WASTE ALLEGED

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24531, 13 March 1943, Page 6

WASTE ALLEGED

"LUXUKY OFFICES" PRIME MINISTER'S STAFF (S.'R.) WELLINGTON, Friday The construction of the new suite of offices on ilie roof of Parliament Buildings for the Prime Ministers Doj partinent was criticised by .Mr. F. W. Doidge (Opposition—Taitnuigu; as a waste of public money, labour and material when he spoke on the Ministry of Works Bill in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr. Doidge said that the Prime Minister, the JU. Hon. P. Fraser, had just assured the House that expenditure on constructional works was being carefully watched and that there was no recklessness. Vet a colossal suite of luxury oflices, reported to have cost JuI(KJU a room, had been built for the Prime Minister and his stall. The Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry: That is pretty cheap. Mr. Doidge: There is nothing cheap about it. The Government should set an example of economy in time of war. Surely the Government can find better use for public money, labour and materials than to build this suite of oflices at. present. Reply By Mr. Fraser Instead of discussing a bill such as that before the House members should be considering war expenditure and the cost of constructional works, Mr. Doidge continued. The Prime Minister had said that the Minister in charge of War Expenditure was closely watching the war accounts and checking waste. "But," added Mr. Doidge, "when these scandals of waste become public, as they will, he is going to be made the scapegoat." "The reason why the new offices for the Prime Minister's Department were built." said Mr. Fraser, "was that the accommodation in the old offices had become totally inadequate and they were always dark and not healthy for the staff, which has grown from 16 to 70 because of new and increased work resulting from the war." No Apology To Make Mr. Fraser said he did not know what the cost of the new offices was and lie would make no apology for obtaining good conditions for the staff and, humbly, for himself. Initially the work would be a charge on the War Expenses Account because war conditions had made the offices absolutely necessary. Later the additions would he valued and charged to the ordinary accounts. Mr. J. A. Lee (Democratic Labour — Grey Lynn) said lie never could understand why the Prime Minister's Department should have been established in the dungeon of the House. Perhaps they would get hotter Prime Ministers if they worked in light and fresh air.