EXTRAVAGANCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 841, 13 June 1910, Page 8

EXTRAVAGANCE.

« GOVERNMENT POLICY CRITICISED BY MB, J. ALLEN. Speaking at Hokitika recently, in reply to the Prime Minister, Mr. Allen, M.P. for Bruce, declared that the "wizard of finance" Was spending too much money, and it meant another' big loan this year. Ho objected to the extravagance in railway construction. Tho cost per mile had gone up enormously. If proper economy had been exercised, the railways could have been pushed into the back country and the settlers' property served. The people wore becoming alive to the necessity of greater economy in construction. There had been extravagance, too, in their public buildings. There was no need for such a costly structure as tho Dunedin railway station, or tho new post offices at Wellington and Auckland. These' structures were too lavish for this young country. With such expenditure going on there should ■. be no exodus and no unemployed, yet both existed, despite the continuous Ministry with all tho backing behind them and all tho money they were spending to keep themselves in office. The Government was like a limpet sticking to the ship. With all tho opportunities the Government had had, they had done very little. After twenty years of ofiico they should bo ashamed of what little they had achieved. The Government were spineless; they had no backbone on tho land policy, and they had backed down on many public matters as soon as an outcry was made. Ho claimed that the Opposition were the true Liberals, and predicted that tho Government would very shortly back down on tho railway regulations. With vegard to the great lending Department the Government controlled, ho referred to tho loans to local bodies, pointing out that some means should be provided so that the log-rolling which went on under tho Public Works • Estimates could be ended. Sir Joseph claimed to be kiiuiing money to local bodies at 3i per cent,, but the ouo per cent, for sinking fund should bo added, '