MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD AND POHANGINA GAZETTE. TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1901. OUR EXPENDITURE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7091, 27 August 1901, Page 2

MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD AND POHANGINA GAZETTE.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1901. OUR EXPENDITURE.

GUARANTEED LARGEST CIRCULATION IN THE DISTRICT.

The enormous sum set down m the Financial Statement for expenditui'e on public works.this year requires some explanation, and that will not be forthcoming until Jhe Public Works State-' raent has been delivered. It will bo interesting to "know exactly where and how nearly £2,000,000 are to be spread out. In the early days, tor as Mr Seddon'calls them "the wretched past," when railways, roads, and bridges, etc., were being constructed to open up and promote settlement, the expenditure was not much greater than it is at the present time. Then the works were of great magnitude in comparison to what is going on how. We do not advocato the stoppage of public works, as not only would^such a proceeding bring about widespread depression, but there are several necessary undertakings which must be gone on with speedily. Nevertheless, we would much prefer that the works should be constructed as far as possible out of our revenue, instead of with borrowed money.. "We already, 'owe close on £50,000,000, and every year over £2,000,000 goes from the colony to pay interest on that sum. We feel that 'the colony is getting beyond its depth, aiid that it is high time, that a more selfreliant policy was instituted. It would be a very unpopular proceeding for any Ministry to endeavour to effect retrenchment in the~ public service, but 'the extraordinary growth of departmental' expenditure in face of the of borrowed money we are using, is not one of the pleasing features of Mil Seddori's administration. . ;