MINOR REVERSE FOR GOVERNMENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19201, 15 October 1930, Page 1

MINOR REVERSE FOR GOVERNMENT.

OPPOSITION REJECTS ECONOMY PROPOSAL.

ii Special to the “Star.”) WELLINGTON, October 15. The Government suffered a minor reverse at 4 o’clock this morning when by 31 votes to 21 the House refused to agree to a proposal in the Land Laws Amendment Bill for the abolition of the Hutt Valley Settlement Account. The relevant clause in the Bill was challenged on the ground that the account should be allowed to retain its identity in order that the financial history of the settlement and deviation could remain on permanent record, and act as a guide for the future.

The acting-Prime Minister (the Hon E. A. Ransom) agreed that if the account were lost it would be a great pity, but according to advice he had received from the Treasury the accounts would be kept separate. The primary object of the proposal was to reduce departmental expenditure. Mr Coates: How much would it save? Mr D. Fraser (Wellington Central) : 2£d (laughter).

On a division the clause was rejected by 31 votes to 21. The division list is as follows: For the clause (21).—Atmore, Broadfoot, Clinkard, Cobbe, de la Perrelle, Hawke, Ilealy, Hogan, L>*e, L>-snar, M’Donald, MacPherson, Makitanara, Munns, Murdoch, Ngata, Ransom, Smith, Stallworth)', Taverner, Veitch. Against the clause (31).—Armstrong, Bitchener, Black, Burnett, Campbell, Carr, Coates, Dickie, Field, Fraser, Hall, Hamilton, H. Holland, H. E. Holland, Jones, Jordan, Kyle, Langstone, MacMillan, Martin, Mason, Masse)*, J. A. Nash, W. Nash, Samuel, Savage, Sykes, Waite, Williams, Wright, Young.