"Much Expected of the Government”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 121, 12 August 1927, Page 1

"Much Expected of the Government”

LITTLE SALT ON BUDGET MR FORBES’S IRONY (THE SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, To-day. A LITTLE salt as a corrective to all sweet things that have been said about the Budget, was how Mr. G. W. Forbes, Leader of the National Party, described his own remarks in debate last evening.

Apart, however, from his criticism, Mr. Forbes reminded the Government that much was expected of it this session, and the public was looking to it for the settlement of such questions as those of licensing and racing. If these things were not accomplished there would be a feeling that the Government was not sincere in the promises made at election time. With no strong opposition to delay the passage of this legislation, there was no excuse for failure to carry it out. Mr. Forbes said he liked to give credit where it was due, and ttie present Government certainly deserved credit in that it had been able to spend more money during its time in office than had any other Government. The Government too was a very skilful borrower. Its credit was good, and it had

been able to wangle a considerable amount of funds from the general public. Again he would give it credit for the masterly way in which it had handled the land-purchase system for returned soldiers. It might not have left behind a reputation for business ability, but it had established a reputation for innocence and trustfulness. Mr. Forbes regretted that there was no indication in the Budget of future policy, as there had been in budgets of the past, and, as a result, the House had no opportunity of discussing the policy. DEPARTMENTAL WASTE

Mr. Forbes said the taxpayer felt there was a good deal of waste in departmental administration ! and he would like to see an independent committee set up to exercise a healthy curbing effect upon expenditure, which was growing so much that it threatened to become a serious drain upon the country’s resources. Customs taxation had produced £8,396,000 last year, which meant that a very heavy burden was imposed on the people's earnings. This burden ought to be reduced at the earliest possible date. The Budget was called an economy Budget, yet the expenditure had shown an increase of £785,000. In considering the expenditure on the extension of railways, it was necessary to study closely the effect of motor transport, which had changed transportation problems completely from what they were before the motor-car came into use. He commended the special boards or Parliamentary committees, which in New South Wales investigated any proposal to undertake railway or other public works. Here in New Zealand the House was asked to vote blindly on such proposals. Nearly £500,000 was allocated to cover losses on certain branch railways, but this might be averted in future if the prospects of lines were closely examined. MINISTER’S REPLY The Hon. R. A. Wright, Minister of Education, said that Mr. Forbes had applied the salt without the acid, but the salt had completely lost its flavour. It was poor salt. Mr. Wright defended the action of the Government in purchasing land for soldiers even at high figures, because people were insisting upon the provision of land for soldiers. The expenditure generally on the administration services could not be reduced, but he would like to see borrowing lessened. The education vote could not be cut down, as each year about 22,000 new children went to school, requiring about 30 new schools. As to taxation, it seemed heavy, but it was less than that of the States in Australia and Great Britain. The debate was carried on until the House rose.