DOMINION FINANCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 11 July 1913, Page 5

DOMINION FINANCE.

LAST QUARTER'S RETURNS. INCREASE IN EXPENDITURE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. The Hon. J. Allen laid on the table of the House of Representatives this afternoon a statement giving financial details for the last quarter. The receipts for the June quarter of 1913 were shown to be £2,598,518, and for the same quarter in 1912, £2,477,498, a total increase of revenue of £121,020. The expenditure account for the same period was for this year's quarter £2,629,288, and "for last year's £2,502,226. Mr G. W. Russell said there had been an increase in the expenditure for the quarter amounting to £206,000 compared with, the corresponding period last year. The Ward Government had' to pay £20.000 for the elections and census. If that was remembered, it would be seen how far the promises of the Reform Party varied from their performances. The Hon. W. H. Herries said the expenditure had increased because of the .facilities given the public, and the incKafre in railway servants' vrages. He asked -were the Opposition in. favour of reducing wages to keep the expenditure down. Any wasteful expenditure that was now going on due to wQrks started by their predecessors. Mr L. M. Isitt contended that the question was not' that the expenditure had increased, tout that the,, ■Government was now .doing the very thing they had condemned in their, predecessors. ' Mr G. Laurenson declared that all the pledges of economy had been broken. The Hoft.J. Allen, in reply, denied that the Masse.v party had ever com. nlairied at the increasing expenditure. Wliat they denounced was the wasteful expenditure that was giong on. When the Budget caine down, members would see what Bad been done in the direction of checking that expenditure.