MINISTERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 57, 30 November 1917, Page 4

MINISTERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

A bitter and unjust attack was recently made by the member for Wairarapa on his party leader, tho Minister of Finance. Mr. Hornsby made allegations which, if they meant anything at all, meant that Sir Joseph Ward callously refused certain financial concessions to thft Second Division men and their families: that he misrepresented the financial position of the country, and that he sneered and jeered at the efforts of those who sought to better the condition of the people generally in the matter of the cost of living. It is probable that those who are at all familiar with the political posturing of the member for Wairarapa attached small importance- to his latest and very obvious bid for a little cheap popularity at the expense of his leader. Sir Joseph Ward, however, this morning makes use of the opening afforded him to enlighten the public further as to tho financial ooligations incurred in connection with the war and incidentally to administer a wholesome and well-deserved castigation to his critic. The figures quoted by the Minister of Finance servo to indicate tho enormous financial strain which the country is bearing; but the feature of the situation which most deserves attention is the necessity for the exercise of tho greatest caution owing to tho uncertainty as to what the future holds. The policy pursued by the Government has been_ to as far as possible mako provision ahead of visible needs and to ensure a stable finance. Our sources of revenue are liable to bo diminished or cut off, and there are branches of our war expenditure over which we have little or no control. We cannot tell in advance, for instance, how many ships are coming here to carry away our produce, and we know there is a risk that some of it may be left on our hands, thus cutting off a part at least of our financial resources. On the other hand, we cannot tell in advance what the cost will be for certain of the supplies and munitions used by our forces in the fighting lines, and provided by the Imperial authorities. So tho Government has to act cautiously in tho matter of finance and provide for contingencies—and they may bo big contingencies.