NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 552, 6 July 1909, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

In our past warnings of the clanger to the State of the .'increasing number of State employees,' we have been to some degree hampered by the absence of precise figures as to : the number of persons drawing pay from the State. Qn one occasion, wo ventured to assert that the number of porsons dependent ,on the State,! cithor as breadwinners or dependents of breadwinners, ; was 00,000,' and we: believe that our statement was

denied as being an exaggeration. It riow appears, that those'figures were an undercstirriate.. Mn. MiLwn. declared yesterday that the vast, army of persons "directly dependent on the Government" numbered ncarjy 130,000. Eh calculation, is' on the basis of each official having' two dependents, say a wife and ana child." Two-thirds of thaw

people, that is'to "say, Vie-voters.' In other words, there uro..- ,-;. ; j'J voters drawing their ''sustenance ..-'urn'tho public funds, or about. one-sixth of the voting population! The fact has only .to be stated in order that its significance may be realised. Is it-any-'wonder' that there has been waste in the administration of tho country's finances I These 80,000 voters, spread irregularly ovor Bovcnty-six coula easily hold tho balance of powor in forty of them at least. Evorybody is familiar with tho theory of the evil influenco of an overgrown public service, ondowod with votes, under political control. Never, however, has thore been bo romarkablc'a practical illustration of the soundness of that theory as is afforded by the experience iof Now Zealand. Thcro could bo no stronger argument for tho removal of tho large employing Departments of the State from political control than tho figures quoted by_ Mn. Millar. Unless that is done, the evil 1 will bo intensified so soon as times improve We have Mr. T.. MackenzieJb own assurance on tho point, for, as is recorded in an Auckland telogram in this issue, he says that "with the improvement in the conditions of the coun? try, the State would, of course, be able to oxfcend its functions as employer." And there are 130,000 persons dependent' on the State already! ' ■':'-" :'■:'..

The protest throughout the: country- at •the increases in the valuation of property—more especially in regard to tho increases in : the unimproved or - taxable value—recently bore fruit in tho form of a circular from, the head of the Valuation Department to district valuers.-Thc valuers: wore,.in effect,' warned that they must i exercise oyery \care and "be prepared to defend/their'valuations. This is, very proper, and we think it has not come any too soon. It' rcmaihß. to .'be seen,,however,' what the effect will be. We have before us the agenda paper for ,tho ; Annual Oonferonce 1 of - the farmers'. Union, to behold-here/ this months and it affords most striking testimony of the views of the:farming community on; the vexed; question -of valuations. Protests .against excessive valuations i and the existing system, generally,, from .Taranaki,, -Wellington', Marlborough. Canterbury,' and Southland 'Provincial Unions, are • set,/down for consideration, and discussion, 1 and we have no doubt : that there' will be some very plain speaking on the - subject. "•;•: Those who- have raised the -defence- that the;-complaints, against the; methods of the Department ' come f rom = a few individuals will find it a: littlo difficulty to explain away, this unanimity of opinion.' ..V,.

