BUOYANT FINANCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13649, 17 January 1908, Page 5

BUOYANT FINANCES.

"STRONGER THAN EVER."

PRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENT.

[by telegraph.OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Chuistchtjrcii, Thursday. The criticisms of the Investors' Review of our finances, Sir Joseph Ward remarked to a newspaper representative to-day,, are not regarded as very serious by those with a knowledge of the circumstances; and to the question' as to where we expect to get the money authorised this year a very complete answer is furnished by the fact that we have got it all with the exception of the current quarter's proportion of the £300,000 to be paid to the Public Works Fund. We are in a position to pay the requisite £200,000 now, but it is not immediately required. That is the answer to those strictures. "As a matter of fact, the Dominion's finance has never been stronger in my time than it is to-day. Even at the height of the American financial panic within the last few weeks I declined to renew one large transaction running into a large sum because the holders asked for improved terms. They had taken up a large portion of the past loans at a premium oi 2 per cent., and wanted to renew at par. As stated, I declined, and made fresh arrangements on equally good terms with those existing previously." ,