THE ESTIMATES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 9298, 27 July 1901, Page 4

THE ESTIMATES.

Captain Russell is doing good service in his criticism of the Government's financial methods. An Imprest Supply Bill of close upon half a million traverses the whole underlying principle of representative government. The necessities of Parliamentary administration involve the occasional use of imprest methods, but it is the duty of Parliament to see that those occasions are as infrequent as possible and that the amounts asked for are kept within reasonable limits. Hence Captain Russell, in drawing attention to the fact that so far close upon one million pounds hays been voted by imprest, is performing an important public duty. We regret to say that he was not properly supported. On the other hand one good thing appears to have resulted from his protest, for the Premier gave a sort of promise that the Financial Statement should be brought down within a fortnight, The situation suggests that Parliamentary procedure ought to be materially altered in regard to the estimates. These, instead of being reserved for a late stage in the session, should be laid before' the House as early as possible. This generalisation, always pertinent, now possesses more force in consequence of the truth of what the Premier urges as an excuse for his demand for such a large sum by imprest, namely, that there is now an increased public expenditure both in regard to the public works fund and the consolidated fund. Captain Russell pointed out that "comparing the Imprest Supply Bill then before the House with that submitted for a similar period last year, there was an increase of £190,000. Most people will think that an Imprest Supply Bill whose total was that sum would be too large, if judged by true democratic principles of government. In this case, however, it was merely an increase bringing up the bill under discussion to a demand for nearly half a million sterling, without details. It is in matters of this kind that the country misses an efficient Opposition.