WORK OF THE SESSION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17607, 24 October 1931, Page 12

WORK OF THE SESSION

ESTIMATES DISCUSSED MANY QUESTIONS RAISED PROPOSED' ECONOMIES (Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, this' day. Sitting Out ostensibly to discuss the annual estimates of expenditure 1 , the Hoffse ocu'pied a full .duty’s sitting, yesterday mainly On questions not directly affecting the vote of £88,56$ for the Legislative Department, which was before the committee. Tho original estimates accompanying, tho Forbes' budget were taken as a basis of operations, but it was made clear that the further economies foreshadowed in the supplementary financial statement of the Hon. D. Downie Stewart .would be carried out, and the result, shown in final supplementary cstimtes.

Taking' the line that, the House should not pass items which were not intended to be spent, but should know exactly what it was authorising, the Leader of tho Opposition moved an amendment to indicate that there should be a schedule of economics placed before the House. ; The subsequent discussion ranged over varied topics, including the general elections, to which most of the Opposition speakers made reference in a vain hope of extracting something definite from the' Prime Minister. ... . .: , ~ ,It was 3.06’ o'clock in,the aftpniooh before the. amendment was; rejected by 42 votes to 25. Mr. H,; Atinore voted with the Labor Party.

Then another controversy arose over the Education portfolio being held in Hie nominated Chamber, the former Minister of Education making a lively contribution to this discussion, which ended in.the rejection of p protest amendment by 42 votes to 25, the minority including five Independents and' two United supporters, Messrs'. Atoiofe and McDonald. ■ In the last half hour appropriations for thq Legislative .Department, 'Treasury, Nhtivh Affairs', and. Nationaf Provident .Fund were adopted, When tli6 House meets 6‘ni Tuesday it will consider further classes of th 6 estimates. t -. i... - - ...vi :i COMMITTEE CHAIRMANSHIP When the debate was' resumed, m£ J. T. Hogan. (Xitel., Rangitikefy said that, as. chairman of the Public .Accounts Committee, he had heen absolutely astounded at the .impotence of the comhiittc when dealing withthe estimates last yhar.. Th 6 committed had fexaUhined l 7l officers, wffio had given valuable infprm'atioii iii respect to itefiis eOnlihcted 'vrafi.. their departments. Tlieso' officers had shown that they had a wide knowledge, of tljeit work,, find had given information vVllich would hhve b'ehn' of the greatest value to the House ..when considering the. estimates. Ho tfa,d foundy how v ever, that this infofiti'dtiori- was not to be supplied to the House, but wits to bo sent on tp the respective Miriistbis. ’

He had conferred with the Sneaker on the matter, arid had becri tbid that the committee had no request from the House to report brick: Thus ho had fourid himself listening to mCm : bers asking questions, • and'brintgigsup'-' plied with answers.;-,-which ihemACtuldhave given more fully.;- Tor .jtistajJcoT he c.ould have told members,..tho i; ’tiyith about the Maui ■ Pomare,(. iir T^q v ‘f : ft&y- 1 workmanship in, condectioUjyfvitlt f ;this' vessel was an absolute 4isgrace. "Th© rivets had'-never been put | iiito : her plates properly, and were .id danger of coming out. He suggested,that the Public Accounts Committee should bo given a direction (to, report back to tho House, on the cstidiat.es.;

Continuing, Mr. pbgan said he wits | not surprised that ho. had not Been reelected chairman ,of the cbmniitf.ee; ! but. he expected, that Mr. J. A; Miifdoeh, who had held the position b‘s fore his appointment to the United | .Ministry,,would have taken his place; Apparently, liowcver, the leader of phi’ Reform Party was at the head of the Government, aild the Prime. Minister was in the •'*dickey shfit;'* because Mr. .T; A. Nash had been given the position. , _ y . . j_: 1 Mr. Naslt: Wh'a’t is 'wrong wTtli' that? I held the position for six ( ycarji. 1 yT ;a y j ..Mi*. Hbgiui krtici hb hSci no objection to tho appointment] but there was ho doubt that in spite of ebdlilipii, party was mofo rampant thair ever., EDUCATION ECONOMY. . . .Sir Apirana Ngata. said, wfidt Mr. Hogan had'stated about tlie 'Miitii Pomarc Was not riews to iribmbcrs of the Houso, because thb Industries and Commerce Committee had. had tho facts beforb it cither one or two sessions previously. The Rev. 0. Carr (Labbr, Tiinaru) expressed tho hope that there iVould be uo reduction of expenditure at tho expense of the education,,system. HO also protested against the .transference of the Education portfolio to the Upper House; ,and .moved that..the vote be reduced by.£s as a protest., Mr. C. At. Wilkinson (Inch, . Egmont), said that; with all., respect to the, ability of the Hon. It. Masters and. lie , had great ,rcypect for .his ability, ho .considered .that. the. bfjjco should be held by, a member, of the Houso of Representativbsj.who woiild bo responsible to the popple. Hp.wdS glad Mr. Carr had hot insistedon his amendment involving .a protest agiuhst tho reduction on education expendituro as well as a prjptppt against tlio transference of. the portfolio, because while he could support the latter objection, ho did not propose to concern himself with what amounted merely to a rumor. .. •; ] y Mr, P. Fraser fLabbr, WolUnjjion C.) said ho also did not propose to chase wlll-o’-thc-.Wisp funiofk Ho would require to know in what direction the economies were proposed before kp indulged iu any criticism. Ho mentionod that the Recess Education Committee had recommended the reorganisation of Hip education system in such a manner that, there could be £500,000 saved in expenditure without impairing tho efficiency of tho service. Tho first item of the.estimates was passed at 5.15 p.m., and the following votes were then put through: Native Department, £74,393; National PrdVideiit and Friendly Societies Department, £4978; and Treasury Department, £37;(>BG. Tho House rose at 5.30 p.m. till 2.30 on Tuesday afternoon. Mr. Fofbes' stating that lie proposed to go oil With the estimates on Tuesday.