OUR FINANCIAL POSITION NEED FOR REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 502, 8 May 1909, Page 10

OUR FINANCIAL POSITION NEED FOR REFORM.

Sir,—Oui 1 Primo Minister's '.'gush," as de-. livercd on iMay 1, makes me wonder why ho jourheied io -far south .as luvercarjjdl. Is it t beoau6o the people, in the larger cities know 'of his' bbastfulnoss' and political deficiencies, and consequently would not face him in public; jtfithont probing, matters .'of - great importance.to the bottom? He is'reported a's having. Said i''.'As far as. he.'could ..see thdre Had boon a falling-off in rovonuo fn all tho , most o important countries during the past financial year." Well done, Sir Joseph! ; i.lt ;WillbO;a surprise t6 me'if one'or important. countries does not dispatch one of their .Dreadnoughts for the purpose, of annexing, sucha , world-wido possession as , you. .'this ; political .'mastoijiCce'.thbn-. goes Son to; say i i."l!-,fe'el that ;.'.mtll,'the.'grave_' reepdlisi■bility unon tay. shoulders a reduction injoiir annvlal expenditure must bo mado, and it is fbr this reason that the Government has til-: ; ready ', set : to' . Work ;to. fflake "reductions in i the publio.. service ,to the extent ..of at least !fi^iddO. ; Bravo I',; I agree.with, you' there I 'consoquefltly,; show.your geiltliiieness by reducing your own fat salary, those of . your Ministers likewise,those- ,of ..-frpur 'Mis,'s, or reduce; the' number, of Ministera ahd-' M.P.'b—thoy .never .would bo missed 1 'Farther on lio .says: "Ho denied, the. state-, rnent mado by 6ome people .that the tightnets' of tho money market Was duo to.-the Government. :i. On tho contrary, the amount of money the. Government ,had brought, .into ,th 6: during jthe. last: year was;onormbUSi" Well,-: if the .tightness of. the money market ,ii not traceable to, the .Goveniment, Jtimust, .then, '..necessarily ,be attachable to Usurer,-etc.;v-;,and .there.-is-no doubt but.that this Government has been ; .playing irito . their hands /right; roy-: ally. • -It is perfeotlv true, .Sir Joseph,, that yotlr Government, brought—that is,. begged or lot' of .money last yoar//but ybu'' had !tp . do -it by , way of buying '.votes. last December. The Sydney "Bifllotin" informs' us,that.,your,party borrowed 28 millions ill . yearaj and out'of thit a paltry lO millions, : .'was- expended in unproductive works ;..pos"' ■ ''sibly.. tfie': : £ls,32l.-'(the.;prtsent_.surplus)-. is • tho balanco of tho said 10 millions.—l am, etc., FEAIINOTJGHT.