THE COLUMN'S FINANCES. THE TREASURER AND THE AUDITOR GENERAL,

Otago Witness, Issue 2528, 27 August 1902, Page 28

THE COLUMN'S FINANCES. THE TREASURER AND THE AUDITOR GENERAL,

(From Our Owk Co«HEBPONr>J!XT.) WELLINGTON, Augut -$5. That the finraac©3 of the colony during the first quarter of 1902 were somewhat strained is borne out by the latest 'correspondence between the Treasury and the Audit Office, a precis of which I cent you on Friday night. It appears that in April last requisitions for the expenditure of £29,000 were passed by the Audit (iffiee, but there was some difficulty tn.-findiug fund* to meet the payeicsits. Section 10 -of tho Public Rerenues Aot of 1990, however. ■enabled -ihe Government to get oror the . tdiinetrhy.. Under that section £he public -rerennee r©--omved by the Post OSvce are at th« disposal of the Government without check, atad recourse was bad to that hwc ±© gtft t&xb mouey and dodge the audit. This snigkt lu>ve succeeded but -for one iarcartmi, f»ct — viz., that the nuaw&orieed expenditure \ras already up to the limit. The payments were made, wxt not intsludc.d in the public accounts for the qiarler. Tlie aißDimt should b*.w been inoktded an the xmxatAnxrieed <wpeuditwne, -but, aa JEtated, ±h«jt nra« iinpoiable siring to the f»ct that ifae «b-autbo'-ised <expenditm*-e wag already iip'-to the limit. It follows, ifberefcre, tlnai t^e expendfture was smliwrfuiir made. Tide attempt of the,Trcas\iry to hide the actual position has, Srowever, failed. The i3ißcjDstire b*s a ccmevribat asriows /or at now Tbenonaes jippareaat flia* act ibe *iid cf •the fuiancsa.l .year this dross «f ttfae act could he niSixssA ta esampuJcAe <the aoeounts in such m manner m& to '■nsßwlacture " jl airpl«6 ont of *n nctunl -deficit. * This «aukl easily be managed by ttc eiiapJ* expedient ©f mftkißg "l&tge. pajrments in -the faoati) of Marnh «aid ttot. hricganf -tfaem to ascouttt** their proper y^ar. The Aiovevpvaaoi, faav« Atiuoonoed tUeir ini«nitoa of rbnn^ißS dotra £. hill which it is understood »;11 furtttr -curtail the ol the Avditor- general, jtnd in this comiedion it wiil he interesting -to kee what the antiiai proposnU are, aid wU&tliei ike invtiuu, n io prupu^ud i-o u.votd

by new legislation is such as ha* occurred in this case — •. iz., the reporting to the House of illegal expenditure. Such a plan would no doubt be of great assistance to tho Treasury in any temporary difficulty, though it might eventually lnnd the colony in serious consequences. Indeed, if the course I have hinted at is to be taken it will render the Auditor-general's position untenable.