TIGHTENING THE SCREW

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 69, 21 March 1916, Page 8

TIGHTENING THE SCREW

6f~state economy.

NONE BUT URGENT WORKS.

(By Telegraph.-

-Special to "st«r.">

WELLINGTON. tn,s day. j Spending iv the ordinary Government Departments has been closely watched uunng the war, but an era of furthermore strmgent economy has arrived Heads of Departments were called together by the Minister of Finance last week in order to enlighten them as to the position, so that the announcement of the surplus hoped for at the end of the financial year will not encourage money spendiug enterprise. The w-ork of preparing the Estimates is now in hand, and the recent conference will have the result of makin" figures very modest. Despite the sue* cess of the Public Works local loan there is a prospect of Public Works be- . ing further slackened off. This process has gone on easily and snuduallv during the past year, men leaving eo-operatin" works for private employers during periods of labour scarcity, not beiii" re" employed. -Material is so difficult to obtain, and bo expensive when available, and skilled- labour is so scarce tltat carrying on any but 'urgently needed work is extremely expensive. The. Minister for Poblic Works pro- i anises to make an announcemant of his policy at the end of the month. It can be predicted that he will declare for aj further slackening off on the ground, that the attempt to preserve normal construction under difficult conditions is extravagance.