The Waikato Argus. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 1901.

Waikato Argus, Volume XI, Issue 1030, 24 August 1901, Page 2

The Waikato Argus. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 1901.

When the Public Revenues Acts Amendment Act was under discussion last session it was pointed out by members and the Press that it would reduce the AuditorGeneral to a nonentity and his office to a farce. There is now no possible check on Ministers getting a vote for a purpose consented to by Parliament and applying the money to a purpose of which Parliament might or might not approve. There have been fiveobjections raised by the AuditorGeneral, considered by the Public Accounts Committee, in which the Government holds an overwhelming majority. On one of these the Committee reported that they saw no reason for proceedin'? further in the matter, and in the fifth case the committee reported that in their opinion the action of the Auditor-General was unnecessary, as the moneys were properly paid into the Treasury. It is unnecessary to refer to the case further than to point out that the difference arose over the charging of the cost of carrying volunteers to Sydney for the inaugural celebrations, being charged to the Marine Department. The Auditor General contended that the money so spent should have been refunded to the Marine Department by the Department for which the service was rendered. There being no vote for either of the Departments, this amount should have been charged to unauthorised expenditure, which is limited by Act to £150,000 during any one year. If the course pursued in the case m question is legal then the clause limiting unauthorised expenditure might just as well be expunged from the statute. Clause 9 of the Amendment Act of lastsession enacts that in case of any difference between the Audit Office and the Treasury as to the expenditure, the question should be determined by the Treasurer. In the case of the Auditor-General, considering that a point of law is involved, it shall be determined by the Governor (which means the Ministry), having before him the opinion of the Auditor-General thereon. The appointment of Auditor-Gene-ral is political, and being so it is not politic that so much power should be placed in his hands. As we pointed out above, in the present state of the law the Government of the day holds the power to expend money voted for a purpose by Parliament to one of which it may not approve, and further that facilities are provided to exceed the limit of unauthorised expenditure with impunity. The aim of Parliament should be to reduce to the lowest possible limit the discretionary power of Ministers as to expenditure. The legislation of last session tends in the opposite direction.