WAYS AND MEANS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20026, 6 September 1930, Page 12

WAYS AND MEANS.

MEDITATIONS OF A MERCHANT. (SPECIAL!,* WRITTEN 1 FOE THE PBESS.) [By Balance.] 111. THE COST OF GOVERNMENT. One does not have to go far to hear how the Government should reduce its expenditure. Of course it can do so, but under the present system it won't if it can help it. The only way in which any Government under the Party system can keep in power is by spending public money so that those who have votes can get their share and more than their share. It does not want to lose power, but today the national purse is emptying fast, and power should be given to those who will save the country from the sins of its own Party system.

A comparison of Government expenditure in two or three of the Departments will show how over the last sixteen years the cost of government has grown out of all proportion to its efllciency. Let us take, say, Health and Agriculture. Here arc the figures: Expenditure 1914-15. 1929-30. Peron centage '& & Increase. Health . . 61,099 351,785 475.7 Agriculture 211,511 555,144 162,4 If now we turn to a comparison of the movements of population aud money value during those periods wo get something like this: Population (Including Maoris). In 1929-30 .. 1,488,612 In 1914-15 .. 1,150,386 Difference . . 338,226 Increase: 29.4 per cent. Since the value of the pound during the same period has decreased by 58.3 per cent—it takes £1 lis 8d this year to buy what could have been bought for £1 in 1914—we can form some idea of the unwarranted increase in the cost of government. And I have purposely abstained from citing the case of a Department like Education, in which the increase, enormous though it haß been, can perhaps be justified. The election cry of the present Government was that it was going to borrow £70,000,000, and spend it in New Zealand, and it is an open secret that many cast their votes for the Government bocause they thought they might got some of that £70,000,000 for themselves.

The marvel is, however, that the Government is not worse. We have many fine, level-headed men in Parliament, but the system under which Departmental payments are largely regulated by officials who wish to keep in power is bound to pile up the administrative costs.

MILBURN CEMENT CO. ANNUAL REPORT. [THE PRESS Special Service.] DUNEDIN, September 5. The annual report of the Milburn Lime and Cement Co., Ltd., says that the profit and loss account, after writing off depreciation, and making provision for income tax for the current year, shows a credit balance of £23,752 9s 6d, including the sum of £IB4B 5s 4d carried forward from last year. An interim dividend has been paid for the six months ending January 31st, at the rate of 7i per cent, per annum, amounting to £7500, leaving a balance of £1G,252 9s 6d to be dealt with. The directors recommend that this balance should be appropriated as follows: £ d. To add to the Employees' Provident Fund .. 500 0 0 Payment to the Milburn Lime and Cement Company's Sick and Accident Benefit Society .. 250 0 0 Payment of dividend for the six months ended July 31st, at the rate of 6$ per cent., making 10 per cent, for the yeftr 12,500 0 0 Balance to be carried forward to next year .. 3,002 D 6 The retiring directors, Mr Edgar C. Hazlett and Mr W. E. C. Beid, who retire by rotation, offer themselves for re-election.

PRICE OF BUTTER.

AN AUSTRALIAN OPINION.

tnfITED PBE6S ASSOCIATION —ET ELECTMO TELEGRAPH —COPYEIGHT.)

SYDNEY, September 5,

At -A Conference of representatives of the co-operative butter factories of New South Wales, Mr C. E. Meares, chairman of the Co-operative Distributors' Society, said that an economic tiagedy of moment was the tariff war which was raging between nations, and in which Australia was deeply involved. This coupled with the fall in tlie purchasing power of consumers everywhere left primary industries in a serious position. It also was apparent that the flood of foodstuffs into- Britain was increasing, and that butter prices in London certainly would be lower than last year. The average price ol butter was already 21d lower. Nor should.they tolerate the multiplicity of sellers in England The conference approved of the movement in Britain for intense development of trade within the Empire, and also the principle of the standardisation of the grading of Australian butter. ALEXANDER MINES, LTD. The report for August is as follows: No. 2 South Winae (McKay Block) —Progress 12 feet, making a total of 45 feet below the outcrop. Average value 60s, width 15 inches. No. 2 South Rise '{McKay Block) —Rising resumed, and after advancing 21 feet, making a total of 73 feet above the level, holed through to No. 2 South Winze. Quartz beaame noticeable in the reef formation at 60 feet, but the width did not ex-eed 9 inches. Asßay values not yet to hand. No. 2 South Rise, No. 1 Level (McVicar Block) —A rise was started at 40 feet south No. 1 Crosscut, and. is up 17 feet. Average value 54s 6d. width 12 inches. The footwall is much impregnated with arsenical pyrites. South Drive off West Crosscut from Rise above No. 2 Level (McVicar Block) —Advanced 12 feet, making a total of 45 feet, south of west crosscut. There has been" very little quartz showing in the last few feet, and we are crosscutting at the face to see if a new splice of the reef has made on the wall. Incline Tram —The rails are now laid within one chain of the top. Excavation for a site for the brake drum and hopper in hand. Ground tram —The gullies have been bridged and the laying of the tram rails has just been commenced. Excavation for a ground hopper at the commencement of this tram is in hand. Battery—During 24 working days the battery crushed 347 tons, of which 26 came from the Bull Block and the. remainder from tho McVi ar Block. Amalgamation produced BOOoz 7dwt gold, and 174 tons sand treated by cyanide returned 87o» 4dw» bullion. The valu# «f thic return is £1485.