BORROWED MONEY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10242, 19 May 1911, Page 4

BORROWED MONEY.

The Ministers of the Crown are beginning to wince under the critioiamjs. of the Opposition members who are stumping the country. The exposure of tli© enormous ibbrrowing operations of the Government is causing people to think. And how do Ministers treat the exposure P They go to places like Ptkiton and made it appear that the Opposition are endeavoupring to 'bring about a cessation of public works. The Minister for Hallways had the assurance to tell thie people of Picton yesterday tUuat they moist either oonattraat public works out of public money, or leave them alone. This was, of course, intended to damage the Opposition. But what did the Hon. J. A. Millar say at Doiendin. last week? He istfaated, with a oonsoiousffess of pride, that a considerable sum had been transferred from revenue tk> the public works account. How does hie reconcile itihe iwo statements ? Tt is well-known that a large sum'- is annually itnansfforred in this way. Hbw then, can the Minister ©ay that they "must either construct public works out of borrowed .money} or leave them alone ?" Nobody has objected to borrowing on a (moderate isoaJe. What the Opposition object to is *he squandering of public money upon useless enterprises, and; rthe piling up of the national debt when the revenues are buoyant and increasing.