THE HON. J. G. WARD CRITICISED.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10306, 13 March 1895, Page 7

THE HON. J. G. WARD CRITICISED.

Our London correspondent, under date February 1, writes : —

Mr T. P. O'Connor, M;P., otherwise The San, has been having a vigorous fling at New Zealand, and kicks out with the " irresponsible frivolity" which rude people allege to bo his characteristic, tbousjh they do not go so far as to complete the Disraelian quotation and call his fulminations "hare-brained chatter." He flourishes his shillelagh over the heid of your Colonial Treasurer in a very lively fashion. This is how he compliments poor Mr Ward on his Budget and on his financial genius generally :- "It is to be hoped that Mr Ward's visit to this country will benefit New Zealand. Had Mr Ward not already started on bis journey we would 3ugg«at his putting an elementary treatise on economics in his pocket for study on his voyage. Them hava been many men in times past who have held important posts for which they had no qualification ; but we doubs whether a more striking examplo of a square peg in a round hoie could be found than Mr Ward's position as Treasurer of New Zealand. Those accustomed to theclear Budget statements and sound economic principles of our own Chancellors of the Exchequer will derive much amusement, not to say astonishment, from a perusal of the Budget statement delivered by Mr J. U. W;ird in the New Zealand Legislature last year. We trusc fcnat net only will Mr Ward provide himself with an elementary treatise giving him the first principles of sound economics, but that when in this country he will attend ths Budget speech debate for the purpose of learning what a ' Treasurer's' statemeat should bo.

"At this critical time it is most unfortunate the colony does not possess a Treasurer of ability and decision strong enough io do what is necessary to put things rijht. Drastic economy should be the order of the day, aud until this is initiated in real earnest there is little hope that New Zealand will emerge from her difficulties."

Mr Ward's denial of the truth of that Ileuter's telegram an to a heavy deficit being impending has relieved people's minds very considerably. The Financial News says : — " It is pleasing to find that there is no troth in the surprising announcement that a deficit was likely to occur in the New Zealand Budget. The colony has been so carefully administered since the late Sir Harry Atkinson restored equilibrium to ita imancos that the suggestion oi another deficit seemed a shock." Ib is quite an unusual thing, by the way, to find Sir Harry Atkinson credited with this performance, for which he deserves the sole credit. Most of the London papers utterly ignore his services in this matter, and give all the credit to his successor.