Opposition Critical Of Government's Heavy Overseas Expenditure

Chronicle (Levin), 17 September 1949, Page 7

Opposition Critical Of Government's Heavy Overseas Expenditure

WELLINGTON, Sept. 16. ! Some 410 public servants had gone overseas in the pa'st year at a eost of £132,000 in spite of the faet that New Zeaiand was permanently. represented abroad at a eost of £325,000, said Mf:' F. Doidge (NaL — Tauranga) in the, House today when the vote on the Estimates for the Departmenb of Extemal Affairs was discuSsed. The sum of £701,411 is required for the department this year and £672,465 was exp'endedlast year. Mr.- Doidge said that last year 27 international conferences were attended. by 156 New Zealanders at a eost of £66,099 — an average of £388 per head. Mr. Eraser said we were living in a completely new world with new relations, new responsibiiities and new expenses to meet. One did wonder what on earth was the usefulness of sorne oi the conferences. The expenses had been very high, but the point was: Coula New Zeaiand alford not to be represented? Mr. Eraser said it would be a good' thing to set aside a special day each session for the discussion of externai affairs. A diversion from the Estimates wascaused at this stage when Mr. Watts, who was sitting on the arm of Mr. Rae's seat while Mr. Rae was speakmg, fell into the passagewav. The leg oi the chair apparently was too close to the edge of the raised portion of the floor of the House. Mr. Watts' fall was greeted with cries from Government members: "You've lost your seat." JdLon. E. Jones: You will have a greater fall than that later (laughter). Mr. D. M. Rae (Nat. — Parnell) said everything possible should be done to keep the public informed of the objective of Unesco, Uno and other world organisations. New Zeaiand should follow Australia's example and admit atudents' from Asia. Mr. Fraser said students had recently been brought to New Zeaiand from China. If e there -was greater university accommodation more students would be encouraered to come here.

Mr. Clifton Webb (Nat. — Rodney) paid tribute to the work of the New Zeaiand High Commissioner to Canada (Mr. J. Thorn), the Ambassador to the LTnit.ed States (Sir Carl Berendsen) and other representatives. There was no doubt that the name of New Zeaiand stood high overseas and lier representatives were doing . everything possible and were succeeding in maintaining the country's reputation. Mr. H. E. Combs (Lab. — Onslow) paid a similar tribute and Mr. Fraser acknowledged both speakers' remarlcs. Mr. W. Bullivan (Nat. — Bay of Plenty) asked for details of the purehase price of the Carlton Hotel in London, and went on to suggest that the present foyer of New Zeaiand House should be remodelled. Mr. Sullivan said New Zeaiand was worthj-- of some better house than was now occupied in London. Mr A. S. Sutherland (Nat.— Hauraki) said he did not object to New Zeaiand being represented overseas, but when delegates to conferences returned members of Parliament should be given some information about their activities. It seemed that the New Zeaiand Legation in Moscow was slipping. The staff had dropped from thirteen to twelvfy ' ' but" we all know .Mr, Boswel-1 Jroming home, " he said. '' v'; 5,3 Getting Into Latvia. Mr. Sutherland again referred to tne dihiculty a constituent of his had in obtaining compensation for property conliscated in Latvia, and his own aifliculty in persuading Mr. Boswell to take action. "I would have been terribly disappointed if the honourable meiuber had not brought in Moscow," said Mr. Fraser. "If the member for Hauraki thinks he can get into Soviet-controlled Latvia and get that cash I will advance the money to him," Mr. Fraser said amid laughter. Mr. Sutherland: I think I'll take that up. I'll accept the challenge! Mr. Fraser: All right I'll advaiice the money if you will pay the equivalent to your constituent and get into that stronghold of the Soviet Government. J\Ir. Sutherland: You're backing down now! Mr. Fraser said the foyer in New Zeaiand House, London, was being reeonditioned, ' ' and not before its time. ' ' The Carlton Hotel transaction was not carried out to acquire a building but to obtain a site on which ultimatelv would be erected a building worth.y of New Zeaiand. The purchase price of the Carlton Hotel plus an adjustment was £326,504, and the income from the building was £31,940. The expenditure was £17,275, leaving a profit of £14,665 or slightly over 44 per cent. An Opposition voice: Capitalists!

