NO MONEY FOR STATE ADVANCES

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 89, 6 July 1927, Page 9

NO MONEY FOR STATE ADVANCES

MR. PARRY CRITICAL “PRACTICALLY CLOSED” (THE SUN'S Parliamentary Reporter .) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The State Advances Department has practically closed down,” declared Mr W. Parry, Auckland Central, in the House to-day, when dealing with the question of loans for housing.' The Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Downie Stewart: Oh, no; we have lent £500,000 in less than two months. Mr. Parry: Oh, we know all about that. But we have applications standing over for 12 months, and even IS months. Replies we have received and are still receiving state that many of the applications have not even been considered. Why does the Government not do the decent tiling in the matter? Mr. Stewart: What is the decent tiling? Mr. Parry: Why don’t you tell the people that the department is practically closed down. We have letters from numerous people who have deposited money on sections in anticipation of loans from the Government, but after paying quite a lot of money on them, have discovered that there is no immediate prospect of their loans. I know of cases where people have lost their sections and their instalment money. In short, it is a pretty good thing for the land agents. The Minister: How much would you borrow for this department every year? Mr. Parry: All I am doing is to ask the Government to tell ihe truth. Surely they can do this. It is pretty hard for them to do it, I know, but surely they should be able to do it on this occasion.