DIVISION ON THE ESTIMATES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIV, Issue 12941, 4 December 1909, Page 5

DIVISION ON THE ESTIMATES.

Mr W. P. Reeves' Salary. Struck Out.

Interesting Division List.

(From Our Parliamentary Special.) (By Telegraph.)

WELLINGTON, December 3.

The Government suffered a decided rebuff during the discussion on the Estimates last night. The subject under discusoion was an item of .£4OO, salary of the financial adviser of tlie Government in London.

"Who is the financial adviser of 'the Government, and what is he paid?" asked Mr Massey." "Mr W. P. Reeves," replied the Prime Minister, who went on to explain that Mr Reeves was familiar with the financial operations of the Government,- and since Sir Walter Kena way's retirement he was more familiar with the subject than anyone else and was well wor^h the money. Considerable debate ensued, the opponents ot' the vote contending that there are several people in the New Zealand "Home office" who are not provided with sufficient work, and that the post of "Financial adviser" ia one that could easily be dispensed with. Thera was no indication during the progress of tho debate that members generally entertained very strong feelings on the subiect, but the result of the division that took place was to strike the item off the estimates, a course that the House has not taken for something like twenty years. During the course of the discussion the suggestion was made that the position of financial adviser had been created as a sop to Mr Reeves on hi© leaving the position of High Commissioner, but the Prime Minister scouted the idea and remarked that when the proposed readjustment of the High Commissioner's office had been carried out, a sa.ving of many hundreds of pounds a year would have boera effected. It is su"<rested that the "whipping" was defective, but for all that the voting — 35 to 25 — against the item was significant. The division list was as. follows :

Ayes 35. — Allen, Anderson, Arnold, Buchanan, Buick, Clark, Davey, Dive, J. Duncan, Fisher Glover, Hanan, Hardy, Herdman, Herries, ■ Hine, Hogg, Jennings, Lang, Luke, McLaren, Mander, Massev, Newman. Noswotthy, Okey, Russell, Pearce, Phillips, Poole, Scott. G. M. Thomson, J. C. Thomsen, Witty, " Wright. Noes. 25— Brown, Buddo, Carroll, CoTvin, Ell, Field, Forbes, Fowlds, Hall, Hogan, Laurenson, Lawry, McDonald, R. McKenzie, T. Mackenzie, Millar, Poland, Reed, Ross, Seddon, Sidey, Smith, Stallworthy, Te Rangihiroa, Ward.