QUESTION TIME

Waipa Post, Volume 37, Issue 2227, 27 October 1928, Page 5

QUESTION TIME

AT MR ROLLESTON’S MEETING. REPLIES TO MANY QUERIES. At the (conclusion of Mr J. C. Rolloston’s address at the Town Hall last evening questions were invited, and two or three electors monopolised most of the, time available by asking a budget of more or -less interesting questions. Mr Rolleston answered them all, and ia,t the close he invited more, giving the impression that he is not easily disturbed or nonplussed, and is a man well abreast of important questions 1 of the day politically. To M r Spinley, the candidate said the import duty on lime pulverising machines was not remitted because a Christchurch firm was manufacturing them. Howevejr, very few such machines were used. He favoured remission of duty. To another question, on the same subject, Mr Rolleston said the remission of duty on American printing machines for the Dominion newspaper was because the new tariff became operative after the order for those machines was placed. The Government should honour such an undertaking. The Government was getting good value by renting part of the Dominion offices in Wellington for departmental offices. He approved of the. Government’s decision to construct the Rofeorua,Taupo railway. It tapped a large tract of land very suitable for settlement, and large blocks of timber country. Transport would be cheaper by rail than by motor lorry. The Minister had baan well and carefully advised about the prospective La lues. He was in favour of the present duty on flour and wheat because it was imeprat'ive to produce these comjnidities within the Dominion. Importing is not always practicable, particularly from Australia, where droughts occur. The family is not a “dole.” Much as he sympathised with the family man, he considered that remission of duty on wheat and flour would not be beneficial or economical over a period of years. The group settlement scheme in West Australia had not proved the success anticipated, hence similar groups in New Zealand had not been formed. To Mr Clarke, the candidate said the present system of collecting hospital levies was not fair. He would favour a change that would relieve the county ratepayers. He considered the' Government should use every effort to increase the subsidy to backblock districts for metalling roads. Public woi’ks. votes are allocated systematically—this method is a distinct improvement on the former practice of “grab.” It is not yet perfect, and he would support any proposal that would lassist the backblocks settlers. He favoured extension of the dental clinic system, especially to serve children in the backblocks, who cannot get to towns easily for dental treatment.

Between 1925 and 1928 £10,000,000 of loan money for reproductive works was spent on railways and telephones, £3,200.000 l,n hydro-ejte/ctric supply, £9,625,000 on State Advlances to Settlers and workers, and £325,000 on other useful works. In a partially developed country such as this Dominion, borrowing must be continued to foster development. The Mangahao hydro - electric scheme was a pre-war estimate whereas the work was done after the war, hence the big difference in the estimate, besides which the original scheme was enlarged. Horahora and Coleridge schemes are both showing considerable profits, and the whole Dominion scheme is a sound one.