WAR EXPENSES ACCOUNT

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23970, 10 June 1943, Page 4

WAR EXPENSES ACCOUNT

COMMITTEE MAY INVESTIGATE MR FRASER’S REPLY TO QUESTION From Our Parliamentary Reporter WELLINGTON, June 9. His readiness to submit the war expenses account to the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives was again stated by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) in the House of Representatives to-day, in reply to a question asked on behalf of the Hon. W. E. Barnard, as member for Napier, by Mr J. A. Lee (De-mocratic-Soldier-Labour, Grey Lynn). Later the membership of the committee was increased fo. 15 by the appointment of the Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash), the Minister in charge of War Expenditure (the Hon. A, Hamilton), and Mr C. G. E. Harker (Opposition, Waipawa). Mr Barnard’s question was whether, in view of the fact that war expenditure, which accounted for approximately three-quarters of the Dominion’s total expenditure, was not at present subject to examination by the House, as were the civil estimates, the Prime Minister would set up a select committee to examine and report to the House on all proposed outlay under the war expenses account. That had been the special responsibility of th. Leader of the Opposition while a member of the War Cabinet; but since his retirement from that position no persons had apparently been appointed to carry out this work, which, it was suggested, was essential in the public interest, and was also the prerogative of the House. Would the Government follow the course adopted by the British and Canadian Governments? On November 19, 1941, the House of Commons ordered "that a select committee be appointed to examine current expenditure defrayed out of moneys provided by Parliament for the defence services, for civil defence. and for other services directly connected with the war, and to report what, if any. economies consistent with the execution of the policy decided by the Government, might be effected.” The Prime Minister said that members should satisfy (hemselves of the accuracy of information in their questions, The duty of supervising war expenditure was the function of Mr Hamilton, and that could have been ascertained by inquiry. It was a matter oif common knowledge. _ Mr Fraser said he had already indicated that he was willing, and would be pleased, to submit the war expenses account to the Public Accounts Committee. which was an admirable and v ell-suited body, with representatives o' all parties.