RETRENCHMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 3 October 1932, Page 5

RETRENCHMENT

PREMIER’S COMMENT A DIFFICULT QUESTION. (Per Press Association — Copyright.) WELLINGTON, October 2. 'Strips haid already been taken to give effect to some of the Gommisfeion’s recommendations, saijd Mr Forbes, in an interview concerning the National Expenditure report. It would be found difficult to follow many of the proposal's, he said. It. was impossible to say offhand! as to what lengths the Government would go m adopting the suggestions. On first sight the recommendations were valuable, but the Government would have to go carefully into them, and see if they actually were practical For instance, said Mr Forbes, the 'Commission proposed that the Government should be relieved of such spending which should be borne by the local bodies. To give effect to this, however, merely meant transferring the burden from the Consolidated Fund to the local, bodies. In the end the same people would bear the cost. Although it was recommended that the. overseas trade representatives be done away with, the Government considered this expenditure u wise investment! Tire • Government, being dependent on the budgetary position, was vitally interested! in having a favourable trade balance. There was also a case to bo made for the value of the tourist resorts under state control.

Without discounting the value of the Commission’s work, he added, it had to he realised that various considerations had to he taken, into account.