A SUGGESTION FOR THE FINANCE MINISTER

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3149, 30 July 1917, Page 4

A SUGGESTION FOR THE FINANCE MINISTER

Sir Joseph Ward has so many large and important questions nf finance occupying his attention just now that it is quite possible that in tho preparation of his Budget ho may overlook a minor but not unimportant matter. It would bo an admirable thing if tho Finance Minister would 'insert in his general review of the situation a paragraph covering in a broad fashion tho various measures ho and his colleagues have taken to eliminate waste and to ensure economy in public expenditure. The Government has been very freely criticised for its sins of omission, real and imaginary, and it has never been given full credit for many of its most commendable actions. Tho result is that there is a tendency to oxaggerate its failings and to underrate' its achievements. From time to time the steps taken by Ministers to safeguard against wasteful and extravagant spending in connection with war costs havo been stated, but the full extent of tho measures taken, so far as we aro aware, have never been set out as a whole in brief and concrete form. Most people know there is an Efficiency Board, which makes recommendations on certain matters of national organisation; somo people know that the Minister of_ Munitions has an Advisory Committee of experts assisting him; few people know of the other 'economies being practised in public expenditure The matter is ono of considerable interest and importance to everyone at all concerned with the future of this With the soaring" annual expenditure necessitated by tho war, the greater part of which is unavoidable, thecountry is piling up obligations which will mean a heavy drain on taxpayers for many years to come. It is most essential, therefore, that wherever cost can bo kept down with safety, and wherover economy can bo legitimately practised, this should bo dono, and tho greater tho saving thus accomplished the better off tho country will bo at the end of war, and the better the outlook for its people. Tho Government, we beliovo, has been able to adopt means by which considerable savings in expenditure have been made, and it would servo a useful purpose if tho Minister of Finance could find a place in his Budget for a brief outline of theso. We must expect increasing charges on tho public purse while the war lasts, but TE would help to lighten tho lot of the taxpayer and make easier the task of the Government if Ministers adopted some less haphazard method than is commonly used to mako known tho means they have adopted in different directions to avoid waste and to minimise current expenditure. Tho Budget affords an excellent opportunity of putting the position before the public in a way that is certain to command attention.