"THRIFTY AND ECONOMICAL" GOVERNMENT.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16946, 22 September 1920, Page 2

"THRIFTY AND ECONOMICAL" GOVERNMENT.

A NEW ZEALANDER'S VIEWPOINT.

(FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, July 27. | ' Tremendously animated controversy Jtaking place just now because the Government threaten impiediatejy prior to tne annual holidav oxodus to increase railwav travelling to twopence a' mile. It went up 50 per cent, above pre-war rates some , considerable time back, and the present- proposal will certainly mean at least 100 per cent, above the fares then in. force. It really will mean a good deal more, because the public always has, in years'past, enjoyed numerous' concessions .in. the way of tourist rates and excursion tickets. ' The proposal now is 2d per mile, and nothing less. . .-v Mr F. M. B. FisTier takes up the matter in ''.The Times," and, relative to tne deficit of million a year now shown on «he railways, he considers that the daily loss" should be stopped at once. In hiß view, "the suggestion that it is unfair to the public to propose increased fares for August is. manifestly absurd, for it only moans that the loss of over four millions incurred in August will have to be borne by somebody, and that somebody will be the legular users of the railways, who have to travel all the year in order to earn their living.

"The whole situation shows that hollow and false spirit of compromise which is so injurious to the welfare of tho whole people. If the Government is going to make a concession of over four millions in one month to people going on hohdavs, what concessions is it prepared to make to those business people who have to use the railways all the year round?

"I confess quite frhnkly that I am often at a loss to understand the principles under which this country is governed. The Government urges thrift and economy. The Chancellor fears tho danger of national bankruptcy if the people do not settle down and work. But let there be a race meetingj and tno regular users of the railway simply do not exist. Everv inducement is offered to the people by n Government tnat turns away in horror from premium bonds to rush to Ascot, "to Goodwood, or anywhere else, 'to gamble fast 1 and loose .is they please. "We, who are regular users of the railways-, care not one snap how many millions go to tho races, or what thev do when thev get there, but we think that the people who are going to work should not be pushed aside for those wno aro going racing. The attitude of the Government seems to be. however, to do the popular, thing. Never mind what is right or wrong; no matter the cost--be popular. Pay poople as much as you can for -working—pav them as much as you can for not working. Raise as much as yon can by taxation. Resort to every possible means of all von can raise. . These are the methods of tliriftv and economical government! if the August holidav makers are to rcceive a concession from the Government of over four millions of money, who is going to find the four minions which will be lost to the revenue ?" 1