' ■ There is one ■passage' in Mr:, Millar's : statement to the deputation which waited ' on, him yesterday that will be more > widely read and' more seriously attended ! tp than anything else that he.or any of : his colleagues; could say.: ~We; referi of, [ course,- to his;hint- of..'increased, taxation' ' as one ; 6f.'.tb^:.fpture , s/.posMbiliti'eß.'\r;/'s ; .''. If the people (be .said) insisted,* upon" the prosecution of publio works at the present ',' rate", there would either have to be.further borrowed'money, or increased taxation.."'■;■ : ':^ ; Wo -have ' frequently pointed 1 ■ but the growth of, tho .taxation per hea'd- in this country, but the. figures are worth quoting: again, The following table isbows ,the, actual, amount paid'per head; of the, f population for the ten'.■'■years' 1898-9 : tb 1907-8 (the: year for figures are,! available)^' ; r :; ; .■.,'.•■'•■ / ', y '1899 £3 13 , : -3v. 1904 ■ V£4 8' 4 v .1900/ £3,16 10; -1905 ;■■",'£4 3 11--; ■, 1901 '£3:19; 6 ; '';l9o6' l 5?; ; ; 1902 . £3d9VB;: 1907y, '£4 910 s . y;i9o3 /.; £4'; l 8.. .1908' £5 0., 4;;; It may bo Baid,:;of course, that .the,yin- ; > creaso'd. burdoivipf .taxation; indicates creased or something of ,the'Sort-r-that,'in fact;/the-rise\has been : : the'pricp of 1 economic-happmcßs. But is it economic:happiness :that is the 1 outstanding fact',bf. the country's position ;at this moment! >.Nobody would grumble .if: the increased ■taxation per: head had Te-: suited in a reduction of- borrowing, -or in a reduction of the .public debt, or in; economic happiness', or in ;: a:, financial position so sound as to be abjetp/defy! tho; buffets of: circumstance.,:, But what'.:'actually is the:,.;case?: :Last;> -year:'ipvor£4,ooo,ooo were ';'• borrowed, ; the : public, debt rose in the .ten: years 1900-1909 'by fove'r,'£22,ooo,ooo; /yet economic happiness has not/ arrived, -The publiq knows now where, its money has gone: it has gone, in the waste arid extravagance of a Government whose; one object is to'stay in ofc ficoV Surely; the Government does; not' think another -turn of-the screw can be applied with ■irijpuriity?;/-/'.j ;'■•/.V ■. V', Those Mcmbers/of Parliament who so readily fell in. with the wishes "of their party leader,'and by voting for the.closing ,pf■ Parliament placed; his desires;be-, fore the interests of the country, must'be feeling 'more' uncoriifortable' ■'■ than ever,: af ; . ter reading:the'reply of the Acting-Colo-nial. Treasurer' yesterday toy the tation which waited upon him in the interests of the/unemployed. 1 It will be within the memory of our readers that one of the reasons. advanced '■ against the postponement'.,of 'the business of the country ..until:' the ; Piume Minister's ;..return v?as,the existing distress.,in the cojiimunifcy owing ,to .unemployment. It was, pointed ■ but that, Parliament;, might'/ bo urgently required.to take steps to, assist those; Out"of ;W;brk; ■Ministers, or, some of'them at/ leasV attempted to discount the statement mado as to' : the;number,;of the-workless, arid ;also as;tO'the'distreßS prevailing.v; Either frpni' ignorance; : of the true position or'a wilful misunder- : standing of "its gravity,, they ..treated -it lightly.. Now, the Acting-Colonial Treasurer and Minister for Labour,, whop appealed to for, the unfortunate people "but,of work, seeks shelter behind the fact; that- Parliament has only voted so much, that he cannot spend more, and ''that when "Parliament meets, it 'will have, : to deal with tho financial situation. "It Avas a/matter-which Par-' Hament: would- have to dea} witb ; next session." Dbes,Mn,\MiiiAte really think that the memory of the public is so. short that it has forgotten ■already, that it was his vote arid- the votes of :hiß..colleagucs and their supporters in the, House that . I prevented' the; matter being dealt 'with now)?- Docs ho'hclievo that the-country is not aware: that the embarrassment of .which he 'speaks-:'is entirely/ of his/own, or his leader's, making? /'Parliament ; would be sitting now and' could , have ■! voted any necessary supplies but for,tho , action of the' Prime Minister and ; his ; following, in;/placing their own desires ] and interests.uoforc the, interests: of the i people. Tho' Acting-Colonial Treasurer i in putting, the position so plainly to'the i deputation yesterday created an awkward situation for the Prime Minister and .-".tho .forty; odd mbmbers /who: voted with him. It is not the'first time that \ ,Mr.'i Millar, jn . his blunt regard for ( facts*, has shown the- bollowncss of: \\ia i leader's professions. - '"■'■.' I