The Daily Telegraph. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3829, 24 October 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1883.

If the colony desires any change from the present extravagant system of administration of public affairs, to the Legislative Council must it look for tho exponents of economy. Manhood suffrage, and the triumph of claptrap, have driven ability from the House of Representatives, and from, that quarter no assistance can be expected. Major Atkinson, the only one left of the able men- who formerly placed our Parliament in the foremost rank in Australasia, docs not dare to jeopardise his position by touching the Civil Service porcupine. It is only in tho Upper House, where men have nothing to fear from constituencies, and aro for tho most part pecuniarily independent, that we can iind an expression of fear for the future should the present course be pursued. In the Hansard reports of the proceedings of last session the pages devoted to the speeches made in the Lower House are scarcely worth reading. Anyone reading those speeches would take it for granted that two-thirds of the members had no fault to find with the government of the country, and wore perfectly satisfied with the present outlook and future pospect; while the other third was satisfied to consider as rogues the occupants of the Ministerial benches. In yesterday's issue we quoted the remarks of somo of the members of the Upper House in reference to the grossly extravagant administration of the educational system. But it is not only in educational matters in which money is wasted to build up a department. The present Ministry, taking their traditions from the " Vogelian " period, are pillowed in the lap of departmental luxury. How then can economy be expected ? how expect the tree to take axe in hand and lop its useless branches from the stem 'i A department grows as naturally at Wellington as thistles spring- up in the country, but, unfortunately, unlike the Scottish emblem, it docs not choice itself to death. Should a clearance ever bo made the implements must come from without. It is certain that disaster is a-hcad if no alteration bo made. The colony is suffering from a depression now; what are its causes f

The lion. J. N. Wilson said in the Legislative Council that it was easy to see what lias brought about that depression. One cause, he said, was tho great reduction in the value of property, but he did not say what brought about that reduction. He was much nearer the mark when he said that the other great cause was the large amount of money that goes out of the colony as interest on our public debts. Ho then went on to say that under tho circumstances the same rule applies to individuals as to a certain extent to States, and that thero must be economy. Eveiy Government talks about economy, and comes in apparently with a strong determination to carry out somo system of retrenchment; but wo never see it carried out, On the contrary, this system of expenditure is brought to this stage now, that, said Mr Wilson, "I believe it costs one million a year of money raised by loans to enable the present Government to remain in office. lam not prepared to say that another Government would keep office on cheaper terms. Probably not. But let it be understood that a million of money is required for this purpose. The last loan of £4,000,000 was to last for three years, and all this is carefully parcelled out beforehand. Those aro the terms on which this machine is run. Certain promises havo to be made, and it takes a million of money every year to carry them out. How can that go on ? I 'do not believe half these Avork§. are reproductive. Still we see in these estimates, which wo aro going to pass in a few minutes, sums put down that must fill any one with alarm. . .

From the time this public works scheme was initiated in 1870 it has debauched every person in the community. Thero is not a public body that does not aim at expending all it can, and you might just as well attempt to stop the flow of the tide as to advocate a policy of retrenchment. This system of borrowing has been carried on by successive Governments for tlic last twelve years, and it is as rife now as ever. Every Bill brought before us from the smallest township with only a few score of inhabitants contains some provision for borrowing. There is no retrenchment anywhere."