THE ESTIMATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 January 1922, Page 5

THE ESTIMATES.

DISCUSSED IN THE HOUSE.

POLICY ON NEW RAILWAYS.

PROGRESS OF STRATFORD LINE.

By Telegraph.—Press Association.

T Wellington, Last Night. I lie House went into Committee of ® u PPy to-day to discuss the Estimates. the, nrst vote discussed was the Public Works Department (£ 105,000). Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition). said members had only a few minutes in which to consider either the Statement or the Estimates and he thought the time must come when some better method must be adopted. Members should be placed in a position in which they could get ready a complete survefojf the financial position and the history of all public works loans. Referring to hydro electric development he asked whether the Minister knew of rumors of a combination of five great electrical firms in Britain for the purpose of taking advantage of the preference, which we were giving to British manufacturers. He understood that knowing we were giving this preference they would immediately pop up their prices twenty-five per cent. He favored preference to Britain, but we should not allow ourselves to be walked over. He considered the development, of hydro electric power was the first great necessity of the Dominion. • CONTROL OF RIVERS. Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christchurch North) wanted to know what the Minister intended to do towards carrying out the recommendations of the Rivers Commission with regard to Canterbury rivers. hue minister said he would not recommend the Government to take over the responsibility in connection with any river in New Zealand. There was a system under which local people could cohtrol rivers in their own district and he would not take the matter out of their hands. The control of the Canterbury rivers was purely a local matter. Mr. R. P. Hudson (Motneka) suggested the Government should, have some general policy on the subject of river control which would be a guide to settlers. Other members supported this view and declared that river erosion was a matter of national importance. The vote was then passed. Railways construction and additions ( £3,250,000) was the next vote discussed, members taking advantage to bring under the notice of the Minister the claims of local lines.

In the course of his reply to various suggestions that work on different new lines should be undertaken or proceeded with the Minister said .greater care should be taken before any lines were authorised in future to obtain the fullest details of the cost and earning capacity. In some crises he thought it would be better to delay work on a railway till the prices of materials fell, giving attention in the meantime to the improvement of road communication benefiting the localities concerned, such as for example, the Gibson-Napier line. By this means also something would be done to relieve unemployment. He hoped the Stratford-Main Trunk would be opened at the Okahakura end to Matiere, so that settlers would be able tb get their produce out to a market. VARIOUS VOTERS PASSED. At 9.15 p.m. the railway vote was passed. The committee then proceeded to discuss the public buildings vote ( £379,550). Shortly after eleven o'clock the vote for public buildings was passed. A vote of £42,000 for timber supply and sawmills was passed without discussion.

A sum of £21,000 was voted for lighthouses and harbor works after a brief discussion. Tourist and health resorts (£25,000) next came under review. The Minister, in reply to many applications for extensions and improvements at tourist resorts, informed members that in view of the restricted expenditure it is impossible to grant these requests. In some cases charges have to be increased to make ends meet. The vote was passed. On the vote immigration department (£225,000), Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) opposed the item, “Passage money in payment of reduced fares for nominal immigrants £190,000,” and the item of £59,000 for the payment of reduced fares of other immigrants. He contended that until there was work and homes for workers more immigrants should not be brought to the Dominion.

MORE IMMIGRANTS COMING. The Minister, in reply, contended that immigrants coming to the country would not more than make up for the losses of population incurred by the war. There was not a single immigrant who came to the country but what had housing and employment found for him. There were 1506 immigrants on the water now and 15,000 will' be sailing in a few months, all of whom were nominated and all of whom had employment. Mr. Fraser moved that the total vote be reduced by .£lOO as an indication that the House does not approve of the immigration policy of the Government. Mr. H. ( Atniore (Nelson) said the motion was the quintessence of selfishness. It' was our duty to help the people of the Old Country if we could and he regretted the narrow outlook shown by the Labor Party and their failure to act up to their professions about brotherhood of man. The motion proposed was a disgrace. Mr. Fraser retorted that Mr. Atmore’s speech was the silliest ever delivered in the House. The real object underlying the Government immigration policy was to provide cheap labor* for employers. •At one o’clock' a division was taken on Mr. Fraser’s amendment to reduce the vote, with the result that it was defeated by 37 votes to 8. The vote was passed. Construction, maintenance and supervision of roads (.£590.000); contingent defence ( £17,500); lands improvement (£13,000); irrigation (£85,000); plant, material and stores (£175.000); lands for settlement' (£50,000); electric supply ( £900,600); railways improvement (£250.000); Wahou and Ohineinuri river improvement ( £65,000) ; education lands, account (£735,000) were passed after brief discussion. (Left sitting).