislative Council appointlents he said that the appointments rould be for three vears if they could get he measure passed. He denied that there .as a sufficient Government majority in he Council to pass reform without the new rpointments. " He said that when Sir 'oseph went out of office all the reserved mids were pledged, and £1,000,000 adduces obtained. Sir Joseph had left his accessor without any securities to pledge n case of an emergency or crisis. The ccurities were now redeemed, and had teen free ever since. At 11.45 p.m. the Bill passed the comnittee stage without amendment.