PUBLIC EXPENDITURE.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1921, Page 2

PUBLIC EXPENDITURE.

LARGE SAVING PROPOSED. NEARLY FIVE MILLIONS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Nov. 7. Referring to public expenditure Mr. Massey said the Government hoped by various means to effect a saving of £4,57xJ,000 without any serious trouble and without dislocating the business of the country. Discussing the accounts for the June quarter he said the increase in expenditure of the Finance Department from £>60,573 to £35'5,176 had been the subject of adverse criticism. The explanation was that the Government had to pay for large shipments of wheat from Australia. This accounted for nearly the whole of the increase. The increase in railway expenditure was largely due to the fact that, during the June quarter, the Government had to pay £660,000 for imported coal. Tile increases given to the public service on account of the high cost of living came into operation in the June quarter, and £200,000 of the increased expenditure was accounted for. In thia way, then, there was a liability of £146,000 carried forward from the previous quarter. The figures quoted represented the main items of the increase in expenditure, which amounted to £1,012,000. There was a very great improvement shown by the figures for the {September quarter. The expenditure for the Finance Department was £589,000 less than for the corresponding period of 1920. The expenditure in the Railway Department was £177,000 less, Department of Internal Affairs £44,000 less, and in the same way the expenditure by other departments was comparatively lower.