THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1771, 3 November 1887, Page 2

THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

It is astonishing how many persons there are who fight shy of a long article of any sort, more especially if it bristles with figures. Those who either from want of time, lack of sufficient interest, or any other cause, avoid the task of wading through even a tolerably long abstract of the Financial Statement, usually expect their friends or a friendly newspaper to " boil it down " for them, and to give them in as few words as possible the leading proposals of the Statement, coupled with such running commentary as may seem applicable. It is now proposed to attempt to satisfy that demand. The Colonial Treasurer has found himself face to face with a probable deficit of £389,000 for the year. It is proposed to meet this by wholesale retrenchment, and by additional taxation to the extent of less than an extra farthing of property tax. The retrenchment proposals include the cutting off of £2500 from the allowances payable to the Governor, of £750 off the Premier's, and w£4so each off the salaries to other Ministers, and the abolition of ono portfolio. In addition to this, it is proposed to reduce the honorarium to members of both Houses of Parliament to £100, allowing an additional £50 for expenses to M.H.R.'s. At the close of this triennial Parliament, it is proposed to reduce the number of members from 94 to 70, and the number of members of the Legislative Council to 35, and thereafter the Council to be limited to that number. Ministerial residences — some are to be sold, and other reductions made in respect to them. The Civil Service Estimates will be rigorously cut down, each Minister being responsible for the reductions in his own department. In order to avoid the possibility of future extravagance in respect to Civil Service expenditure, a Civil Service Board is to be appointed and the classification of tbe service undertaken ; and the appointment of any extra clerks is to be annually reported directly to Parliament. A Nonpolitical Railway Board will be forjned on the model of the Victorian one. Public Works expenditure is to be reduced from an annual average of £1,300,000 down to £690,000, or about half ; but in order to continue even this rate of expenditure, the N.I. Trunk Kailway Loan will have to be raised as well as a further loan of one million for the completion of public works in hand, coupled with a distinct pledge that there shall be no more borrowing for three years Education system is to be retrenched by the non-payment of capitation on all children under six years (though no country schools are to be closed through this enactment) and by the restriction of the capitation fee to £3 15s, the limit originally fixed by law. Capitation to Volunteers and subsidies to local bodies are also to be reduced. The Government say, they already see their way to departmental reductions to the extent of £251,000 and other reductions amounting to £49,000, or a total of £300,000 ; of which however only £71,000 could take effect durinsc the current financial year. We venture to say that these are the most thorough going proposals of radical reform, ever yet laid before any Parliament in New Zealand. They faithfully reflect the outspoken wishes of the electors at the recent general elections. They may be and very probably are open to slight moddification and amendment in certain directions, but we have no doubt that they will command the support of a strong majority of the House. The public will watch the attitude and voting of members, in respect to the proposed reduction of members in the House of Representatives, and also as to the reduction of the honoraria of the two Houses, with much interest. The proposal to create a non-political board for railway management has long had the support of tb.9 public, and now after many years striving seems likely to granted. But a board of nominee members would not give satisfaction, the elective principle must be conceded id Borne form. The Public Works proposals seem to be careful and reasonable. The item of most interest to our readers is the fact that there are only £478,000 left available for the construction of the i North Island Trunk Railway, subject to a deduction for the cost and charges ot raising that loan next April. This is probably just about half the amount required to complete | the line via Marton, and would fully suffice to construct it via Stratford and Taumaranui. While on this subject we may mention that from enquiries made of one who has been over most of the above route, we have [ ftatiftfied ourselves bhab it would fee suitable for a railway line to connect with tbe Central, and at a reasonable cost. The total length of tbe connection between Stratford and Waimaranui would, probably, not exceed 75 miles. In our opinion the figures given in the Financial Statement strengthen the case in favor of the Stratford route fully ten fold.