FINANCIAL

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1921, Page 4

FINANCIAL

.MINISTER’S IMPORTANT STATEMI*. NT. (Our Parliamentary Correspondent.) \\ EDDINGTON, Si nt. 2'.' When Die Addiess-iti-Keply debale was resinned in Ibe House to- nigh i. Mi W illx.nl moved his amciiiliiii in in lielerin ill a want of eoiilidcwc motion, lie made a general ailaek on the Government . lion Diixvnie Stewart replied, and n Die euiii se of hi- speech made all imporlalil linam-ial slalemeut. lie said l lie expenditure ill Die Mist live mini I Its oi' the current limineial year was l' 12.,7 ID,01)1) and revenue was CT.S-I!),-111)1). The decrease in revenue, against Ihe lirsl live moiilhs of last year was L'l ..‘llS.llllO and the ineiease in expell. lit lire was L'2.( It i 1,111 It). Tin e ueic serious Figures. A very big ilem nil ihe expenditure side was the payment of I,•muses and increased salaries ill Die Public Sendee. Some of the changes such as over L'tiilil.tlll!) for excess stocks of imported coal were mmI'eeiirriii”. There were dll, (11)0 persons in the Public Service or over I per vein of Du* population. The Ali ll isU;r I lalkcd of retrenchment at some length. There were serious difficulties owing to Die fact that important departments had wages and salaries Fixed by legislation, hut the Government had alicndy made drastic and ruthless cuts In the deparl mental expenditure. The re port of the Economy Commissioner to he placed before the House shortly would make proposals of a far-reaching importance and go lar towards bringing about the necessary adjustments between revenue and expcmlituic. Ministers were determined to put finance oil a sound fooling. The debate was adjoin lied.