COST CRITICISED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 9, 8 December 1937, Page 11

COST CRITICISED.

HON. W. NASH’S TOUR

EXPLANATION GIVEN

When the House of Representatives w.as considering to-night the broadcasting account of £18,915, Mr H. S. S. Kyle moved that the rote be reduced by £15,710, which was the amount of the Supplementary Estimate for the commercial broadcasting service, as a. protest against the duplication by the existence of that service.

The Opposition forced the amendment to a vote, it being lost by 35 to 16. and the vote was passed. Mr J. Hargest drew attention to the vote of £4577 for the expenses of the Minister of Finance’s recent trip abroad, under the heading of the unauthorised expenditure account. This, added to the £SOOO in the main Estimates, made the cost of the trip £9577.

Mr S. G. Holland asked Hon. W. Nash to make an explanation of the expenditure on the trip. The country was entitled to the information, he said.

Mr W. J. Poison said the trip worked out at a cost of about £IOOO per month. It was colossal, and lie had never heard of any expenditure like it.

The Minister of Education (Hon. P. Fra.ser): It works out at j much lower monthly basis than previous similar tours.

Mr Poison continued to urge that the Minister should make a full statement on the expenses of the trip. ’ Mr Fraser compared the cost of Mr Nash’s trip with that of other tours. It amounted to this —that, if we were to send delegations, we must pay for them.

Mr Nash gave .a detailed statement of the expenses of the trip, stating that his personal grant had been £2500, but of that he had Used only £2IOO. OTHER APPROPRIATIONS. The statement of sums to he written off the departmental accounts was agreed to at 12.35, and the House went into Committee of Ways and Me.ans at 12.40. The House resumed two minutes later and the Appropriation Bill was introduced at 12.45. It provides tor £19,970,848 from the Consolidated Fund with £2.364,846 credits in aid; Public Works Fund, £10.076.902. with £1,795,410 credits in aid: separate accounts. £13,172,436, with £1.450.692 as credits: and accounts outside public funds. £4,923,722. with £246.310 credits. The total amount provided for in tlie R'll was over £53,000 000. The Bill went through all stages .and was passed at 11.55. The House rose at 1 a.m.