THE ESTIMATES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1515, 10 August 1912, Page 6

THE ESTIMATES.

REPORT BY PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE. A POINT OF PROCEDURE. Mr. HINB then presented tho interim report by the Publio Accounts Committeewhich recommends that the following classes should be allowed to proceed:— Class 11, Department of Finance; Class 111,- Post, and Telegraph Department; Clas3 IV, Working Railways Department;; Class-VI, Native Department and tho Native Land Settlement Account. The committee also recommended that Class X, Defence Department should be allowed to proceed with the amended schedule proposed by the Minister. The schedule related to salaries of the General Stuff and Now Zealand Staffs Corps, the original proposals being varied in the individual salaries, the aggregate- result being a not reduction in'tho vote of ,£36. The following is the amended schedule: MajorGeneral, ,£1000; two colonels at. ,£750, and one for six months, ,£1875; fivo lieutenantcolonels at ,£575, .£2875; Director of Ordinance and Artillery,' .£650; ouo Army Service Corps officer, ,£600; four General Staff Officers at ,£550. and one for six months, J32-175; six Majors at £flb; 22 Captains—five at .£4OO, three at £375 (six months at £350 only), H at ,£350 (fivo for tho whole year and nine for six months only at .£250), ,£4-450; 30 Lieutenants—ten at £300 (six months at .£250 only), ten at JE275 (fix months at £250 only), ten at 41250 (one- for six months), four second lieutenants at .£l6O for four months and .£2OO for eight months; total. ,£28,608 (original item, .-£28,819). Royal' Now Zealand Artillery: Three majors at •£175, ,£1425; five captains (two at X 375 for six months, and for six months, two at »E350, one at £2aO for vsix months and ,£350 for six months), .£1725; four second lieutenants at JCIGO for three months, and .£2OO for nino months, ,£7fiO; total, ,£3910 (original item .£3725). Tne report was laid on the fciblo, and (he committee was given an extension of time till next Friday to complete its report. The Hon. JAMES ALLEN asked Mr. Speaker whether tho estimates could be referred, as they were reported on, to Committee of Supply. Mr. D. BUDDO asked whef'hor an attempt was being made (o evado discussion on the Estimates. Ho assured tho Government that the present Opposition would take as full charge of the Estimates as the late Opposition had done. Full Criticism Invited. The PRIME MINISTER said that he was delighted to hear that the Opposition intended to do their duty by the Estimates. The Government invited the fullest possible criticism from th 6 Opposition. Tho Government would give them all possible information. He was pleased to say that the experiment of referring the Estimates to the Public Accounts Committee Was working very successfully indeed. Tho Hon. F. M. B. Fisher said that tho E?tinmte3 wero those prepared bv tho parly now in Opposition. If they lilted to sit up all night and tear them to piccos tho Government would bo delighted to. see them do it. Mr. Mvors: Do you not acoept responsibility?" Mr. Fisher: Yos, but. not for their compilation. The Hon. JAS. ALLEN moved that the EiUumtM reported on be referred to tho Committee of Supply. He explained that

he took this course as a precautionary measuru, although he expected that tho whole of the Estimates would bo iu hand before they came up for discussion. Sir JOSEPH WARD asked whether the fir.st item of.tlio Estimates could be adopted in Coumiittt'o of Supply before tUo whole of tho Estimates were in hand. Ho was positive that a mistake was being made. Under the Standing Orders every member was entitled to discuss the wholo of the Estimates on the first item, and how could this be dono unless thewhole of the Estimates were before members? Mr. SPEAKER said that as a matter of strict order it was not his business to rule about what the Chairman of Committees might do when he got into Committoo of (Supply. Members of the House had the right, in discussing the first item, to criticise the whole of the Estimates. That right might bo curtailed if only certain classes of the Estimates were before tho Committee. In his opinion—he could not give it as a ruling—that the chairman would rule that they would have to report progress until tho whole of tho Estimates had been produced. Mr. ALLEN said that if he gave way on this point lie would put himself in the hands of his enemies. Sir JOSEPH WARD and other members lreggod the Minister for Finance not to refer to his friends across the House as enemies. Tho Estimates reported on were referred* to Committeo of Supply, and the Committee was granted an extension of time to Friday next to consider the remaining Estimates.