CUTTING COSTS

Southland Times, Issue 21093, 27 May 1930, Page 11

CUTTING COSTS

THE PUBLICITY VOTE.

NO LESS EFFICIENCY.

It is understood that in view of the uncertainty of the economic outlook for the current financial year the Government is rigidly whittling down the departmental estimates of expenditure which are to be submitted to Parliament in the forthcoming session.'” Items which are regarded as unnecessary at a time when difficulty may be met with in balancing the accounts for the year are being eliminated. It is being rumoured in some quarters that the Government is proposing to effect economies at the expense of some of the lesser State departments, and the Publicity Office has been mentioned in particular. In recent sessions Parliament has been strong in its approyal of greater expenditure on that department—which also has the administration of the tourist resorts — in order that visitors from abroad may be attracted to the Dominion, and in view of the unanimity amongst all sections of the House of Representatives as to the necessity for a larger vote for tourist resorts and publicity an Evening Post reporter raised the question with the Minister in charge of the Department, the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle.

“It is safe to say that nothing will be done to jeopardise the advertising of this country abroad,” said Mr Perrelle. “I regard publicity as essential, and I can give an assurance that expenditure on that Department is not being cut down out of proportion to the expenditure on any other Department. No curtailment of expenditure will be made that will affect the efficiency of the Department in the work it is doing abroad. In fact, I am hopeful that the proposals we have in mind regarding publicity will add to the efficiency of the system. I regard the tourist business generally as one of our great essentials, and I think we should make still greater efforts to encourage overseas people to visit New Zealand.”