Will Government Take Over The Lyttelton Ferry?

Wanganui Chronicle, 29 October 1948, Page 6

Will Government Take Over The Lyttelton Ferry?

PARLIAMENT BLDGS.. Last Night (PA).—During the debate on the Finance Bill in the House of Representatives tonight, when the Minister of Finance (Mr. Nash) was referring to a clause in the Bill empowering the Minister of Marine to conduct shipping services, several Opposition interjectors suggest the clause might be used in future if the Government wished to take over the Lyttelton Ferry, but Mr. Nash, said the clause merey gave, in relation to existing ships operated by the Government, a power which the Auditor-General said did not exist under the present Statutes, but which was desirable. Mr. W. H. Gillespie <Opp., Hurunui) said the Ministers explanation suggested that there was a story behind it.

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Holland): Will the Minister limit the power which is being taken to the existing services? Mr. Nash: No, I would not like to do that.

Mr. R. G. Gerard (Opp., Ashburton): He’s after the Lyttelton ferry. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Holland) said the Bill empowered the Government to operate shipping services. This power was allegedly sought because the Auditor-General had drawn the Government’s attention to the fact that it had already operated some without legislative authority, such as the Pamir and the Stewart Island service. But the Government was not content to limit empowering legislation to the services it already conducted. Instead, it was taking* power, if it ever wanted it, to conduct such services as the inter-is-land steamer express, or the Welling-ton-Picton, or Wellington-Nelson services. If it was prepared to accept a limit, then it could vote with an Opposition amendment in the committee stages to exclude from the power proposed such services as these.