DAY ON THE ESTIMATES

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 211, 7 September 1938, Page 5

DAY ON THE ESTIMATES

Government’s Land Policy

SURPLUS IN DAIRY ACCOUNT 3Psr Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. Tho House went into committee of Supply this afternoon for tho consideration of the Estimates when urgency was accorded six classes. Roplying to a question by Mr. Coates regarding tho source of revenue for certain items on tho Maintenance of Public Works and Services Vote oi £G68,972, tho Minister of Public Works (Hon. R. Semple) said of £350,000 provided in connection with air service facilities a good deal of the money haa come out of the Employment Promotion Fund. It was much wiser, the Minister added, to use that money in the form of a service such as in connection with air services that would be of use for all time. Hon. J. Cobb and Mr. W. Poison stressed the need for improved backblocks roads. Mr. Semple, replying, said there would be an opportunity to discuss the matter on. Friday when the Estimates were before the House. He added that a good deal had been done in that direction. Replying to Mr. Poison, who sought support for providing a hangar at the Stratford aerodrome, Mr. Semple said the question of finding money to assist aero clubs was one tho Government would have to face as aerodromes were of little or no value unless they had modern equipment. Mr. J. Hargest, in commenting on the j expenditure on machinery, suggested that there was need for moderation and ullegcd that he had seen machinery in a deteriorating condition lying by the roadsides, not being worked. Ho asked why double shifts could not be worked with these machines. Ho also asked . what proportion of machinery was . American. j Mr. Semple denied that there was 5 one machine out of use and asked x 1 where they were to be seen lying un- | used by the roadside. Whereas they j had been compelled in tho past to buy certain types of machinery from 1 America, they now hoped to bo able to get them from. England. As an instance, the Minister said Now Zealand was the first part of the British Commonwcaltu of Nations to import tho Britisa counterpart of one of the most versatile machines produced and ho invited members to see this machine in opera tion. Where British machines were uj to standard no more American one: would come into New Zealand. Air

Semple also said that English diesel engines wore being put into graders mado in New Zealand and outline* other experiments. Double shifts with machinery, ho continued, were being used and they hoped in future with tho aid of powerful searchlights to have three-shift machinery. There were a number of jobs they wanted finished by tho Centennial. The cost of the macnines would bo worked off much quicker by making full use of them. Mr. Hargest asked Mr. Semple if ho had considered the advisability of constructing smaller aerodromes than the two big fields under construction as smaller, scattered aorodromes would uot be so liable to damage in the event of a massed attack. He also raised tee question of protection of petrol supplies. Mr. Semple said up to a point small, scattered aerodromes were an advantage, but it was absolutely necessary to have one or two largo aerodromes to enable tho largest bombers to get away with a full load of bombs and sufficient fuel for a flight of a thousand miles out and a thousand miles back. In addition to the large aerodromes required for that, smaller aerodromes could be built. Mr. S. G. Smith paid tribute to tho work being done for air transport and mentioned its future potential value in view of the unsettled state of tho world. Mr. W. P. Endean, speaking on the Air Force and aerodromes development, asked if the Government had a definite plan for this purpose. Mr. Semple: Most careful, methodical and scientific investigations have been made into the question of providing aerodromes and tho honourable member can rest assured that the plans nr<: there.

He also gave an assurance that tho most up-to-date radio facilities would bo provided. Mr. Hamilton asked if there were any necessity for the development of both civil and military aerodromes in tho same parts of the country. The Minister of Defence (Hon. F. Jones): You can't have training being carried out alongside passenger aircraft.

Mr. Hamilton; If that's expert advice we have no complaint. Mr. Semple: It is contrary to practice all over the world to have ordinary services operating on military aerodromes for obvious reasons. Tho Vote was passed and the House was considering tho Vote of £312,913 for the Department of Lands and Survey when tho House adjourned at 5.3 u. Tho House continued its discussion ou tho vote of £312,913 for tho Lands and Survey Department when it resumed at 7.30.

Sir Alfred Ransom asked for information concerning tho development of the Pakihi lands on tho west coast ol tho South Island.

The Minister of Mines (Hon. P. C. Webb) said that the present Government was carrying on the programme of development which had been iutroduced by Sir Alfred Hansom when ho had been Minister of Lands. There were 2000 acres under development and it was hoped the experiments would be brought to a successful conclusion. Probably tho work would not have been done unless there had been some men who had been out of work.

