NEW ZEALAND FINANCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3019, 16 October 1908, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND FINANCE.

"The Economist," commenting on Sir Joseph Ward's Budget speech, remarks that "the Dominion of New Zealand, as it is nosv called, has probably gone further in the way of Socialistic legislation than any other modern State." It refers to the lack of population, and comments on the growth of ths public debt, and adda: —"lt is stated that Sir Joseph Ward's recent visits to all parts of the Dominion have impressed upon him the urgent need of roading the back-blocks, and lie proposes to demote £25U,000 a year for four years to this purpose. This is a much-needed and really important worK, as many of the pioneer settlers, in many cases, on land acquired from the Government, are in a wretched state of. isolation and helplessness for want of roading. There is a good deal of the expenditure, however, which cannot be termed really reproductive, and at any rate, a time of depression in the wool market, and a falling-off in trade all over the world is not; an opportune moment for launching out on a schme of expenditure more lavi.-ih than over. New Zealand's finance and her legislative experiments will continue to be watched in this country with some degree of sympathy ' not unmixed with anxiety."