Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, AUG. 15, 1903. The Financial Statement.

Manawatu Herald, 15 August 1903, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, AUG. 15, 1903. The Financial Statement.

This year the Budget speech has been brought down by Mr Seddon. Last year Sir J. G. Ward was more modest, and the result was a fairly concise and businesslike statement. Mr Seddon has, however,''excelled himself, and. we have been given one of the longest speeches of the kind since Sir Julius Vogel’s famous Budget. There is hardly a topic of any , political importance which lias not been touched upon, and in ' addition' there are the usual comparisons intended to illustrate the advance of the countr / under the present gressive legislation, There !, are ’one or two points which illustVate • Mr Seddon’s talents as ah advertiser. The proposal to hold an intercolonial exhibition meets with ottr approval, and it is satisfactory todharh ! that the Cabinet is alive to ! the necessity of timely preparation. It seems probable that such' dh institution would pay its owh ’"wayj' and that it might be the means of attracting sightseers, and so benefitting the colony. Much more striking, however, is the proposal for a conference of Colonial and Imperial representatives to be held in this colony. The presence in New Zealand of Mr Chamberlain,, Lqr ( d .Roberts, a representative .of ( the Admiralty, and statesmen from Australia, Oaaada. and i Africa would be an excellent thing for, the colony and the Empice. -It great scheme, although it is not; v.ery/clear what, special function,the; eoufpEeuce would serve. Mr Seddon Is, however, justified in thinking s that. it. would be for the good ; of'nil;-,the members of the Empire if there was a little more mutual .knowledge. No doubt a good end would be served if occasionally Mr Seddon or .Sir' J. G Ward visited Canada , or the Cape, and the same may he said of Canadian and African statesmen. As for Mr Chamberlain we know he realizes the advantage of personal acquaintance with the cdloidiesV' The only question is whether the exigen-. cies of political life would allow him to make the trip. There ean be no question that some good would come of such visits, more especially in view of the fiscal campaign. While the true (osition of public, accounts, can only be understood by a careful comparison'of revenue and,expenditure, it may at once he conceded that the - revenue returns, of,'therm selves supply satisfactory evidence of the general prosperity • of ■ the colony, and that the succession"ofsurpluses is still unbroken. The unfavourable aspect Of the London 1 money market, which is due to causes outside New Zealand, will be a blessing in disguise, if it ! leaded raising loans locally, and so keeping the interest in the colony. The curtailment of public works expenditure was anticipated, and we. are .glad to learn from the Budget that the North Island Trunk Railway is; not to suffer thereby. Thp provision of, specially established, farm homes for those pitiable creatures who.largely, inhabit the prisons, because, there is no pther place for them, as- am Idea which we shouldjike to see -carried' out. As for the measures suggested for stimulating immigration, we fear little is to be expected from extending an invitation to retired Itadian officers, but the plan of appointing 1 agents in the United ■" Kingdom should prove much’ more-fruitful l The opening up of new;markets-in-the tropics and the East Indies is a well-considered plan to provide'for the probable ceasing 1 bf furfchdr expansion of the South African market. The administrative reforms foreshadowed with Vegatrd Ho* hospitals and asylums ,are placed on the programme none too soon 3*fc' is, however, .impossible;to -tyqyfrgfe, in a single article the various political and controversial .matters; touched, upon in , the Statement,., and. Qom-{ ment on .the other questions raised must be deferred.for,-the,present,-