THE STATE'S FINANCES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 89, 23 July 1910, Page 6

THE STATE'S FINANCES.

To the Editor. Sir, —Without attempting to criticise your leading article on the Budget, the writer would like to bring under notion from a general point of view a comparative result of the administration of the late Mr. R. J. Seddon with that of Sir Joseph Ward. During the Seddon regime, with an increasing revenue year by year marked by general prosperity, the surplus was also a corresponding increase. In fact, the last four years of 1 the Seddon Government the surplus ranged from £600,000 to £BOO,OOO. Mark | the difference with the Ward administration. The first year is productive of in- ' creased revenue of over £IOO,OOO, and | the surplus just under £200,000, err a : decrease of £500,000 compared with the Seddon administration. This result was no doubt the cause of the hasty drastic retrenchment of the Civil Service to the tune of £300,000; but again, what do we find with a record revenue from the present year'r The surplus stands at £432,316, which, after deducting the balance of £184,321 at March. 31, 1909, , leaves a surplus of £247,995, and ' taking into consideration the £3OO.(HH; in reality, makes a deficit of £52,005 as compared with the Seddon administration ; or, in other words, an increased expenditure of over £700,000 without the marked prosperity and progress apparent during the Premiership of the late R. J. Seddon. Again, take the proposed forecast for the present year, and we find estimated receipts £9,611,575, an increase of £373,314 on that of last year. ; The expenditure is estimated at£ 9,316,470, which would leave a surplus of i £295,105; but again taking into consideration a balance of £432,316 (March, , 1910) means an actual deficit of £137,211 •on the estimated year's working. This is not a very properous outlook for the • future, and as a Liberal supporter for • many years I trust some abler pen than mine will be able to explain the very marked difference in the administration of the affairs of our Dominion. Thanking you in anticipation,—l am, etc.. PERPLEXED.