The Hokitika Guardian THURSDAY, DEC. 1st, 1921.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 December 1921, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian THURSDAY, DEC. Ist, 1921.

THE ECONOMY CAMPAIGN. \Vk ho pc that for his own sake, as wall as for the sake of the country, the Prime Minister will reconsider his determination not to lay the report of the Economies Commute* upon the table of tb® House of Representatives. Of course we quite understand that it would be highly improper to give publicity to such portions of the report as may refer to individual officers of any department or to the quality of their work. Nothing of this kind was ever suggested. But the committee, consisting of heads of department’s and other highly qualified authorities, was appointed for the purpose of making a thorough inquiry and investigation with a vkjv to advising the Government where economies in the Civil Service could be effected withoat impairing its efficiency. It is an open see rat that the committee has recommended savings amounting to something like five millions a year. Mr Massey* himself lias described the report in public as a verythorough, sound and valuable one. He displayed it to the deputation of business men that waited upon him in Wellington two or three weeks ago, and allowed the* spokesman of the deputation, Mr Shader Weston to peruse its contents. Replying to a question put to him in the Mouse on Friday last, however, lie said that a great deal of the information contained in the rep'ort was supplied in confidence and that therefore, it would be a breach of faith to make it puhliV But no one wants information given in confidence made public. Mr Massey seems to have entirely- missed the point. Here was a committee set up at very considerable cost to collect information and to advise the Government as to how it should go about effecting absolutely necessary economies. The committee, according to the Minister, did its work remarkably well and pointed the way t 0 the saving of a colossal sum of money. But because some of tlie information it obtained was given in confidence Parliament, representing the pco-

pie directly concerned, is to know nothing definitely of the result of its labours. By all means let legitimate confidences lie represented. What they can he in this cusp wo cannot imagine. Kven if some subordinate officer bad discerned that his chief had been dipping bis band into the public till to the extent of half a million a year, it would not be necessary to blazon bis name abroad in order to stop the leakaue. But. we are prepared to let this matter of confidences pass. What, we

want to know in some measure of detail is where the economies are to l.e effected, bow they will be brought about, and what amount of money they will represent. Surely the public is entitled in as mull as this. It Mr Massey pcisists in withholding it, then lII* must not lie surprised it many people attribute bis reticence as much to a desire to save his own. party etuis as to respect the confidences of other people. We do not wish to see him exposed to that taunt. But we do most earnestly desire to have this pressing question of economy disc-used in the open, with every possible shred of useful information at the disposal of Parliament, and within reach of tile taxpayers. *i category which includes everyone of us. The very fact that the Prime Minister with promises of savings falling thick from his lips is asking for votes largely in excess of those of last year ought to lead Parliament to insist upon the production of the Committee's report before it authorises the expenditure of a single additional shilling. But with a lively recollection of what has happened on former occasions of the kind, we have little hope of the big battalions sitting behind Mr Massey offering, any opposition to bis expressed "ill. Our appeal therefore, is to the. Minister bimsclt lor the production of the information Hie country ought to have.