Playing Blind Man's Buff, Says Mr. Hamilton

Northern Advocate, 21 July 1938, Page 2

Playing Blind Man's Buff, Says Mr. Hamilton

[Special to “ Northern. Advocate." I WELLINGTON. This Day. "It is a game of blind man’s buff which Mr Nash is playing,, for he is shutting his eyes to the future,” was the comment of the Leader of the Opposition. the Hon. A. Hamilton, when asked this morning to express an opinion on the Budget. After three years of record prosperity. the public were entitled to anticipate that the Minister would have provided a means of relieving in some measure the heavy burden of taxation the country lias had /to carry. There were surpluses to do this. “We find, however, that there is to be no reduction, and that the Government intends to absorb the whole of its revenue, and more.” Mr Hamilton added that Public Works had become the country's greatest industry, and it appeared that an additional £3,000,000 was to bo devoted to this department during the coming year. “So far as the taxpayer is concerned, the Budget is a forlorn hope,” added Mr Hamilton. "The Minister of Finance refuses to acknowledge the fact that he is setting expenditure under boom conditions, which the country could not possibly support even in normal times. The Budget does not disclose the policy of the Labour Party in its true light. While it appears to be orthodox, there is an unseen hand behind it, and the Opposition may be pardoned if it shows alarm that no curb has been placed on the spending policy that has operated during the last three years, and which is being continued under the Budget.”