PASSING OF ESTIMATES

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 18 November 1932, Page 6

PASSING OF ESTIMATES

FURTHER PHASES DISCUSSED RESEARCH AND STATE ADVANCES AID FORI UNEMPLOYMENT CASH OF WORKLESS BOYS (By Telegraph—Pres3 Association.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 17. The Estimates were further considered in committee of supply in the House qf Representatives, to-day. Replying to an inquiry hy Mr A. J. Murdoch (Co., Marsden) when the rote for' the Scientific and Industrial He- , search Department was under discussion, the Rt. Him. G. W. Forbes saul some freezing companies by altering their processes had improved the quality of hides . for export. Efforts were still being made to eliminate faults, and the prospects were encouraging. Duriiig consideration of the State Advances' vote Labour members urged that greater consideration should be given those mortgagors who were m arrears, and the suggestion was made that payments of principal should be postponed for two years. Mr Forbes said the department was treating every case on its. merits and everything possible was being done to assist mortgagors who were making a genuine endeavour to meet their payments. , The following votes bad been passed when the House adjourned at 5.30 p.lll. : Customs Department, £81,861)", Land and Income Tax .Department, £64,563; Public Service Commissioner’s office, £4933; Electoral Department, £5788; Scientific and Industrial Research, £46,120; Public Trustee’s office, £24,035; State Advances Department, £80,669. Replying to points raised by members when the vote for the unemployment, fund was discussed, the Hon. A. Hamilton said the small farm scheme was not financed out of the unemployment fund but out of tlie capital fund of £500,000 established by Parliament last year. This fund was really a big assistance to the unemployment fund. The latter fund perhaps paid the maintenance of unemployed on allotments for the first three months, but after that it was completely relieved from assisting these people. ’ AMENDMENT REJECTED The Minister said the report of the committee set up to investigate the boy unemployment problem would be ready at any time now. The committee was still awaiting information with respect to a few aspects. The Minister, after paying tribute to the work of t'he committee under the guidance of Messrs S. G. Smith and A. E. Ansell, said it was necessary for the local committees to cope with the boy problem as far as possible, because it was undesirable to add to the strain on the unemployment fund. This fund was quite healthy, but it was necessary that it should remain healthy. Mr AY. E. Parry (Lab., Auckland Central) moved an amendment seeking to reduce the unemployment fund vote by £2. He said the object of the amendment was to indicate that the House was of the opinion that the Unemployment Board should arrange a conference with the owners of dwellings and the unemployed with a view to arranging some system of payments towards rent. The amendment was: defeated by 33 votes to 19. Additional clauses passed prior to the rising of the House at midnight were the Grown Law Office, £4800; the National Provident and Friendly Societies, £80,356; Government Insurance account, £106,872; Public Service Superannuation Fund account, £7429; State Fire Insurance account, £33,258; Government Accident Insurance account, £20,695'.

Allocation For Relief

FORMER RATES REQUESTED REASONS FOR REDUCTION WELLINGTON, Nov. 17. . The Leader of the Opposition, Air H. E. Holland, asked in the House of Representatives to-night whether there was any possibility of relief allocations being restored to the former rates. He pointed out that the reductions in the allocations to districts varied from 15 to 50 per cent, and contended that it would be a- fair thing if the board in its administrative capacity decided to provide the full amount of work provided for under the various schemes. He said it was unthinkable that the men would submit quietly to oondi-

tions which did not return sufficient to feed, house or clothe them properly. Mr W. El. Parry (Lab., Auckland Central) moved to reduce the vote by £L as an indication of disapproval of tbe reduction of the allocations. The Hon. A. Hamilton said the reason for the reduction had been stated previously. During the three winter months there had been extra allocations and the board had been spending at the rate of £90,000 _ a week. If it continued at that rate it would soon cripple the fund. He said that although there had been a reduction in the alocations compared with those for the winter there Iliad not been a reduction compared with the allocations at tins time last year, and the registrations were not considerably greater. Registrations at this time last year had totalled 50,000 and the allocations had amounted to £170,000 for the four-weekly period. Registrations at the present time totalled 54,000 and the allocations totalled £272,000 lor the four-weekly period.. The Minister said he was still hopeful that there would be a decrease in the registrations in the summer, and in that event it would be possible to' restore the rates on relief. Mr R. A. AVright (Go., AA r ellington Suburbs) appealed to the Government to see that the unemployed received isupicient to provide them with food, clothing and accommodation. He said that if Parliament did not face the position now the time would coine when it would have to face it. “The men are not getting sufficient to eat,” lie said. “These men only want a leader, that’s all, and one day some Napoleon will arise among them.” The Rt. Hon. J. G l . Coates said the Government could not accept general statements. If it could be shown that in individual cases people were going without food the Government would see that provision was made for them. Mr H. El. Holland said the reduced allocations would mean that hundreds of families throughout the Dominion • would have to go short cf food and clothing. He agreed with Mr AVright that there was a. grave danger to-day from people who were suffering, and insisted that if Mr Coates investigated the amount of work which the unemployed, both married and single, were receiving: to-day he would obtain definite evidence of the misery they were undergoing. Air Parry’s amendment was defeated by 32 votes to 19, Messrs AVright and Tirikatene voting with Labour. The estimate of £87,930 for the unemployment fund was then passed.