v PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18796, 18 November 1932, Page 7

v PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

STATE ADVANCE ARREARS PLIGHT OF MANY TENANTS. EACH CASE ON ITS MERITS. (Times Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. The difficulty many mortgagors of the State Advance Office are finding in meeting their payments of interest and principal was stressed hy several speakers when the estimates of the Department were under discussion in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, said that cases were considered on their merits, and that the department was doing everything it could to help the tenants who were doing their best to meet their payments. •Mr R. McKeen (Labour —Wellington South), said It was utterly impossible to expect those falling into arrears with interest and principal to meet their commitments in the future. All that could be expected of tenants at the moment was that they should pay all they could. He would like to know whether the present arrears were to be carried on and tenants compelled to pay them in the future, or whether the Prime Minister thought the arrears should be written off or some other concession granted such as a re-adjustment of valuations. Mr Forbes said the question of arrears was a difficult one. Quite a substantial sum was in arrears to A nearly every State Department. What was to be done in the future was very difficult to say. If the present conditions continued it seemed that something should have to be done in the way of writing off arrears. At present each case was considered on its merits and if a tenant were trying to do his best the department did everything it could to meet him. It had to be remembered, however, that there were some cases in which not the slightest effort was made, and it was these that were the difficult ones to deal with. There had to be some control, and it was quite a difficult matter to know where to draw the line. His experience w'as that the Department was doing its duty to the Slate and the tenant. The circumstances of each case was considered, and the Department was dealing with tenants as sympathetically as was possible. It was not desirable to make anything like a general rule for dealing with tenants of the Department.

USE OF SCHOOL HOUSES. ELECTION DAY POLLING BOOTHS. (Times Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. The practice in country districts of using school houses as election polling booths was commented upon by Mr A. J. Murdoch (Government — Marsden), when the estimates of the Electoral Department were under discussion in the House of Representatives this afternoon. Mr Murdoch said that in many cases schools were used, ' despite the fact that halls were availaide. Schools were also used by candidates for the purpose of addressing public meetings. The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. <;. w. Forbes, said that in the past schools had been extensively used by Candidates, particularly in the country, because of the difficulty In securing halls. With the erection of public halls, however, that difficulty was now to a large extent overcome. It also happened that schools were more suitable for the purpose. So far as use for polling purposes was concerned there was the question of expenditure •to be considered. ROAD COSTING. STANDARD SYSTEM. GOVERNMENT TO CONSIDER. WELLINGTON, Thursday. Road costing systems were referred to by Mr J. N. Massey (Government — Franklin) in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr Massey asked whether approval had been given to a resolution passed at a recent road costing conference commending the form of a standard road time-sheet and urging county councils to adopt such a time-sheet, or at least to provide in office systems for the form of information as set out In such time-sheet. .Mr Massey suggested that if approval had not yet been given, the Government should consider the abvisabillty of requesting all county councils to defer bringing into operation any new road costing system which might add to administrative costs until after the inquiry had been held into local bodies’ administration, when no doubt evidence would be taken on the questions of uniform road costing systems and standardisation of accounts. Hon. A. Hamilton, Minister of Internal Affairs, replied that no decision had yet been reached giving effect !o the recommendation of the road costing conference. The subject was an important one and he appreciated its connection with die proposals for reform in local government administration. He would confer with his colleagues affected by the proposals and would give due consideration to the point of view represented by Mr Massey.

ESTIMATES PASSED. the votes detailed. •By Telßßxapli.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. The following classes of Estimates were passed by the House of lleprePoiilatives to-day:— Customs. IISI.SOO: land and income lax. id'> i..">r>:t; Public service Commissioner’s Ollier, electoral. V:• 7Ss; Scientillc and industrial Hesearch. i’.0.1.’0; Public Trustee's (tlllre, i a.li.'ta : Slate Advances. i.'SiUd'd 1 : t'nemplojmen! Fund. £BT.P3(.i; Crown Law Ofllee. LiStdl; National Provident ami Friendly Societies. cp().3oi',; Government Insur«uce Account. £lofi,S7‘2; Public scryicc Superannuation Fund Account. : State Fire Insurance Account, GovernrOfnt Accident lusuf* f nr.ft Ao&ouQt, £20,695.