Y Mr. Fraser said when-'he was in London- he consulted with distinguished New Zeaiand architects there and a committee was f ormed,. The Government would eonsult .with the New. Zeaiand Institube. of Ar^Kiteets .and the--respeetive cbfunjittees would • confer on. the matter of >7Iesign i so* that Tihaliy: when the buildihg 'was Vrected.it would ' be "a noble ope carried out by 'the' best artjhitecl$...and binbodyimg*' the beauty. spirit and prbgrqss of .the country," At present the Governmfeiit Was paying.:between £28,000 and £29,000 for various rehtals i'n London. The Carlton Hote. building -would; havec to comie ."dbwn ii there was to.-be a proper New Zealana House. , . - Mr M. H. Oram (Nat.-Mana'watuj" said the Departinent'-s report' had said Canadian delegates were welcomed to a conference on Paeilie aviation, yet when Canadian' Pacilic Airiines starteu their service recentiy they were refused permission to operate from New Zeaiand. , Mr Fraser said there had never been any refusal of landing rights to this com pany, but the Government was not prepared to let them operate across the Tasman. That was in iine with what Canada, the United States and other countries did in giving landing rights to operators from other countries, °bui not letting them carry passengers on internal routes. During the discussion of the vote. foj. the Audit Department Mr W. A. fciheal (Nat.-Patea) suggested that suitable oliicers might be transferred from other departments. Many ohieers from the Audit Department were applying toi outside jobs with local bodies and elsewhere. Mr Fraser said the Government had told the Public SerVice' Commission to da everything in its power to outain statt' for the Audit Department. Departments were not like private lirms which could go on the open market with offers of higher saiaries to obtain the , staff they required.

Mr T. P. yhand (Nat.-Marlborough; speaking to the vote for the Public, rfervice Commission, said the Commission 's report had contained much that was arresting, particularly as to the high number of resignations from the Public Service which the Commission felt were tending tq cripple the service. The paynient in senior jobs was incomparably poorer than that in other employment. The position could not be iguored indelinitely as it was affecting the whole Public Service. Mr A. C. Baxter (Lab.-Raglan) said the Commission 's report had advoeated a revisiou of the preseut law as to fche political rights of the Public Service, but there should be "a very %ood look" before such a change wao made. Public servants were iirst of ail New Zealanders ' and he had the strongest objeetiqn to interference with tne rightS of the individujil to take part in political activities. ifad the Commission aggravated a present difficult situation m reg&rd to the Public Service? Mr A. P. Adermanv (Nat.-New Piymouth) speaking to the vote for the lsland Territories, asked if there liad been recent requests .for the incluslou qf Gook Islands, representatives m. the New Z'ealancL Parli-anient. He said ;a yisithd the Cook Islands recentiyr WhaV had - been its recommendations? A goodwill miasion from the CooK Islands had also visited New Zeaiand. Had that party nrged representation in the New Zeaiand Parliament? Mr A. G. Osborne (Lab. -Onehunga; 6aid tjrere had been no commission of mquiry on the person referred to by Mr Aderman, as the leader of this coninnsjion had in fact merely made a private visit at his own expense. Mr Osborne said he had attended the i.ast meeting of the Cook Isiand LegisAtive Council nnd none of the many rejuts presented asked for representation tn the New Zeaiand Parliament. The recent Rarotongan party in New Zeaiand was a concert party and had made no representations to the Government. Mr Osborne said he knew of no desire expressed or otherwise among Cook lslanders for the right to send members to the New Zeaiand Parliament. Tnere nad been a petition to that effect some years ago, but there was now no evidence of any wish for that step to be taken. Dr. Finlay (Lab.-North Shore) suggested that it might be helpful for Ma ori members of Parliament to take turns in visiting the Cook Islands once a year or at more frequent intervals. That would inerease New Zeaiand interest in Cook Isiand affa;irs. . i