The Supplementary Estimates

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 64, 8 December 1937, Page 3

The Supplementary Estimates

-Preai Aesociation.) .

MANY QUESTIONS Reference to Election Date Ruled Oi#

(By Teleeranh-

WELLINGTON Last Night. " Urgency was granted the passing of the supplementary Estimates in the House of Representatives this afternoon. 1 Discussing the Department of Ex-; ternal Affairs vote, • Rt. Hon. J". G., Coates asked what was .the position regarding the appointment of AdminisCtr&tor of Samoa, The Prime Minister replied that the position was still under consideration. Everything was proceeding satisfactoriljr under present conditions. The acting-Administrator .was carrying on very satisfactorily and the Samoans were carrying out their part satisfactorily, too. They did not wish to,rush into things with too rnuch haste. The question of -jyhen the report of the Sea Fisheries Investigation Committee might 'be .expected . was xaised by Mr. H. S. S. Kyle when the House was discussing the Marine Department vote. He would lik9 Mr. J". .Thorn, who was chairman of .the committee, to tell the House how far the investigation ,had gone.

Mr. Thorn: Y.ou are fishing, but I'm not biting. The Minister of Marine (Hon, P, Efaser), announcing that the committee ;s report would be ready for prefentation when the Hpuse resumed after the recess, next year, sajd tremendous importance was attached to the committee 's investigation, in the course of which much valuable inform-' ation had been gained. "It'has been staggering to realise the lack of information we have had concerning our fisheries," .the Minister added.* He cKd not know ■ of any committee whieh had done more conscientious work. Discussing Jhe ' electoral department vote, the leader of .the Opposition, Hon. A, Hamilton, asked when the new electoral boundaries came into force. The Minister of- Finance, Hon. ,W. Nash: After next election. He added that present members of .the House represented their old constituencies until such ■ time as the new House was blected. Members of the new Parliament after next election would reprepent the new electorates. Mr/ H. S, S. Kyle:.* Will the Prime Minister announce the date of the next election! The Chairman of -Committees: That is not in the Estimates. Consideration of the Estimates was interruptecl by the adjournment at 5.30 p.-nu " f Wheat Industry Grant. The ciiscussion on jhe Supplementary) Estimates was continued . when .the1House xesumed at 7.30 p.m, Answering a.query.by'the Opposition concerning the '.vote of £30,000 for the development of the wheat industry, the Minister, of Industries and Commerce .(Hon. D. G. Sullivan) said fhe £30,000 was additional to £150,000 in the main estimates for the wheat industry. ,The £30,000 xeally was somewhat wrongly described in the Estimates. It was really a grant to assist the flour industry to meet increased costs as a result of increased wages, etc. In view of ! such increases, millers had asked for j an increase of '25s a ton on flour and l the Government had given them five shillings extra per .ton. The Price of Bread. Mr. S.. G. Smith moved thal? the Departmental vote of £39,120 be reduced 1 by £5 as a protest against the high price of bread which had been increased as a result of ' 'muddiement and interference by the Government." Mr. Sullivan challenged Mr. Smith /[ to show any instance of muddiement or i interference in connection with the • Government 's dealing with the wheat ] and flour industry. The industry was j in a good, sound and healthy condition, he declared, and the present was simply a stunt on the paTt of the'member for New Plymouth. 'Any proposal for a further reduction could only come from a reduction of payments from the Consolidated Pund to the wheatgrower. Bread was being produced in New Zealand probably as cheaply as in most other countries in the world. Geneirally speaking the Government had done pretty .well in keeping. the , price of ' bread where it was, Tliere was no justification for Mr. Smith's statement concerning muddiement; The Minister said he had xeceived congratulations from all sections of ' the industry on the Government 's handling of the situation. • He thought Mr. Smith's statement was both unjust and unfair. Hon. J. G. Coates contended that the Government had been responsible as a result of its interference with the industry, in raising the price of the 41b. loaf by a penny and in some country districts by twopence. The industry was being subsidised to the extent of £180,000 to keep the price of bread down. Mr. J. A. Lee said the amendment was that the vote be reduced by £3, aboxt one-1500th of a penny on the price of a loaf. Was that the extent to which the Opposition was prepared to check Government extravagance? It had taken up £20 worth of time of the House to move a reduction of the Vote by £5, Several Opposition members complained of tbe quality of New Zealand flour, the Minister reiterating his previous statements both in defence of New Zealand flour and the wheat and flour industry in the Dominion. ■ The amendment was lost on thc ,voiees and the Vote was passed with;out further discussion. Control of Traffic. • Speaking on the Transport Department Vote, the Minister of Transport, 1- gejgide* in xeply tg question *

by Hon. A. Hamilton, claimed that Ihe expenditure on the safety campaigu had beeen amply justifid. He pomted to the reduced number of faialities on roads despite the greater number of cars. A lot more could be done and would be done. Mr. C. A. Wilkinson asked wShat the Government 's policy • was going to be with" xegard to traffic control throughout the Dominion? Did the Government intend to institute a single national system of control or - continue with the dual system as at present? The Minister, in Teply, said the dual control system was deflnitely a failure and a Bill would be introduced after the Christmas recess under which tha Transport Department would control all traffic on highways and in towns and boroughs with a population of under 6000, while the cities would be responsible for traffic control in tho cities themselves and suburbs. Speaking on xne Public Works Pund Vote for construction and improvements, etc., to roads^ bridges and other public works, Mr. H. G. Dickie congratulated th6 Minister on provis'io.fj made in the vote for provisioa of lu etalled, ro^s fo.r backblock ' gettlers.