THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1512, 7 August 1912, Page 9

THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE.

ITS COMPOSITION. AN INTERESTING DEBATE. After reading the Budget Speech (reported on Pago i), The Hon. JAMES ALLEN moved:— "That the estimates be referred to • Public Accounts Committee for consid-j eration, advice, and report, and that the Committee do report to the House on Friday next." . ... Sir JOSEPH WARD (Awarua) objected that it was proposed to refer something Ito a committee—the -Public Accounts Committee—which was not yet in existence. Ministers and other Government members observed that the same thing had been done every session. 1 The CHAIRMAN ruled that the motion ,U Th".Hon. I!.-H. 1 RHODES pointed out that .matters hail that session been referred to the Local . Bills Committee, which had not yet been set up. Sir JOSEPH WARD (Awaru'a) expressed a desire to be ■acquainted with-the , coropositim'ot' the Public Accounts Committee. So far, he stated, he had been' honoured by being appointed to the most important committee of the House—the Standing Orders Committee, while young members had been appointed to two or three committees, simply because they were Government supporters. He did not disapprove the proposal to refer the Intimates to a committee. Government member: lon had twentyone vears to do it in. Why didirt you." Sir Josenh Ward appealed to the Primo Minister to state the composition 01 the committee. ; ' , ,' .., Bγ consent it was agreed to go on without taking the usual supper adjournment (Invefcargill) saidlthat iiVas a reprehensible thiol?, to ask membW to vote blindly to rcier something to a committee thitt was not yet'in existence. (Loud laughter). Hγ J PAYNE (Grey Lynn) said that the Prime .Minister.was atteniptaag> esblish a bad .precedent in. proposing to refer the Budget to a committee not-yet in existence. ' i i ■ A Question of Time.' , Mr G.W.RUSSELL (Avon) said that the motion was that the Estimates should be referred to the Public Accounts Committee for report, advice- and ctmsideiaI Hon, , the report to bo delivered..on -tri,dav. It iras ridiculous. \p csnect « committee to" review proposals of Mich niOKnitudo in three days. If the committee sat night and day it could not bring down I a'report worth thc.paner.it wa.=■ written on. Ho approved the idea that the Public Accounts Committee should take an extreme!v active part in connection with the-finances; but time should lie. jnvon the-Estimates- did not come up J.or cUscus,ion when the Financial Statement to discussed. tTlip. of, tJifcHouse prevented ■.it..:}') he» $«e. mftnw, for Avon said that tho whole of the I'lnancinl proposals of the Government wore to he referie'l to the PuMic Accounts Committee lie kumv that that statement ivas incorrect: Tlie whole ol the financial'proposals .of the Government did not Ko to tho committee at all, but only the Estimates. ' . , ~ Mr Eus»«ll: Why da you want them said that it had never been intended Hint tho committee' should report upon the whole ot the Estimates on Friday. Hon. Rentlemen opposite had said that thev were K<iiua to support the proposal to.refer the. Estimates to a committee, but they had not done so ilurins the 21 years for which they had been in office. • He was (-Mad to know that there was'{much in the Budget which ivotild compel Ibe.hon. pmtlcrtcn opposite to follow,the Government.-.- - Mr. K\i?seU: It-i» full of our proposals. (Government laughter.) .• ■ -..■'■■, A New Wardrobe. •• •• ■ Mr. Fisher said that no doubt the hon. •entlemen would say that whon they wentout bathing the Government stole their clothes. The Government would provide them with a new wardrobe which they I would be prb'ud to wear. (Laughter.) He was glad that the first proposal of the Governmant had been approved of by the lrailcrs of the Opposition. If "HR""** well for the future of th* Budget. The committee would only be expected to submit a report on that portion, of tho l.stimates with which it was supposed to deal. That was a enmmon-sense proposal. "?.lr. A. M. MYEBS (Auckland East) R.vsnrrd the Houpp that the Hon. Mr. Fisher had lost his equilibrium since, bis lakina up Ministerial rank. He urßod that 'Mr. I'jsher ho<l mifscd the point, of Sir Joseph AVard's objection by replyinj! that the {same sort of thine hid been done for 21 years. Ho looked to the new Government to set these thinßs in onlor, and it wosi surely fair that-the Prime Mini.sier should declare the names of the Committee. . i Neither Wrong Nor Unusual. Tho Hnn. W. V. MASSET (Prinie Miniiter) said that.-what. wns. proposed was neither n'rohffjior unusual. -It wa? a vrry common tliivis;t6 refer- matters to committees before'those committees.vvcro sot up., If the committee could not report.on. Friday, the House could extend Hie time. He had no objection to letting-tho Houso know who were the members of the committee; ho would have done so before, but for the impatience of honourable gentlemen. The proposed committee would consist of: Messrs. Craigie, Hine, Lee, Tin nan. Myers, E. Newmun. A. K. Newman, ft. V. Peorop. the I?i?ht Hon. Sir ! J. G. Ward, and the Hon. James Alien. I Pir JOSEPH WARD (Awnrua) contended that members of the Public Accounts Committee could not possibly- consider flic and study, the Budget at sjnir time Tho lion. W. F. Massey declared that the right hon. gentleman was simply quibbling. There wns. no time when members,had an easier time than during (he financial debate. In reply to Mr. Ha nan, the Primo Minister stated that ho- proposed to .take tho debate-on the, Financial Statement on Friday evening. ■. .: . The motion w?s carried, aiul the House ri'SMincd. . ■ The Committee. The Hon. JAMES ALLEN (Minister for Finance) moved to set up the Public Accounts Committee, to consist of the following members:— Messrs. C'raicip, Iline, T.oe, Hanan, Myers, E. Newman, A. K. Xowman, Pearcc, the Kight non. Sir J. G. Ward, and thr Hon. James Allen. This motion was also agreed to. The Hon. li. H. RHODES (PostmasterGeneral) slated that the statement .had Wn delivered to every paper in tho Dominion—tho fiill Statement to the chief papers, and Hip Miinmnry lo the smaller piipcrf. The Socrrtflvy to the Postal Deportment, had reported (n him (hat the la.it. r.f the Statement h.-M cot through to Aueklnnel at fi.lf) p.m.. Everything p!-p I in. connection with honiliiip out Ihe mesfitsc w-,is p'tiielicaHy coniploli'il.wifh tho rscrption of OisbQrue, which linrl n limited wire accnniniodation, .mid Hnmillon. ! The Utter plncc would probably havo hod ( the lost of the mesjigo at !> oVlofk. Tim I fumroiry had bo.en iklivcrc! to all «.mall paper? fon? before 8 p.m. Tho " Post-m.-)?ter-Gwi<>ral tc-tified to *he excellent work done by nmcers of th« Telegraph Department. It mieht. interest thp Mmifter. for Finance to know, lie added, that his Statement, contained 20,790 words. The Prime Minister said that the Post-mnMer-Gsneral and his offiwrs doferved the thanks of the country tor the excellent' work they had done in forwarding Ilia Financial Statement. The House adjoutnsd at lO.j E,m,