PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18050, 25 September 1920, Page 10

PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

(Feom Oub Own ConnESPONDENT.) WELLINGTON, September 24. REVENUE AND ROADS. During Uie debate on the imprest Supply Bill Mr Horn, liiis atUirnoori drew attentaon, to the doplotion of tlie revoiiuo in tho goutlields counties, 'lhero woro lour counties in Otiugo that wero aJiectod, and owing to tho low prico of gold the revenue had practically ceased to exist. In Vincent and Lake Counties tko goldfields roveuuo had been between £3000 and £4000 a year, now it was down to 3J4OU. Tlio revenue i*om uuuu, was also a varusiiing quantity, and counties with long stretches ol roads to maintain could not do tlie work that was necessary, 'liieso oouuties were gcdng baok overy day, and some provision tliould bo mad© to give them moro rovenuo. Ho suggested that a proportion of the rents from Crown lands should bo given to the counties and in caasj whone the people agreed to extra rating they should get a 10s and a £ for £ eubsidy according to the increase- arranged. He expressed a hope that provision would also be made for a tyro tax. That would help these counties more than anything PORT CHALMERS RAILWAY. Mr J. M. Dickson spoke of the necessity for straightening and duplicating the Port Chalmers railway. He repeated the arguments that he had already used. There were no engineering difficulties in the way and the department, lie understood, had the plans ready. OTAGO MATTERS. Mr Kollett said New Zealand was too small to be parochial, and he deprecated tho discussion of North. v. South. Forty or fifty years ago Otago was going through the same stage as the Sortn Island was going through now, and 40 years ago they had started a main trunk railway in the South. Island, and it was not finished yet. He.urged that the main trunk line to Picton should be completed. He also advocated the straightening of the Port Chalmers railway. Mr Malcolm (Clutha) said he was pleased that the Government was anxious to develop hydro-electricity, and he hoped that Otago and Southland would not be left in the lurch, willing as they were to help themselves. He supported Mr Dickson in his advocacy of an improvement of tho Port Chalmers railway, and went on ■to urge the commencement of the Chitba Valley railway, where there was' an area of 189,000 acres of the best land in New Zealand. It was suitable for wheat growing. Now, owing to the silting up of the river, the steamer traffic was held up. He recognised that the Government could not remedy this matter straight away, but ■ was now clear that a railway service must supersede the river service Mr Malcolm went on to put in a strong plea for economy, and quoted figures to show large increases in expenditure. Mr Massey, referring to Mr Malcolm's figures later in the debate, pointed out that the member for Clutha had made the mistake of comparing the expenditure of last year with the Estimates for this year. RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK. Several references to the shortage of railway rolling stock were made by different members during the course of the debate on the Imprest Supply Bill to-day. Tho Prime Minister, in replying to a number of the points raised, dealt with this one in some detail. He said he quite admitted the basis for the complaints. It had been impossible to keep up the supply during the war. Since the end of the war the Government had been trying hard to get stock from Great Britain. Only to-day he had approved of a contract for 25 railway engines , from a British firm. The cost would be between £200,000 and £300,000. He could not give the exact figures to-day. Also, he had received a telegram Btating that for the first time they had received a definite offer for the supply of 2500 railway wagons, for which they had been advertising. The advertisement had been running for some time, and this was the first response that had been received. The general manager of railways and the officers of the department had not yet had ■time to go into the particulars, and so he was not able to say whether they would close, with the offer or not. If they did not get the rolling stock before the opening of noxt season for wool, meat, and other products of the soil, he was afraid there would be trouble, such as the country had not yet experienced in regard to carriage Dy rail. He hoped they would be able to get some before then.' They were not going to stick at a few pounds to do that.