ECONOMY INQUIRY

Hokitika Guardian, 4 May 1932, Page 6

ECONOMY INQUIRY

REPORT OF -COMMISSION

MONTH’S EXTENSION

IBy Telegraph.—Per Press Association,

WELLINGTON, May 3

An" extension of a month has been granted the National Expenditure Commission for .the preparation of its second and final report, according to an answer given by the Prime -Mims*ffer, (Rt. Hon.' G, W.. Forbes, to a question on t'lie subject. , The commission was required to furnish an interim report by March 1 and a final report by May 1. The conii mission, of which Mr George Sliirtcliffe is chairman, was set up on January 27, and at once applied itself to the almost unprecedented task of reviewing a rid reporting on public expenditure In all its .aspects, and generally to make recommendations to the Government 1 for effecting all possible,, 'economies in public expenditure. An extension of a week was granted the commission for completing its preparation of the-.fiW report, on which the National Expenditure Adjustment Bill, read a third time "in the House of Representatives yesterday, was largely fashioned.

In announcing that an extension until June .1 had been granted for the .furnishing of the final repoit, '.lie Prime Minister said it was not intended do legislate during the present session on the commission’s furthe-- recommendations as it was hoped to conclude' the, 'session by. the end of next week.

In submitting its .first report the commission stated : “In the time at our disposal it has been quite impossible for us to examine in detail the whole of the public expenditure, -but we have dealt with certain departments which seemed -to offer scope for considerable economies . . . We shall, in the continuation op our inquiry, further review if necessary, those departments we have- so. far dealt with. We do not wish to give 'the impression that we have .dealt finally with any class of expenditure.”