Political

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 22, 3 August 1886, Page 2

Political

Thers must ie some extraordinary reason, for the blunder committed by the Government on Friday , night. The Loan Bill for £1,500,000 is ac^ companied by a schedule of works, to be *' earmarked " as payable out of that amount. In its progress through the House certain of these ; items, amounting fn all to £175,000, were struck out, and the bill reduced to £1,325,000. In the absence, of the Premier the Colonial Treasurer, said the Government Would probably make fresh proposals, to .replace items deleted. Afterwards Sir Robert Stout explicitly stated the total of the loancould lie reduced by the items taken off the schedule. This was perfectly fair and reasonable. But on Friday night the Cabinet announced that the £175,000 would be again put on the schedule, for " Railways in the South Island^* without, being spdcially allotted. Naturally enough many friends of the Government walked over to the Opposition side of the

House, and caused the Government to suffer a defeat. We can only con-, jecture that the Treasurer was able to overrule the Premier in the Cabinet meeting where this remarkable decision was arrived at. The Opposition declared their perfect willingness to vote the money if it was scheduled arid approved. It was too, much to expect the House to leave £175*000 in the hands of the Ministry, to be ex., pended without control. Sir Julius^ Vogeii said the financial condition of ;

the'colbny w^^d^itijuxt6liSljratEß6tt ed by „^8 . reduction. We do npt think so:" '6e asked' fort money ito do i certain work, and virtually the House has granted hu'*r«queßt'. lL "'H:e'''Buiy^*' could not expect" the House to vote a 'SunTof money Which was to be beyond controli, : within a few hours { affer 'bavimg refused it v whenschedul6d'and "earmarked." As the House acted i wisely in this niatte)r we consider the ■ financial credit of . the oolony ._ will T»ther : be itoprov.ed'than injured.[ ;