“OVER – GOVERNED.”

Hokitika Guardian, 13 June 1929, Page 8

“OVER - GOVERNED.”

NEW ZEALAND’S POSITION. ■Strong protests against the increasing cost df Government in New Zealand were heard at a meeting of the •oiincil of the Canterbury Chamber of t ommerce.

M.r V. E. Hamilton, a member of the council, wrote as follows (from Wellington* “In view of the Prime Minister’s forecast of further taxation to meet an anticipated deficit, 1 hope the chamber at ils meeting will make an emphatic protest. It seems to me that before any further burdens are imposed an effort should he made by the Government to effect economies. The army of State servants increases every year, and expenditure goes up by leaps and hounds. To-day we are told that the civil servants’ superannuation fund is behind to the tunc ol £1,0(10.000, ami that this must be made up so that the most sheltered class of all—the public servants—shall not suffer in any way. It seems to me high time that the Government should present ‘to the country a schedule ot reductions in expenditure rather than a forecast of additional taxation, and 1 hope the chamber will take 1 the matter up before the House sits.” ‘‘ (JNNECESRARY IVORK.” Mr K. W. Robinson said the unnecessary work done by some of the Government Departments was amazing lie would like to see a questionnaire sent out to business firms asking (I) whether they received any value from the publications of the Government' Statistician, and (2) i' 1 ’ they were put to any loss of time by making the returns his Department asked for? “Insurance companies are asked to give 4003 classifications of their business a month, and the information is not the slightest hit- of good when 'it Is done,” he said. “It is costing every insurance company a large amount or money, and the country a heavy expenditure to run this Department. The work we are doing for it is valueless. ’ They are applying to New Zealand a scheme which is admirablo in America with its millions of population, hut in New Zealand such figures are only misleading.” Mr W. Mil eh in said they all objected to certain questions by the Government Statistician. Some of them were unnnecessary and some obsolete. The Abstract of Statistics was very valuable to i them, and its publication was in line with the practice in other countries. He would not like to see the Department abolished. “Business has been writhing under n load of over-government.” said Mr Machin. “Not oniy this, but Government interference in business, which has lost the business community a (, ’t of money and is costing a lot to the business people.” INCREASE IN TAXATION.

Mr A. C. Bretherton quoted figures showing the increase in taxation. He said there were 82,003 Civil servants ind employees of local bodies receiving £18.500,000 a year in salaries. Death duties had increased from ”013,000 in 1914 to £1,(500.000 in 1027; Customs duties from £3,42(5,000 .to 1*9,017,000; excise duties from £127, 300 to £(520.030; land tax from £7(57,000 to £1,220.000; and income tax from £554,000 to 03.422,000. The nosition now was comparable with that if the war period. “ The whole trouble is that this little country of ours is grossly overrovernod,” said Mr A. K. Wright. “ Tho overhead is all out of proportion.” He wduld like to see the Associated Chambers of Commerce help tin* Government in a complete overhaul of the Civil Service. Many departments wore grossly over-staffed, and the people were not getting value for their money. Mr Bretherton declared that over £(5,000,000 of New Zealand capital had been invested in Australia in the past year to save taxation. The matter was referred to the Economies Committee.