WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1921, Page 1

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

DEPARTMENTAL EXPENDIT URE

HUGE INCREASE,

(Our Special Correspondent;

WELLINGTON, May 25 When the “Dominion” newspaper says the growth of departmental expenditure during the last few years is alarming, it is little wonder that less friendly critics of the Government find in the mounting millions evidence of waste and extravagance. The “Dominion” is quite frank and emphatic in the expression of its view of the position. “It is obviously necessary,” it says, “not only that the rate of increase should he cheeked, hut also that every reasonable means should he taken of effecting administrative economies where they are possible.” It is a question of possibility, it seems, and on this point there are the inevitable differences of opinion. The departmental expenditure, which increased at tlie rate of about £310,000 a year from 1912-13 to 1917-18, increased by £1,003,271 in 1918-19, by £2,938,114 in 1919-20 and by the colossal sum of £3,441,141 in 1920-21. Last year, of the total national expenditure of

twenty-eight millions, nearly sixteen millions, to quote the "Dominion’s” own figures, were spent upon the State Departments. HOW THE MONEY GOES. That the war itself had nothing to do with the increase in the departmental expenditure is made plain by the fact that the annual charges were actually less during the war years than they were in the two years before. Presumably the explanation of this is that certain services which previously had been charged to the Departments were transferred to the war iund. This was convenient and not improper. But what the loss generous critics of the Government are proclaiming now is that, until Ministers awoke to the fact that New Zealand was to he involved in a world-wide financial crisis, they made no attempt even to “taper off the expenditure of Departments which had got altogether out of hand while money was (lowing into the country from the sale of its products at war prices. Of course the increase in pay

and the extension of services nccoun for a large part of the growth in tin expenditure, but they do not I!

answer the indictments that are being launched against the Government. THE UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM. Ft seems almost incredible that Mr. J. McCombs, the Member for Lyttelton, can really have made the statement attributed to him by the Press Association, declaring that the “unemployed problem was living deliberately engineered by the Government for ‘he purpose of keeping dpwn wages.” Mr McCombs though loyal to his colleagues of the extreme Labour Parly, has a much bettor sense of proportion and of the fitness of things than has nis political chief, Mr FT. EL Holland, and his personal friends here refuse to believe him capable of uttering such a palpable absurdity. The “Dominion,” however, accepting the Press Association's Version of Mr McCombs’ utterance, proceeds to read the Labour Party ;j severe lecture upon the choice of its leaders. Every word of this would he fully justified were it, shown that the Member for Lyttelton had betrayed such a poor opinion of the intelligence of his constituents and such an unhappy conception of his representative responsibilities. Mennwhlo, however, it may be wise to reserve judgment.

THE RACING COMMISSION. The Raping Commission- sometimes pallet! tlie Totalisator Commission and sometimes the Gaming Commission—which is to make roeommendations to the Government in regard to the distribution of totalisator permits is expceted to present its report towards the end of next week. The report will he received by the Minister of Internal Affairs and in due course will be considered by Cabinet. If it recommends an increase in the number of permits and ministers concur tin 1 recommendations will have to be submitted to Parliament for approval. That will tyh in accordance with the promise given by Mr Massey during the passage of the unpowering legislation. But, as Parliament probab lv will not meet till August, it will bp impossible to definitely allot any new permits that may be authorised til! some time after the commencement of the racing season. That, however, will be the trouble of the racing clubs, which will suffer like some other national institutions through the absence of the head of the Government from the Dominion.