The Daily News. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1920. NATIONAL "SQUANDERMANIA."

Taranaki Daily News, 14 December 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1920. NATIONAL "SQUANDERMANIA."

The campaign by a section of the London Press against what Lord Rothermere designates as "the Government's so-called grandiose waste schemes," may he inspired to some extent by political motives, but there appear to be good reasons for regarding the outburst as a sign that the time has arrived to put an end to the crgie of expenditure that is so heavily pressing on the taxpayers. Britain's expenditure has grown enormously, until now it is estimated at £1,400,000,000 a year, as against £197,493,000 in 1913. Figures like these speak for themselves, it being obvious that the process of piling up the national debt at this rate cannot be allowed to continue. The growth of taxation has reached a point which presses so severely on the people that they are reeling under it, and it is only natural an outcry should have arisen for a drastic cutting down of national expenditure. Not only is abnormally heavy taxation seriously affecting the people and destroying the incentive to industry', enterprise and expansion, but local rates have risen alarmingly. For instance, at Pontypridd (Wales) the rates are thirty-three shillings in the pound, while in the London area they vary from fourteen shillings and fourpence to twenty-two shillings and tenpence, the chief causes of the rising rates being higher pay to police and municipal employees, larger staffs owing to shorter hours, higher education charges, including salaries to teachers. If to these charges are

added the greatly increased cost of living, it will be seen that the people are .carrying extremely heavy financial burdens. The revelations concerning the waste and extravagance in some of the Government departments point to the need for a thorough revision of the expenditure, and there is little doubt that many millions could be saved by a thorough overhaul of the present system of administration. It is evident that the "squander-mania" is not confined to Government departments, but has spread to the administrative work of the League of Nations, which appears to be conducted on a grandiose scale. A notable instance of extravagance was given in connection with the Spa Conference between Allied and German delegates, at which six nations were represented, when the bill for cigars—smoked or taken away—amounted to £3200, covering a period of fourteen days. At the meeting of the League now being held at Geneva, not only were strong remarks made by the Canadian delegate (Mr. Rowell) on the subject of extravagance and the tendency to establish all sorts of bureaux with expensive staffs, but both Sir Jas. Allen :md Mr, Millen vainly endeavored to secure some reduction of the high salar- : ies of the secretariat. The League i was'riot created for pomp and disj play, but for preserving peace and settling international disputes, so , that it might well be expected to set an example for business-like economy instead of proving an additional burden on countries impoverished by the war. Tiic debate was characterised by some plain speaking, and not a little heat, but if it arouses the Assembly to a closer investigation of the League's expenditure, some good will result. Apparently very few of the countries which had to-face heavy expenses in connection with the war have yet realised how they driftedinto the habit of paying little heed to voting large sums off-hand, nor do they seem, able to make a determined' effort to get rid of their war establishments or the habit of unjustified expenditure, though they will haggle over trifles, preach economy—when it suits them—and spend the taxpayers' money like water". Possibly the outcry against "squandermania" may have a salutary effect. At any rate it is most desirable that the pruning knife should be vigorously and courageously used, otherwise there may come a rude awakening that will shake the foundations of our economic system.