Costly Government.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 23 May 1924, Page 4

Costly Government.

Comparison with Other Countries

An American visitor, who has spent some time in New Zealand, has strongly criticised the costliness of Government here in comparison with some other countries. The visitor rsmarked tbat an unforr tunate feature was that members of the House of Rspresentatives made* Parliamentary work their business rather than their duty. He pointed out overhead expenses were much too great for a «ountry with such a small population, and declared tbat the New Zealand Government cost almost aa much as the Canadian Government—with a population ten times as great. Thus the cost per capita was much too high.

By way of illustration a statement of the Minister of Railways was quoted. Mr Goates, prior to the strike, said that wages could be immediately raised by dismissing 1200 men. That could be construed into an admission that there were 1200 men too many on the railways.

Making comparisons between the Dominion and Califort ia, speaker said that there were 6,0; 0,000 people in the State ana although the Government was expensive because of great sums spent on roads and tbe development of free schools and universities, the general expenses were not as heavy aa those of the New Zealand Government. The Dominion was burdened with all sorts of highly paid officers and members of commissions were innumerable.