BUDGET IN BRIEF.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1512, 7 August 1912, Page 7

BUDGET IN BRIEF.

HON. J. ALLEN'S FINANCIAL STATEMENT. SOME OF ITS LEADING POINTS. The gross public debt at the. end of the i fiiiniiPiul year amounted to ' The public cTobt ivns increased by JE'1,275,791 during- the year. It , is evident .that we havo had of In ftp (o pay a higher rate of interest for n tir loans, and that there is little prospect of the interest rate falling ill the immediate future. The enormous demand for moneys Ijy local authorities makes it impossible t.lint thq State can find all that is requited. It is considered that tho amount that can be raised by tho Government should bo reserved for the smaller and moro impecunious local authorities, which have no experience in raising loans. Tho loans falling duo during the next soven years amount to JJ23,170,-178. It is hoped that nest year a satisfactory measure, dealing with local governincut will bo introduced. In calling for tenders for mail i contracts particular attention will bo paid to tho wants of settlers in remote districts, and tho fullest consideration will be given to the extension of the ruraldelivery system. A considorablo extension of the parcelpost system is contemplated. The establishment of automatic telephone exchanges in the four large centres and elsewhere is contemplated. It is proposed to spread tho work over a period of about five years. Legislation will bo introduced which aims at the destruction of political patronage in tho l'ublic Service. A commissioner will be appointed who will be responsible to Parliament. Some moans must be found to mo.l;o tho Public Service permanently more attractive to young men. The Government lias determined-to invite, applications in London for the position o£ General Manager of Railways. It is proposed to try tho experiment of adopting sonic cheaper form of construction of branch lines of railway without altering tho present gauge. • . Tho 25 per cent, additional graduated land tax now imposed on estates of ■£40,000 or inoro in value, will be mado to apply to estates of .£30,000 in value. A Bill to provide for the. payment of old ago pensions to women at the age of 60 years will bo circulated session. Tho total number of women who will bo afforded relief under this new proposal is estimated at about 10,300. Tho number of the London staff under the High Commissioner lias increased since tho year 1902 from 19 to 48. \ It has been decided that imprisonment' in connection with non-registration under tho Defence Act will not bii resorted to if it can be avoided. An alteration in tho law will be asked for whereby military detention may bo substituted, ■ ' The constitution of . the Arbitration Court is to bo altered. The workers' homes scheme, will be extended and modified to mako it applicable to married farm workers and others in tho country. ''At present we erect buildings out of loan money®, and if they are destroyed by fire, we rebuild thorn out of loan moneys." This is an extract from a memorandum by the Undci'-Socrotary for Public Works, dated Juno 8 last. Tho Government cannot allow such an unsatisfactory condition of things to continue for a day longer. A Land Bill will be introduced this session, which, among other proposals, will include a new method of acquiring land for settlement purposes, and of settling such laud on the deferred-payment system. Parliament will be asked nest session to givo the Crown tenants holding land under leases in perpetuity tho option of purchase. The tenants on settlement lands whoso tenuro is renewable leaso will nlfio bo given ■ the option of purchase at a price to be fixed by actuarial calculation. Ther Government is anxious to make proper provision for irrigation in Central Ottigo. The aim of tho Minister for Agriculture is to establish nt least ono agricultural collcgo in each island. Tho settlement of Native land will bo expedited, It is my plain duty, to warn honourable members and the peoplo of New Zealand that the continued borrowing of large sums of money to provide for tho expenditure of tho ■ year and for six months only of tho succeeding years— which has been the practice in the pastis not a, safe method of finance. In thesoitimes, 1 when loans costus so much to raise, it is urgently necessary that wo should curtail our borrowing. .