STATE SPENDING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 August 1938, Page 7

STATE SPENDING

YESTERDAY’S DISCUSSION ON ESTIMATES WIDE FIELD REVIEWED. SOME NATIONAL PROBLEMS. I (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Appropriations totalling £12,439,634 were approved by the House of Representatives yesterday, when further consideration was given the votes on the Estimates of departmental expenditure, The following classes were passed: Marine Department, £177,497; Police Department, £621,000; Health Department, £1,327,398; Mental Hospitals Department, £416,800; -Education Department, £3,989,900; Post Office Account, £3,907,039; Naval Service, £802,196; Army Department, £703,904; Air Department, £493,900. Urgency was taken for these nine items at the commencement of the sitting. The last was passed at 10.31 p.m., when the House adjourned until today. Classes discussed concerned departments administered by the Hon. P. Frasei’ and the Hon. F. Jones. Although the vote for the Marine Department was the smallest individual item in yesterday’s list, it was discussed longer than any- other class. The spawning of whitebait, the propagation of oysters, mortality among toheroas, and aids to navigation were among the miscellaneous subjects discussed on this vote. ■ 1

During consideration of the Police Department’s Estimates reference was made by Opposition members to the increase in crime statistics. Mr Fraser said the explanation of this was greater vigilance on the part of the police. The reluctance of medical students to take up mental hospital work was referred to on the vote for the. Mental Hospitals Department, and Mr Fraser indicated that the Government was offering higher salaries and considering other inducements with a view to encouraging medical men to take up service in the mental hospitals. Replying to the debate onj the naval vote, Mr Jones expressed the opinion that in about 10 years’ time almost all the ratings in the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy would be New Zealanders. In the absence of the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, Mr Fraser acted as leader of the House. Today the House is resuming the second reading debate on the Social Security Bill.