The Daily News. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1921. THE BUDGET DEBATE.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 November 1921, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1921. THE BUDGET DEBATE.

The debate on the Budget has failed to elicit that helpful criticism which, while emphasising existing evils, offers practical suggestions for much needed remedies. In attributing the present financial difficulties of the Government and the country to the orgy of extravagance which set in with the period of high prices for Dominion produce, critics tread on very safe ground, yet that was only one factor so far as Government finance is concerned, and by no means the chief. It is, of course, easy to be wise after the event, though there were not lacking serious warnings as to what must inevitably happen when the relapse arrived. The dominating source of the present national stringency, as well as the present state of the country’s balance-sheet, was undoubtedly due to the complete disorganisation caused by the war. It caught the whole of the Empire unprepared in every way, and especially in the matter of control. Money was raised and spent in millions on millions, the State Departments were filled to overflowing with men and women, with little regard to their fitness or efficiency, mostly because of the shortage of labor. It was a time of upheaval, when money flowed like water; nothing mattered—it was war time, and, if necessary, the last shilling was to be spent. The pity of it was that, when the war was over, the policy of drift had become woefully masterful, and perpetuated largely by the frequent absence of the Premier front the Dominion on great national work. Not until the subsequent depression and falling prices awakened, the community with a rude shock was the full extent of the need for drastic reduction and retrenchment realised, and even then no steps were taken to set the country’s business in proper order to weather the storm, with the result that the evil grew, and is still in evidence. Mere destructive criticism . is futile. It is by intelligent and effective action alone that the country can rehabilitate itself, and because the task is so complex, as well as so herculean, there is need for all the constructive ability that the Dominion possesses if order is to be evolved from chaos and relief obtained from the pressure of the present taxation and other financial burdens, with its accompanying unemployment and hardships and sufferings. For these, and other ’equally cogent reasons, it has been disappointing to note the lamentable lack of practical help that members have disclosed in their contributions to the Budget debate. All the more welcome, therefore, was the example set by Mr. Craigie (the member for Timaru) on Thursday last. Although he was inclined to be somewhat pessimistic, yet his advice to the Government was so sound that it elicited the remark from the Premier: “You must have been at the last Cabinet meeting.” Departments have multiplied like Acts of Parliament, and need, as Mr. Craigie pointed out, a prudent course of consolidation and amendment, besides a sufficient use of the pruning knife, while the question of banking is one that should properly form the subject of a thorough investigation by competent men. Tinkering with economy should be especially avoided. Reform should eonjmence by expert organisation and the utmost possible grouping of departmental work. There is ample scope for economy work without committing injustice, though obviously there must be some sacrifice, if we are to get down to economical administration. The main essential is that the best business brains of the country should be entrusted with the work, a course that would relieve the Ministry from an unpleasant task, and obviate those compromises to which departmental heads might be linclmed to adopt when sitting in judgment on their own affairs. In England, it will be remembered, the Government appointed a voluntary economy eommitt.ee to' make a thorough overhaul of all departmental methods and expenditure. This is the only practical way of reaching any final and satisfactory result. There is no difficulty in obtaining the services of the best business men we have in' New Zealand. They would, we '

feel sure, only be too pleased to place their services at the disposal of the country for such an important national task.