PARLIAMENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 28 August 1926, Page 9

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE SITS TO-DAY

EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC MONEY

(BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 28, The House met at 10.30 a.m. The Prime Minister intimated that he wished to complete the debate on the Public Works Statement and the passing of the Estimates before the House rose. He immediately moved that the House go into Committee of Supply for that purpose On this the Leader of the Opposition attacked the Government, on the ground that some of their supporters had stated that only Government supporters could get public money spent in the districts. In his own district (Buller) the railway was being starved, not enough money being voted to complete . a mile of Tine. In districts of Government supporters, money in excess of the rate" was spent. Ho was not against expenditure on work necessary, hut the Government had said that the line in his own district was the most important in the Dominion, yet nobody could be found to go on with it. Continuing, Mr Holland said the Government’s policy in. this respect was to he deprecated. The case of the coast road: from Westport to Grey mouth was similar. For eight year,9 it had boon dribbling on, work being conducted in the most unprofitable way. The charge of favouritism in the expenditure of public money was not his, but the claim was made by Government supporters, and lie asked the Prime Minister to deny it if he could. The Government’s only answer to hi® charge with regard to the Buller Gorge railway was to vote the requisite money to carry it on to completion. Only 18 ini'e's remained to lie done, but at the present rate of construction it would take 4-5 years no finish. He protested against discrimination, being used against districts represented by Govern men t su ppo rtens. Mr G. W. Forbes (Hnrumii) said that he had no complaint to make ,so far a,s the requirements of his own district was concerned, but he urged that greater energy he- displayed in the larger South Island projects. . Mr A. Bell (Bay of Islands) denied that he was responsible for the ,statement, s in his paper that 'Government money would only be spent in districts represented by Government supporters. He had no sympathy with that policy, and had repudiated it on the platform. The party complained that not sufficient was being done to relieve unemployment in the Auckland district. Mr W. Lysnar (Gisborne) said that he and his district were chafing under a feeding of great neglect. He asked the Prime Minister to, look into the position before he left for England ; if not he (Mr Lysnar) would have something to say on his return. Mr Fraser (Wellington Central) wanted to know why the money voted for additions to_ the mental hospitals was .not spent, in view of the serious overcrowding at these institutions. The sum of £193,000 wn® voted, and only £77.000 spent. Why? Mr Coates in reply to the charge of favouritism in expenditure of public money, said that last year he had denied the accusation, and during last election he had repeated the denial. If he thought that political sway was likely to influence- any Government, then" the sooner we had some better way of voting the money the better. It was his personal desire to see the money fairly apportioned, and he regretted very much tha t he had not been able to do more for the Buller Gorge railway, but there were reasons why he had not been able to do so. Much of the railway construction remaining to be done would lie very costly, and' they had to be sure they were taking the' best route, because if the capital cost of construction was too, great the lines could not .possibly earn interest. The Government was fully .seized with, the .need for greater accommodation in connection with mental hospitals, and an extensive programme was prepared. He could not disclose details of that programme at that stage, but he asked the House to accept his assurance that the Government had net overlooked this urgent matter. Mr J. Mason (Napier) urged that in view of the great improvement in our public highways, a higher registration fee shou’d be charged on motor vehicles. Mr G. R. Sykes (Masterton) reminded the Minister that the proposed deviation of the Rimutaka incline was still e, “burning question” and Wairarapa expected him to- redeem the promise made bv K<? predecessor in 1924. Mr J. R. Hamilton (Awarua) complained that the system of granting •subsidies was unfair. A,s a result, the Southland County Council was suffering great injustice. Mr AY. A. Voitch (Wanganui) did not believe the Minister differentiated against Opposition members in public works votes, but it was time that Government -supporters used that argument against Government opponents. The House adjourned at 1 p.m. till 2 p.m.