The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1887. RETRENCHMENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1601, 30 June 1887, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1887. RETRENCHMENT.

In our last issue we dealt with the question of retrenchment. Since then the speeches of the Hon, Sir Robert Stout and the Hon. Wm. Rolleaton have come to hand, and while the former claims to have made redactions in the public expenditure the latter denies that any saving has been effected. Between the two statements we are left in a state of confusion, and there is left for os only to inquire who is righ 7 In malting this inquiry it is necessary to take cognisance of surroun 'ing circumstances, Mr Rot, lesion is working heaven and earth to g 4 back into rffic* ; 'Sir Robert Stout cannot be exonerated from a suspicion of being desirous of retaining office. There is not much to choose between them in this respect. Both may be suspected of being inspired by motives with which the public cannot sympathise. With regard to Mr Rmieelon, retrenchment is a new article jn his political creed. When three years ago lie canm before the colony on appeal neither he nor any of bis colleagues made-* any attempt to show they bad economised. Thev boasted that tbtsy bad spent borrowed

money only at the rate of one million a year, and said that it should not be spent any faster. When Sir Juliu* Vogel began to dive into their accounts he found they had been spending borrowed money at the rate of £1,800,000 a year, lie found also that in 1882 the Atkinson-Rollestoo combination increased the cost of governing the country by nearly half a million a year, and these facts, and many more which could be adduced, must put Mr Holies* ton out of C -nri as a witness. When Mr liollestoii s i-, receipt of £1250 » year he never ib> nght economy was necessary. Now, since be has b°on only receiving £2OO a year, be recognises the fact that economy must be effected. Now here are Sir Robert Stout’s own words with regard to the saving Lis Ministry have effected, and to us they have the ring of honesty about them :

“ We show a saving in the Colonial Secretary’s department of £21,789; in tlio Treasurer’s department and in land revenue, £81,406; in the Justice department, £10,602 ; in the Native department, £5290; tn public buildings, £2600; and in defence, £20,245. There is also a small saving in the Legislative department—and I will explain further on what that means—of £343. Altogether, we show, notwithstanding the increase of population by 50,000, a saving of a no less sum than £92,265 on this year’s estimate.”

With regard to the railways, he eaid that 250 miles of railway had been opened, having 63 new stations on them, and yet the expenditure had only been increased by £9,000. If they had increased expenditure in proportion to increased mileage the cost of railways would be £IOO,OOO more than it was. He claimed that the Government had effected a saving in this also. Now, would Sir Robert Stout dare to give facia and figures like these if they were not correct ? It is absurd to sav he would, This is what Sir Robert Stout claims to have done last year, and Mr Rolleaion does not attempt to deny it. All he says is that there is a deficiency : that is, the revenue has not realised the hopes of the Government. That is a fact. The people have not consumed so much whiskey. Is that the fault of the Government ? They have not consumed so much of many of the other articles that pay duty. Is that the fault of the Government? It is not, but tho fault of past Governments which have led the colony into the miserable condition that have compelled men to adopt temperate habits thn ugh want of money. Mr Rol* leston proposes to economise as follows • —To reduce the Governor’s salary and expenses by £SOOO ; ministerial salaries to be reduced and their residences to be sold. £SOOO to £7OOO might be saved in that way. The honorarium of members he would reduce to £IOO in the Upper House and £l5O in the Lower House, and in various other ways he would make reductions amounting to £130,000 a year. We are glad to notice Mr Rolleston’s financial genius is developing, but it is most extraordinary that it is since he has been in Opposition he has thought out these matters. In 1888 Mr Turnbull stonewalled Parliament to get a reduction of £50,000, but Mr Rollesfon would not reduce a penny. If he gets back into office can he be trusted to carry out his proposed reductions ? We sincerely trust that he means what he says, for if ever there was necessity for economy it exists at present. Mr Rnlleston pays “ the public debt is £37,000,000, and the private debt £52,000,000, which means that millions is sent annually out ( ,f this oo'ony for interest. The amount of experts is only millions.” Thank goodness we have at last succeeded in opening his mind to this. For three years we have been trying to dig this fact into Mr Rolldston’s bruin, and at last we have succeeded, We deserve three cheers for it. We have evidently penetrated through a surface of great density, but it has not been “ love’s labor lost.” The seeds we have sown have fructified ; Mr Kolleston se»s it now, but he only sees it half way. We havp done only part of our work yet, but we shall explain the point more fol y in a future issue. In the meantime we think that no Ministry ever ruled New Zealand which has made such an honest effort to retrench as the present one. There is a ring of truthfulness and honesty about Sir Robert Stout’s utterances, and we believe he is near correct. In this connection there is one fact which must not be overlooked. The Hon. Mr Reynolds has always cried out the loudest for retrenchment; he has been taken specially into the present Cabinet to carry out his views, and he now says that Sir Julius Vogel is the most economical Colonial Treasurer we have ever had. If Mr Reynolds is telling a lie in order to back up the Ministry we cannot help it, but that is what he has said, and it ought to have some weight.