WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 19 December 1933, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS STIR

ATTITUDE OF PARLIAMENT

(From our correspondent.)

WELINGTON, December 15. A few days ago the rank and file of Parliament were expecting 'that the House of Representatives would have completed the session by the end of th e week and that “cleaning up” the necessities would not extend over Monday arid Tuesday next. Now the report of the Controller and Auditor General to the Public Accounts Committee appears to have altered the whole position and it seems riot at all unlikely that Parliairient will be called together late next month. That is the development being discussed just now. On Wednesday of last week the Controller’s report was laid on the table of the House. It contained a. general reference to the way 'in which Parliament whs losing its control of public funds, and made a series of specific' complaints so grave as to -call for publication of all; the available fact, • On the following day the Prime Minister was, asked for further information concerning alleged irregularities in a special department. Mr Forbes replied by leading a letter from the Auditor General giving details of the intense audit office investigat-

ion already in progress. The Opposit-

ion, whose leader raised the question, apparently was satisfied with this form of inquiry, but the newspapers, to their credit, insisted that th e findings of the position would have to, eojnp before Parliament. , xhe Minister .ofl Finance, in moving a motion to this ef-

feet, pointed . out. that several departments were affected by the Auditor General’s criticism, and that it was only fair that the head,*? of these de- ! partriients should have an opportunity ! to explain their position and its significance. The logical course, Air Coates emphasised; was to invite them to meet the Public Accounts Committee ■ which always was available. The morning papier, which wastes neither time nor space upon mere words reviews the position in a paragraph. “It is not likely,” it. says, I “that Air Coates was looking for applause when he called. the. Public Acj counts Committee to the aid of the ’ House, any more than he .cpuld have I expected the Opposition to boil over, I yet the fact remains that, his was a | ( positive step towards reasserting the i | sovereignity of Parliament over the j finances of the country. . , ..The Par-' ! liamentary Committee may mob jliave ■ 1 all the information’ it. wants ; ■ but it; j will have enough to advise that further action, if any, may be desirable. The responsibility of receiving the Commit Ice’s report,, and of deciding what is iu-be d°ne,, with .it, lies, not with the Government or with any department of the Government, but with Parliament.” ,This obviously ..is where' •it should be. !

With this point settled, Mr . Forbes and his colleagues may go about their business with a. determined heart and. a decisive; mind. It is obvious- from

"'hat already has been disclosed, that .there is urgent need for, reform'-in several directions. Trips, to Ottawa • and London at short intervals by-Ministers ’f the- Crown are not necessarily helpful to the condition of the Dominion at large. -It, has- been said, indeed, that eight members of a Cabinet are not a' sufficient number for the needs of the Dominion, and that r,s a result the ‘.' number and authority of higher. civiFservants are beiiig gradually ‘increased. However this may be, it is obvious that members of the Cabinet to-day are mor e heavily laden than were their predecessors of twenty-five or thirty years ago.