LOOSE CONTROL.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20455, 7 November 1934, Page 9

LOOSE CONTROL.

Government’s Financial House. (‘Star” Parliamentary Reporter.) V\ ELLINGTON, November 6. The declaration that looseness of administration such as was revealed in the Native Affairs Department was prevalent in other departments, was made by Mr Howard (Christchurch South) in the House to-night during the debate on the report of the Native Affairs Commission. Mr Howard declared that there should have been a representative of the Opposition, someone with a slight tinge of Red in his colour, on the Commission. Mr Howard declared there was just as much looseness in other departments as in the department which had been found out For instance the L'nemployment Board handled £4,500,000 and there was no check on it. Whereas the .Native Department had to return touchers tne Unemployment Board could serve out thousands and the treasury had no check on it. It could engage taxis and special trains out of the money it drew irorri the pockets of the workers. Mr Smith (New Plymouth): Irregularities occur in trade unions. , Howard: \ou ought to know. 1 nave never encountered it. Here one should be superior to the trade union movement (hear, hear). Even if trade unions were bands of thieves that was no reason why Parliament should condone irregularities of the kind disclosed. Ihe Public Accounts Committee was a watch dog for the Government, with the latter indicating to it what it should watch. He suggested that the system should be altered, so that the committee could be a help to every member by watching the finances. Mr Coates knew that looseness was going on in Native affairs. Mr Coates: Nonsense. ~ Mr Howard insisted that the same u , looseness was going on in other departments. It was no use concentrating | condemnation on one member of the Ministry. The other nine had to take . their collective share of responsibility. But what was the Government going I -to do about it? Would it allow things to remain as at presnet and leave it for the Labour party in office to turn out the pigeon holes? The Labour advent would not be long delayed. Mr J. A. Nash (Palmerston): You have been saying that every year. Mr Howard: You had to get concessions to save your skin. Palmerston North men ordered into camp did not go, but they go from New • Brighton, which is represented by a Labour man. They don’t have to go from Palmerston North. Mr Nash: They do. Our financial house is on fire still,” added Mr Howard. “There is more than Native affairs to be investigated.”