THE LOAN BILL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12588, 19 October 1911, Page 3

THE LOAN BILL.

' (From ,. our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. In moving the • second reading of the Aid- to Public Works and Lands and Settlement Bill last night,- the Prime Minister expressed the opinion that it w&s not necessary then for him to gointo'details concerning - the public works expenditure, which it was- -proposed should be over £3,000,000 this year, beyond pointing out that a great portion of the money spent- would be on- .reproductive works. ... * -Mr Allen said that -he was not opposed . ;*sfco . loans, - but he was opposed to the ''^M^stcful expenditure of puhlic money, and he considered -that there had been wasteful expenditure. Look at the railways to-day." • Wo wei'e- constructing railways m outlying districts with heavy lilies' w^liere light lines would be equally as useful. -He -also criticised the policy with regard to the expenditure on public buildings,, maintaining that it would be , ' better to put up with a, certain amount of inconvenience ih inspect .of public buildings and use the money for opening up the country. He .went on. to contend that promises had .been made respecting back block roads that had not been tul filled; ... Sir Joseph Ward : Yoa cannot stop tlte elections from coming,, so what is the use of. talking like that. . ,Mr Allen-. And why tlie. rise, a-gain^ this year?— election year. (Interjections ' and 'laughter). ... • . Mr .Massey expressed the.opinion that he .could make, a rough, guess, at the cps! of, raising -tlu*, riv.e million loan, and he believed . e£act information, would startle tbe country.' . v , . Mr Laurensor. : Rubbish! {."The honorable member is a good, judge of rubbish,'.' retorted Mr, Massey. The?. leader of the Opposition proceeded to criticise 'the system of distributing Parliamentary grants, and. of .disbursing rdadgtehts to country districts. If he ever liad .the opportunity one of the .first things, he. (.would. do? would be. tp iqtr/w du'ce a better system. -.' . ' . . • Mr Witty: Youi V' 11 " ever liave the chhnee.:' ■. ■-■ "'", r Mr Massey went on to express-; regret that provision had not, been made to start the Stratford railway, at Cngarue end, ahd . discussed -matters, including water pQwer and native lands. When the. Bill was ih cohimittee Mr Pearce moved to reduce the amount by £200,000, as an indication that there 'was too much . borrowing. Tlie motion was vJost by 45 to 8, the latter being Messrs . Anderson,' Pearce, • Hihe>, Guthr v i<i Wr.ight and- Scott; The Bill passed and the. Hoj»se rose, at AS a.m*