The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, JULY, 8, 1908. THE BUDGET.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 244, 8 July 1908, Page 6

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, JULY, 8, 1908. THE BUDGET.

A " job-lot " Budget, bearing. many evidences of the pendency of a general election. That will be the general verdict upon the statement brought, down by the Minister for Finance last night. Wo deal elsewhere with the figures of the Budget, and will only say hero that tho very large additions to tho country's financial obligations will turn the public mind far more strongly towards a serious consideration of New Zealand's financial position than has been the case for many years. The points in the general body of tho Statement that call for special comment are not numerous, but some are of high (importance. It is pleasant to find that there are some paragraphs that call for praise as loudly as others provoke simply laughter. It will be noted that the Government has recogniscd the propriety of- the demand, unceasingly niado by the Opposition and by all true friends of Honest finance, that the expenditure of the Government should be exposed in every detail to the public gaze. The Government is to submit a Bill which will provide that " the name of every person to whom a payment is made, 'and every penny-piece of expenditure will be set out in dctail'and laid upon the-.table of •the House." We- expressly withhold a general criticism of the " post-audit" system for the present, but we heartily approve, despite its reluctant and longdelayed concession, this surrender to tho people who lrnve for years fought the battle of honest dealing. Praise is diio t) the Prime Minister, also, for tho decisive fashion in which' ho has carried out the country's wishes in the matter of the naval subsidy. The subsidy will now bo £100,000, and few people will grudge even that largo annual payment. ,The all-too-brief list of the proposals that are really meritorious ends with.the new system of "special land settlement." Unsatisfac: tory in some of its details ,as this scheme is bound to be, tho general idea is a sound one. By assisting private buyers to purchase an estate voluntarily offered "for division, the Government will bo able t.i moderate tho increase of the public debt involved in the annual expenditure of about half-a-million sterling or. buying out private owners. From various speeches delivered by Mr. M'Nab during the recess, it became evident that the financing of the lands; for settlement scheme has become extremely and increas-! ingly difficult. The Budget frankly admits that the virtue of tho scheme will bo the "-preventing, any further addition to the debt of the Dominion," which, it i=! naively added, is " an important consideration in view of the criticism that so frequently takes place.". To us one of the greatest merits of tho scheme is its production of freeholders instead of Grown te\iauts.

The scheme of national annuities is not given in any detail, and it is early yet tj discuss that most important proposal. If it . means simply an addition to an already largo system of State doles, there is nothing for it, but the plainest condemnation. Such a scheme, intelligently devised, and properly safeguarded) may, however, result, in. future years, in a shrinkage of the amount disbursed in oldage pensions. A final substitution of' a contributory for "h, non-contributory Bcheme can only be approved. Reference is, of course, made to the impending purchase of the Wellington-Manawatu railway, and wc are given the explanation of the cryptic reference in the Governor's Speech to " legal difficulties." it appears that the law does not secure the vesting of the line.in.the State on the maturing of the notice of intention to purchase. A. Bill is to be introduced to repair this omission in the law. . The reason advanced for this decision is the fact that the arbitration proceedings to determine tlie price " may occupy some time," and the date on which the Government would obtain possession "is very indefinite." The Government claims that this will do no injustice to the company. But some' good reason'should be shown for such an eleventh-hour upsetting of the law as is contemplated. What interest demands such a fever for sudden possession as now influences the Government? The situation is ono that imperatively demands the greatest fairness from the Government and the avoidance of even the shadow of a desire to force tho pace. We must note in passing, whilo npon a railway topic, that tho Minister for Public Works is mentioned as worthy of " warm congratulation," in connection with the completion of the Main Trunk Railway, 1' on the accuracy of his forecast" ! However, the line is as good as finished, nnd nobody will ever again remember tho " next year " forecasts of tho past eight or nine years.

For the rest, this Budget, so lavish in its promises of boons of all sorts, in which nearly everybody .is a potential participant, is largely composed of empty platitude. As the Bill to amend the unfortunate Arbitration Act came down last night, ono may eparo the Budgot references to tho industrial crisis the con tempt

that they deserve. "Two objects," .wo are told, " must bo kept before us: to do what is right to the workers and what is just to the employers." And, if that fine flower of statesmanlike thought still leaves the public in doubt, thero is this crushing deliverance to drive matters home: "If the wholo matter is approached by all parties from the standpoint of improving the conciliation and arbitration system of tho Dominion, and making the law of such a nature that it can be carried out to meet the requirements of the people, then I hope we will succeed in legislation, so as to make tha future path a more even one for all concerned to tread upon." Euclid himscli never lised an "if" so well. Tho truth is that this monumental platitude is tho very strongest evidence that until yesterday afternoon the Government had not made up its mincl upon its policy.