PUBLIC MONEYS.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17764, 11 December 1929, Page 4

PUBLIC MONEYS.

CONTROL OF EXPENDITURE,

PREMIER REPUTES ALLEGATION

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 11.

“The Leader of the Opposition,” said .the Prime Minister, “is reported in the press as haying made. the following statement in the course of his remarks at Eastbourne last night: ‘The United Party have taken definite steps to undermine what should be a clearly-laid-down principle. They have altered, or, rather, proposed to alter, the system so as to allow a Minister to have a greater amount of money at his disposal. They are altering a definite and carefully-designed, and, what I believe to be an honest scheme for the allocation of public money. It is not right and will wdrk out to the detriment of the people of New Zealand.’

“I am at a loss to understand what the right hon. gentleman had in his mind in making this statement,” said Sir Joseph, “hut far from taking any action in the direction indicated the Government has been active in tightening up and making more /effective the control of Parliament over the

expenditure of public moneys. For instance, prompt steps were taken to institute better control of expenditure in Public Works to enable members of Parliament to see the position of work under construction. The form of estimates Vas amended to show that in respect of each undertaking the original estimated cost of the work, the amount spent to date and the estimated amount required to complete the work.- Further, in order that various proposals might 7 be subject to expert review from a financial aspect, arrangements were made for the Public Works Estimates to oe submitted to the Treasury for Investigation before being finalised for submission to the House. In addition, it was found that permanent appropriations existed for the expenditure of loan moneys on railway improvement, swamp drainage, school buildings and certain other works, that is to say, expenditure on these works was not subject to annual review by Parliament. This matter was remedied last session by *a section in the Finance Act, and in future such expenditure will be subject to annual appropriation by Parliament. Another matter that was attended to was the overhaul of borrowing authorities. I found 'that authorities amounting in the aggregate to about £8,000,000 still existed for such purposes as the War Settlement of Discharged Soldiers and Naval Defence. Where no further loan moneys were required all these unnecessary authorities •vere cancelled by a section in the Finance Act. As a matter of fact, the Government has endeavoured in every way to improve and strengthen the control over the expenditure of public moneys, and the statement which is reported to have been made by the Deader of the Opposition is absolutely contrary to fact,” concluded' Sir Joseph Ward,