LEGAL EXPENSES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 2 October 1913, Page 4

LEGAL EXPENSES.

The return furnished to Parliament at the instance of Mr Scott, showing what legal expenses were incurred in connection! with the taking of estates under the Land for Settlements Act has proved; < somewhat of an eyeopener. From this return it seems that about £7OOO has gone into the office of a legal firm with which a former Minister was! identified. There is, of course, no suspicion of corruption in this matter; but there is a strong flavour of the "spoils to the policy about it. We are told that the Liberal Government also put large sums of through a firm that did not sympathise with it in politics. This is no answer to the charge of patronage and spoils to the victors! It is a matter of common report that for many years the Liberals used the funds of the State to buy political support, and to reward those who were faithful to the cause of Liberalism. It was the knowledge Dhat the affairs of the country were being run in a slovenly and onesided manner that induced the electors to vote out Sir Joseph Ward at the last election. If the Reform Party has done nothing else to earn the gratitude of the people, the passing elf the 1 Public Service Act, which removes the ipower of patronage from Ministers, ia worthy of commendation. ■,•■'- ,