Replying to a question by Mr. Hamilton, tho Minister of Lands (Hon. F. Langstonc) said the Government during tho year purchased 46 scenic areas which represented 61,869 acres, while

there had been two donations of scenic spots.

Mr. S. G. Smith raised the question of issistance for the Egmont National ?ark and said among other things he vould like to see the toll gate abolished. Mr. Langstone gave derails of the Assistance given in Tccent years to the Egmont National Park and pointed out hat they had to distribute the money imong domains, parks and reserves throughout the Dominion. The Government wanted to see toll gates abolished. It could not undertake to lay aside in advance definite funds for any one body. The vote was passed. Land for Settlement.

Dealing with the Land for Settlement Account vote of £345,000 Mr. W. J. Poison said nothiug at all had been spent last year on the purchase of land for settlement but as a sort of deathbed repentance the Minister was placing £149,300 on the Estimates for this purpose. However, he might do the same as he had done in the past and place the sum on the Estimates but fait to spend the money. Speaking of the Government’s land development scheme he said the Minister knew no more about practical farming than he did about aeroplanes and was going on on some scheme of his own. The sum of £150,000 was set down for land development work and personally he would like to know the conditions under which the men engaged on this project worked. Any land, he said, that cost £l5O per acre to develop was not worth it. The Minister of Lands (Hon. F. Langstone) said that the trouble in the past had been that past Ministers of Lands had sold land suitable for settlement and the present Government was faced with buying it back again. He had had ieturns made out of suitable lands for settlement, but he would not pay fancy prices for them. The prices must be right and tho nearer it was to the railways and other facilities the better he would be pleased. Unemployed men used for the development of lands were creating a national asset. Mr. Hamilton said this year's vote was up by £59,000 compared with last year. Mr. Nash, ho said, hod stated the other night that the Government was introducing a new land policy and Mr. Hamilton added that tho increase in the vote must be to bring in the new land policy. Mr. Hamilton said the Government was inclined to cut up land and that this made land dear. The voto was passed. The Native Trustees Account of £14,700 was also passed. Dairy Account Surplus. f On the Dairy Industry Account of ‘ £51,794, Mr. Hamilton asked the Minis- * ter of Marketing (Hon. W. Nash) what 5 was tho latest estimate of the Dairy ? Industry Account. 1 Mr. Nash, -replying, said it was > £291,706 at September 1. 3 Mr. Hamilton: Stocks on hand will B be valued at the guaranteed price? A Mr. Nash: Th© figure of £291,706 is 7 the actual surplus of what has been sold. r Replying to further questions by Mr. Coates, Mr. Nash said the figure of 0 £291,706 was as close as they could get ‘ it, as it was impossible to estimate to e the pound the expenses in selling the s produce. Mr. Coates said there were apparentfc ly 14,000 tons of butter yet to be sold u and ho asked how long did it take to ’■ dispose of butter shipped from New Zealand at the end of August until b actually sold in the United Kingdom. >- Mr. Nash said it depended on the

stocks in London at the time the shipment reached London. He thought 118 s per hundredweight would be about the average price realised for the stocks still ou the water.

The vote was passed. Questioned regarding the sum of £SOOO for advertising in the Fruit Industry Account vote of £53,323, the Minister of Marketing (Mr. Nash) eulogised radio advertising, stating that the results of such advertising of apples had brought in remurkable results. Mr. Hamilton remarked that the Minister had been very enthusiastic over the expenditure of £SOOO for radio advertising for marketing apples, but the fact remained that there would be a loss ou the internal marketing of fruit of some £IOO,OOO. In saying this, ho was not trying to discount the assistance which the Government had given to fruitgrowers. Mr. Nash: That is what you are doing.

He added that the Government hud been chided for the Joss on the marketing of fruit, but if they were not to have a loss they could not afford to pay the fruitgrower tho price he was receiving to-day. They could not have it both ways. The vote was passed.

The Minister of Education (Hon. P. Fraser) in moving tho adjournment, said the House would resume consideration of the Social Security Bill in Committee to-morrow and on Thursday, while on Friday the Public Works Statement and Estimates would engage its attention.

Tho House rose at 10.30 p.m. During the day six classes of Estimates to a total value of £1,446,702 were passed. This completes the main Estimates for the session, with the exception of those for the Public Works Department.