HOW THE MONEY GOES

Hokitika Guardian, 25 January 1921, Page 3

HOW THE MONEY GOES

(Lyttelton Times). Following up our article in which we compared the expenditure of the State Departments last November (the latest month concerning which figures are available) with those of November two years before, we propose onw to take a further glance backward. Since the Reform Party came into office in the middle of 1912 steeped in pledges to reform the public finances, and especially to reduce the Department expenditure, it is fair to see what has happened. First, let us say that none of the • +i» lino liud n (iiiiilliW'l

promises referred to has been fulfil led. The cost of the Departments, instead of being reduced, has been enormously expanded year by year—with one exception, and that was during the time when Sir Joseph Ward was Finance Minister in the National Cabinet. We invite the reader to glance at the following statement of the growth of Departmental expenditure in nine years:— Actual Estimated Department 1911-12 J 920-21 £ £ Legislature 31,628 70,910 (Increase 38,312) Finance 47,449 1,248,349 (Increase £1,200,900) Post and Telegraph 986,527 2,666,042 (Increase £1,679,515) Railways 2,451,717 5,239,015 i. (Increase £2,787,298) Public buildings etc 88,745 185,922 (Increase £97,177) Cook Islands 19,124 (Increase £19,214) Native 20,724 35,985 (Increase £15,261) Justice 384, <2l /3< ,487 (Increase £352,766) Mines 24,844 52,460 (Increase £26,616) Internal Affairs ... 385,837 812,239 (Increase £426,402) Defence 401,870 639,253 (Increase £237,383) Customs & Marine 118,528 296,620 (Increase £178,092) Labour 25,245 46,490

(Increase £21,245) Lands * Survey ... 234,501 308,663 (Increase £134,162) Agriculture Commerce and Tourist 219,434 410,/ 82 (Increase £191,348) Valuation ayd electoral * 80,112 (Increase £80,112) Education 1,012,048 2,557,829 (Increase £1,545,781) Services not provided for 19,932 + (Increase + ) Totals 6,453,750 15,982,350 (Increase £9,528,006) ‘Previously incorporated in other Departments. JNot provided for in estimates. It ought to be explained in reference tfljthe remarkable increases in the expen ' dituro of the Finance Department that there has been a transfer of charges under Industries and Commerce from the Department of Agriculture to that of Finance. Of course, this accounts for only a part of the huge advance and 1 .. ... J. „HI.. . 1 iLn » n ..unti/ill ill

does not afreet the amazing growth in the total. Part of this growth can, of course ,be justified on the grounds of war-time difficulties and increased activities, but we think that very few people will be able to avoid the conclusion that there is evidence of extravagance amounting to recklessness. In the • light of the facts Mr Massey’s promise to reduce taxation “at the earliest opportunity” seoms almost like a jibe at the unfortunate taxpayers of this misgoverned country.