THE ESTIMATES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 23 August 1913, Page 5

THE ESTIMATES.

CONSIDERED IN COMMITTEE.

DISCUSSION ON THE FIRST ITEM

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. The Estimates were considered in Committee in the House of Representatives to-night. On the first item (Legislative Council), Mr Russell asked the Premier why he had spent £IOO,OOO in the administration; of the Lands Department less than had been granted' to him by the House. The Ward Government had settled 430,000 acres in 1911, but this Government, whose motto was "Settlement, more settlement, and still more settlement," had only settled 153,000 in their first year of office. The Hon. W. P. Massey said that as Minister of Lands he had refused to renew the licenses of a large number of grazing runs pending legislation this session. That accounted for the difference in the area. The reason the vote was not all expended was because an abnormal sum in rents had come into the Department. Consequently it was not necessary to draw on the vote to the full extent.

Sir Joseph Ward asked; the Minister of Finance what rates were paid for raising the last loan, and whether those rates were lower than for any loan which he (Sir Joseph Ward) had raised. The; Hon. James Allen said the underwriters received 1 per cent, the brokers \ per cent, the Bank of England J per cent, and commission $ per cent. These charges were the same as the Ward Government had paid. Sir Joseph Ward then quoted from Hansard to show that Mr Allen had blamed his with paying excessive charges on the five million loan. TSe admission made by Mr Allen was evidence that men were sobered by the responsibility of office. With his wider knowledge of financial negotiations, he had now admitted that he had been unable to get a reduction in the charges paid by New Zealand, Canada and all the Australian States, and that the rates paid by him (Sir,. Joseph Ward) were not excessive. This matter of considerable importance to him, as he had b6en subjected to considierahle criticism on the point.

Mr Forbes entreated the Minister to bring down his Land Bill early enough to allow of sufficient consideration, as it would remove the question from the political arena for some years to come.

The Hon. W. F. Massey, replying, said the Land Bill -would be brought down in time to allow Parliament to thoroughly consider every phase of the land question. Messrs Bradney and Veitch complained of the "jerry" character of many of the buildings put up for workers' homes.