IMPREST SUPPLY

Southland Times, Issue 19335, 29 August 1924, Page 6

IMPREST SUPPLY

DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE. ’REMIER ON THE OUTLOOK (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, August 28. In the House of Representatives to-night, A long discussion ensued on a proposal by the Premier to go into Committee on the Imprest Supply Bill. FURTHER SUBJECTS DISCUSSED. Hon. D. Buddo urged the Government to lend money on chattel securities to soldiers who had no previous assistance from the State. Mr George Witty asked the Premier to make a statement as to his future proposals in connection with the Advances Department. Thereafter a discussion ensued on trade with the East whilst Mr Holland made serious allegations against a lawyer. Subsequently Mr James O’Brien said he had hoped that they would this session be able to do something for the good of the country. Instead of that there were constant bickerings between the Government and Liberals and so when, for instance, they looked at the position of the pensionions question they found nothing was being done to better the position of the unfortunates. In like manner when the Railway Department was approached to confer small benefits on the public and its own employees, it was found that the Department had no heart. He concluded by criticising the paragraph in the Post and Telegraph Department’s report in which some of its employees were described as “disloyalists.” He demanded that the Post-master-General should explain what was meant by “disloyalists.” Mr R. Masters advocated immediate steps being taken by the Government to redeem hundreds of thousands of acres in the middle of the North Island which was rapidly going back into second growth owing to soldiers and other settlers having to abandon them.

Colonel Bell put in a plea for the Kauri gum diggers in the Far North, urging that a Gum Control Board be set up to see that the diggers got a fair share of their product which at present went to speculators. Mr D. G. Sullivan denounced further immigration while there was no land on which to settle them. There was no sub-division and no civilian settlement going on to-day because the Government had no land policy for civilians.

Hon A. D. McLeod said it was a mistake to suppose that no settlement was going on to-day. Last year 2088 new settlers were placed on 593,000 acres. For the past five years period 3,579,000 acres had been settled by 10,620 persons. These, of course, included soldiers. Much more sub-division of large estates would go on but for the great expense involved and he sometimes thought it would pay to assist large land owners to cut up their properties but it would be said the Government was again assisting their friends. The best subdivision that could take place was natural sub-division, namely division among families and that was going on to a very great extent. Hie House then went into Committee of Supply and agreed to a Bill authorising an appropriation of £2,241,074. BILL PASSED. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. The House rose at 12.30 a.m.