NATIONAL STOCK TAKING

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 8, 9 July 1912, Page 6

NATIONAL STOCK TAKING

"Three Royal Commissions had been appointed, because the Government was anxious to find a policy that would be satisfactory to the people, and it wae unable to do bo for itself except at a very large expense to the taxpayers," said Mr. Massey at Waiuku on 31st May. The attitude of th« late Opposition generally to these Commissions has been hostile, on the score of expense, and a cry of " Government by Commission " I has been raised by several members. This is an argument which is put out of court by its own absurdity. The late i Government, with all its faults, has to be given credit for a desire to govern from knowledge which the Conimiesions were to gain. We have agreed with many close observers of New Zealand affairs that comprehensive national stocktaking was desirable, but we have protested against the hurried arrangement of three far-reaching enquiries simultaneously. From the evidence so far secured by the Commissions on Cost of Living and Education, we are confident that the people, who stand to benefit by an amendment of the conditions revealed, will not begrudge the cost of the investigation. Naturally the public will be eager to bear Mr. Maesey's reference to' theee Commissions when he submits his policy to the House of Representatives. They are well advanced with their work, and it is not likely that the new Government will make any drastic interference at thie late stage. As for the Public Service Commission, Mr. Massey's party was ready with plans of reform some time ago, and in this matter" the new Government is committed to following, practically, the lines of the policy which The Post advocated year© ago to lessen the evil of political influence in the public service. Generally, the new Government will feel constrained to have the element of caution in the policy to be proposed for this session. Mi 1 . Massey has achieved victory at a dimcult time, but it has to be remembered, too, according to an old phrase recently used by Sir Joseph Ward, that "difficulties were made to be overcome." The greater the difficulties, the greater iB Mr. Massey'e opportunity to prove bis ability to rise to eminence. Hence it is not probable that Mr. Maseey will believe that tho country can afford to go th« " humanitarian ""pace set in th« Governor* Speech last month. The free fares for children up to the age of five yeara, and quarter fares from five to fourteen years, will no doubt have to be deferred, in common with aome other proposals which - created rosy hopes among many thousands of people. The new Government's first important task is to do 6ome financial stocktaking — to enable the taxpayers to know definitely and exactly how their financial affairs stand. During recent years it has been extremely difficult, even for expert accountants, to determine fully the country's financial position, because the accounts have not been presented in a manner to easily permit a correct judgment to be formed. Plainness and clearnefcs in the national balance-sheet are urgently required, and as the new Government includes several men well versed in finance the public can fairly expect the desired enlightenment.