"Juicy Electioneering
An Election Year
Budget
Prediction By Leader Of Opposition
(P.A.) Wellington, Aug. 17. "It is quite obvious that the deJay in launching military training is entirely due to the importance of relieving this year's finances and thus make an election year Budget possible," said the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Holland, today.
He said that in anticipating the contents of the 1949 Budget the public would not fail to consider three important factors. Firstly, this was election year and Mr Nash had never failed to use election year to woo the electors, and there was no reason to suppose 1949 would be any exception. Secondly, the Minister had so many millions to spare last year that he had to transfer them to other accounts so that he could operate freely in election year.
Thirdly, the urgency for military training seemed to have passed away since Mr Nash began writing his Budget and the first recruits would not enter camp for nearly another vear. Therefore, no provision would have to be made to meet this new defence expense until next year. That, was most significant. "The Minister has upward of £lO million to play with, so the public has every reason to anticipate some juicy electioneering bait on Thursday night," said Mr Holland, "but it will take mere than an electioneering Budget to arrest the present deterioration in the Government's fortunes. "The delay in getting military training going will disappoint those who worked so hard for the referendum. We were told that the situation was critical and very urgent, and that the referendum could nol even wait until the general election. It is no use saying the military authorities could not handle the recruits until next May. They showed during the war that they can rise to an occasion if only they know the Government's p'ans. What they did before they can do again. "The whole trouble is Ihat the Government has just muddled along without plans for defence."
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/BOPT19490818.2.35
Bibliographic details
Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 15057, 18 August 1949, Page 3
Word Count
330"Juicy Electioneering Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 15057, 18 August 1949, Page 3
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