ECONOMY COMMISSION

Feilding Star, Volume 9, Issue 3847, 1 October 1932, Page 5

ECONOMY COMMISSION

State Waste Condemned PI BMC WORKS POLICY Si: A lien INC CRITICISM REVISED CONTROI. ERGEH excessive ror roav Ino (.Per Press Association) Wellington, Oot. t. A severe condemnation of Public Works Department spending over a period of years is contained in a lengthy section of the National Expenditure Commission's Anal report, it says that for many years excessive borrowing lias been indulged in an ! lavish exiienditure lias ereated a imdy of men who have known no othi r employment titan that, provided by borrowed money. REDUCTIONS AND INCREASES . Regarding the Justice Department's work it is recommended :• That tin l i*aymcitt to jurors lx l reduce 1 from Ids lid to Its per day, and witness* allowances overhauled. That hotel license fees lie paid to Die Consolidated Fund instead of the local authorities as a contribution towards tho cost of administering the licensing law. That license fees tie revised with relation to the turnover of the hotels. That the following fees l>e increased : Marriage notice, from 2s fid to os; certified copy of birth, death or marriage certificate from 2s fid to os; certificate authorising marriage £1 to AT ss. IT BMC SERVICE CONTROL Tho Commission points to tlie' need for uniformity in the control of the lhihlie Seryice and suggests that there should lie set up a committee consisting of the [lentianenl heads of the Railway Department, i’ost and Telegraph Department. Public Service < 'ommisisoner and Secretary to I lie Treasury . The duties of the committee would he io consider any grading proposals, etc., affecting' all departments, with fewer inspectors to cover till the work. IT.I NKET SOCIETIES Tlie Commission contends that the T’luuket Society, which receives £22.4«1 in subsidies, appears to he obtaining a greater proportion of State assistance than is warranted. The societies throughout New Zealand have considerable cash resources, as witness tlte fact that on the 31st : March. HOI. they held Xgb.fioT In cash, while the cash held by the var- : ions Karitane Hospitals totalled £3X75. These began as purely voluntary iKidies. AGRICULTURAL SERVICES Savings of £177.000 are recantmen 10l in ilie Department of Agriculiure, with tile curtailment of services and a reduction in the head office staff, also the abolition of the Board of Agriculture and replacement by ihree or five members. Drastic curtailment of services rendered by tin- Live Stock Division, saving £II.OOO next year. Administration of Noxious Weeds Act to bo handed over to local authorities, or. if impracticable, the Act to be reprahsl. no srp.smiKs to farmers Items: Subsidy to manufacturers of superphosphates £70.000. carriage of lime to farmers £42.000. portion of freight on fertilisers £OI.OOO. The lost of this servile should l>e refine* cd by roxt'-icting tree carriage to the nearest lime-workers. We are of opinion that tho system of free railway carriage of time: the partial free railage of fertiliser manufacturrs should h discontinud as soon as jiossiide. and greater attention paid to the possibility of further reducing alt farming costs. Recent legislation relieving farmers of a substantial peri ion of their interest burden should largely remove tlie npessify for special assistance.