The Lyttelton Times. MONDAY, JULY 28, 1890.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 9166, 28 July 1890, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times. MONDAY, JULY 28, 1890.

The Opposition is doing good -work on the Estimates. By carrying a reduction of nine hundred and fifty pounds on the amount of money asked for to defray the- salaries and expenses of the Audit Department, it has done what successive Ministries have wished, but have been unable to do. Unlike other branches of the Civil Service, the Audit Department has never been thoroughly overhauled. The pruning - knife has never been applied to it in earnest. The reason for this has been that the Auditor - General is a statutory officer, and supposed to be directly controlled by no power ; but that of the House of Representatives could be brought to bear upon him. Therefore the action of the Opposition in claiming the right of dealing with him in the House was absolutely logical. Mr Ballance’s contention on that point was indeed unanswerable, and was admitted by Ministers in the House; though, as often happens, its soundness has been denied by the Ministerial newspapers outside. The Government’s tactics with regard to this particular vote have been neither consistent nor successful. First of all they come down asking for a certain sum of money and declining to take less. Then Mr Ballance urges a reduction, and makes out a strong case therefor. The Colonial Secretary,. who has been asking for the money, gets up and admits that he does not know whether all the money is absolutely required, or whether some redaction can be put up with. He asks for an adjournment to enable him to learn something about the matter. The adjournment is of course granted, and the Estimates are delayed for a week. At the end of the week the Colonial Secretary comes down to the House again, and after some skirmishing consents to accept a reduction of five hundred pounds. The economical members laugh, and the Opposition persist in supporting Mr Ballance’s reduction of thirteen hundred pounds. There is a division, a tie, and the casting vote of the Chairman rescues the Government for a moment. Then the Opposition move for a redaction of one thousand. Captain Russell is appealed to by one of his own followers to accept this as a compromise. He declines, though he raises his concession from five hundred to seven hundred pounds. There is another division, another tie, and Mr Hamlin’s casting vote again pulls Ministers through. Then the Opposition try nine hundred and fifty pounds. This time they win, and Mr Mitchelson, altogether upset and taken aback, once more reports progress. Thus, after two nights spent on the Estimates, we find that the Economists have won three divisions, while they have throe times been beaten only by tbe Chairman’s casting vote, and on a fourth occasion by a majority of one only. Yfe do not wonder that the Premier thinks tho situation serious.