PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 85, 14 August 1913, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, August 13. The House met at 2.30 p.m. The Perpetual Trustees Estate Agency Company Amendment Bill (Mr Millar) was read a second time. I QUESTION DAY. Replying to questions, the Minister stated that it was probable that the Veto Zealand Government would take >att in the ’Frisco Exhibition. l!he Act of 1908 provided for the gradual displacement of pupil teachers by adult teachers. When it comes l&rfajdetely iiito force it will give in 'inch large school,' beside a head tea■■her, 1 one" assistant for each 50 pup--stajffing. way being improvh! gradually!in 'accordance with the Provisions of the 1908 Act., , but the mocess was unavoidably retarded :by the fact that the. number of qualified not sufficiteiif td ! fill ‘all .he vacancies that pvould’-be (created if it was brought • into full forceat once. ' 1 -I ’ ' »t ’

THE FINANCIAL DEBATE. When the House resumed at 7.30 p.m., Mr W. D. S. McDonald opened the debate on the Budget. The whole aim of the Minister for Finance was not to enlighten the House., but to ipggle' jvith figures in such' as was ndw- past all understanding. If the monies spent by previous Governments were expended for electioneering purposes, as was frequently allegad, why was the Government coming to the House and. ashing for authority to expend similar amounts? Either she previous Government’s expenditure was not wasteful or extravagant, or the present Government was piing to travel along the same reckless lines.

The Hon. W. Fraser said that so soon afe a loan was assured he would put all the necessary works in hand md prosecute them vigorously. As to the future, he pointed out that four irirl a-lialf millions had to he raised to redeem debentures before next July, and 12 millions before Decembr, 1915. Their hands were further hampered by commitments left as legacy by their predecessors, one of |tdiich was in connection with the Otira Tunnel, and represented over £300,000. He agreed with Mr McDonald that we were pushing settlement faster than our power to finance for reading.

Mr D. Buddo complained that the advances to settlers fund was starved. This fact contributed largely to the financial stringency. The farmers had not to thank the Government for getting them out of difficulties. The Government claimed that the finances were sound, but this was due entirely to the fact that we had borrowed £5,700,000 during the year. After Mr Nosworthy spoke, Mr R. McCallum moved the adjournment of the debate at 11.35, and the House rose.