ESTIMATES DEBATED

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 31, 30 October 1937, Page 3

ESTIMATES DEBATED

-Press Sssociation.)

Opposition Plea for - Lower Expenditure WHEATGROWING "SUBSIDY"

(By Telegrapk-

r' " r WELLINGTON, Last Nlght. ! j When the House resumed at 2.30 p.m. jconsideration of the Estimates was con- ; tinued. Sir Alfred Ransom expressed the opinio'n that many items in the public expenditure could be eliminated without harm to the country. Tke wkole of the estimates .of expenditure, ke said, were in the direction of sterilising the wealth of the Dominion. Rev. A. H. Nordmeyer said the fact that the Prime Minister had returned half the expenses of his tour to Britain to the Treasury was unprecedented as far as similar tours of other Prime Ministers were concerned. It was no wonder, he said, this fact had got undei the skins of the Opposition. He thought if Mr S. G. Holland were sincere about his suggestion for a reduction of travelling expenses he might give up his own travelling priviteges and remain in Wellington for the whole of the session, instead of returning to his electorate now and then. Mr W. P. Endean asked when the Government was going to keep its promises to reduce the exchange rate. He criticised the increases in Government expenditure and asked what tke Fisheries Commission kad cost tke country. Mr J. G. Barclay said tke Opposition had been expressing great concern at increased Government expenditure, but forgot to look at the legacy, of overseas debt left the Labour Administration by past Governments. Mr R. A. Wright said there was a rumour that £400,000 was to be expended on the erection of a conservatorium building in Wellington. He agreed that a handsome building should be erected, but -he thonght' the expenditure of £400,000 was overmuch. Mr S. G. Holland contended that, if £650,000 were bofrowed from the Keserve Bank for the assistance o£ dairy farmers, it was equally proper that money should be borrowed from the Beserve Bank to help the wheat farmers. The wheat farmers were receiving six> pence per bushel more for wheat this season 'than last, but he considered it was not enough. He .pointed out that the farmers were now receiving for seco'nd grade wkeat more than for first grade, and tke wheat control sckeme, ke considered, was not tbe best in tke world, as kad been contended by tke Minister of Industnes' and Commerce.