EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC MONEY IN TARANAKI.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2319, 23 August 1880, Page 3

EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC MONEY IN TARANAKI.

Speaking in tlic House of Representatives on Monday Mr Thompson M.H.E. for Clutha, said “ How there is a place in this Colony called Taranaki, we have heard a great deal about it, and and I will tell the House something more about it. There was voted last year for the railway between Foxton and Taranaki the sum of £233,000. How what do hon members think was spent on this line of railway ? Up to the 31st July there were expended £200,000 or £33,000 more than the vote. Sir, we have heard a great deal in this House about jobs—about the Tapanui job and other jobs. But is not this a job ? Why if the late Government had clone this ; if they had spent more money than was appointed, they would never have heard the last of it; and yet the present Government spent £33,000 more than was voted in the favoured district of Taranaki, and there is not a single word about it in the House. And then what

has been expended on roads not in the district between Fox tor. and Plymouth but in Taranaki ;:rop'v, in Patea’ and other places? No loss a sum than 631.091 There lias a_ groat deal of money been spent in this place called Taranaki. They arc constructing a harbor there, and that of course swallows up a great deal of money. There is not a paper in the House, so far as I sec, showing how much money has been spent on this harbor. I have looked over all my papers to see if there was such a document, and I have even turned up to the Act bearing on the subject, and there docs not seem to be a clause in it providing that the House should be kept informed as tothe amount of money which is spent on this harbor at Taranaki; but there is money spout there, or rather there is money being thrown into the sea; for that is just what it comes to. However, it is all money spent in the place, and of course goes to keep up that wonderful place called Taranaki, and all this in addition to the moneys being spent in connection with the Armed Constabulary. There arc at this moment about 1000 young men on that coast all receiving pay from the State. Now when we consider especially that a large portion of the money that goes to pay the Armed Constabulary comes out of the Consolidated Fund, and directly out of the taxpayers, how can tins country he prosperous ? New Zealand cannot be prosperous with such a drain upon its resources. These 1000 young men jire costing the country something like £SOO a day, I believe, and bow can such a drain go on without crippling the resources of the country ? And now I will just direct the attention of the House to the proposals of the Government with respect to this locality during the current year. There is a vote on the Estimates for £ 100,000. \\ hy should it not lie £200,000 ? ' I think they must have made it. LIOO,OOO just from very shame, and that it might not he said that there was a vote on the Estimates for railways in that district for £200,000, However, of this amount of money, LI OH,OOO has already been expended, leaving £45,000 to be spent during the current year ; but in addition it is proposed. according to the estimates to expend on roadsin the Provincial district of Taranaki, during the current 12 months the sum of £20,820. The most noteworthy thing in the Statement, to my mind, was ‘The amount expended on roads and bridges in the South Island during the past year is very small, and no new works of importance have been undertaken.’ That, to my mind was the most noteworthy thing in the Statement. How was it possible that much could be done to the Middle Island when there was so much money swallowed up by the Province of Taranaki V”