ECONOMY NEEDED,

Hokitika Guardian, 16 March 1921, Page 1

ECONOMY NEEDED,

(Lyttelton Times.)

A contemporary is very irritated because we have pointed out that while Government expenditure in Britain has ecently been substantially reduced there has been a large increase in New Zealand C'ritijcism of this kind, we are told, is wrong and “inaccurate” and general reprehensible. But objections to any comment that does not flatter the Reform Party do not alter the position. The truth is—and our contemporary knows it—that the pub-

lic finances of this country were never in such a muddle as they are to-dav. Few people could have expected Air Alassey to make a success of the portfolio of Finance, because he is ob-

viously unfitted for it, even if he wore not overburdened with a multiplicity and variety of other responsibilities.

But if the Finance Alinister lacks the capacity for his post, tip, least his political friends could do is to point out his errors and not pretend that tilings are going right when they are going wrong. No intelligent person who studies the Dominion’s public accounts intelligently can fail to be al-

armed at the situation that has developed during the last c ouple of years, and it is performing a grave disservice to the community to either attempt to hide the facts or to palliate them. Th e people of this country are taxed up to more than their capacity. That this is true is proved by the practically universal demand for an extension of time in which to pay the income tax. A ct the enlarged revenue that is flowing into the Treasury through abnormal Customs duties and other oppressive taxation is being scattered to the four winds by the numerous Stat 0 Departments which appear to be engaged in a spending competition. In the nine months ended December last the Departmental expenditure was £11,038,■l7B as against £8,424,754, in the cor-

responding months of 1919, and that was heavy enough in all conscience. Not only has the position been bad for some time past, hut it has been getting steadily worse. The Departments cost in the single month of last December no less than £2,190,598, which is £(35,033, or more than 50 per cent, in excess of the cost in the previous Do'v'mlier -and that wafi much too high. Government spending of money dragged from the taxpayers’ pockets has hecom,, a scandal that demands the most i-andid criticism. The people of New Zealand are showing a fine spirit in the face of economic disturbances that arc passing. AAA- believe these are phases from which the Dominion will emerge till right, and we are certain that pessimism is quite tip-, wrong note. But’ the Government is setting the worst possible, example- by allowing the Departments to squander money right and left, with nothing to show for the additional burdens they arc placing on the community. The urgent need of the day is ( -ai'eful finairce and careful finance means economy and retrenchment on the part of till Government. Newspapers that will not recognise this would do better to keep silent. Those that attempt to excuse the Government, or get annoy-

ed when they read the truth are failing in their duty io the. country. If the situation is a difficult one for the Reform organs, that does not alter the farts tip. quite ugly facts.