The herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. MONDAY, JULY 29. 1907. PUBLIC EXPENDITURE

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 2778, 29 July 1907, Page 4

The herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. MONDAY, JULY 29. 1907. PUBLIC EXPENDITURE

'llit' allocation ol public expenditure a question >t groat importance to tlio taxpayers lorined the subject ol brief discussion in the House <> t Roprcsontatives on Frida yafteriionu last. Arising out ol a petition tor tlio erection ol a bridge at Waitoinuta River Head, tlio A to I. Petitions Committee reported that it bad no recommendations to make, and advised I hat all future petitions lor expenditure of Public Works funds lie referred dii'cet by the Classification Committee (o the (iovern incut. Hr -Massey advocated Ihe setting up ol a Public Works Committee, to which all applications for t he expenditure of Public Works money should he referred. The Premier replied that no matter what a committee said or recommended the Government had to allocate the amount available for public works to tin' host advantage, and, guided by its affairs, went to work in the process of selection, irrespective of anything else. The (lovernment would not lie forced into taking in hand any particular work, because a petition was sent and favourably reported on l.y a committee. The re sponsibility was on the (iovernment, and the (iovernment accepted it. The proper quarter to which to address a petition was the Minister of Public Works. If the (iovernment acceded to the demands now being made, it would require a loan of three or four millions. lie further added that no new railway works would be undertaken, as they were seventeen nr

eighteen lines now in hand, and to open up new lies meant allocating public money in driblets to convey the impression that new railways were being constructed in particular districts. He contended that the whole tendency was to press matters on the Government in a manner not fair and reasonable. Ministers should not be required to stand up day after day and resist- from all sides of the House applications for extraordinary expenditure. No Government, unlessit desired to ruin the colony,, could meet anything like the number of applications madri for public works. He could not agree to Mr Massey’s suggestion of a Public Works Committee, as members would have to travel all over the oountry during the recess inspecting and taking evidence. They would require to he paid, and the cost to the country would be enormous. In regard to these demands for public money, and his utter inability to satisfy them, the Premier has our heartfelt sympathy. But a past Government, of which he has been such a capable member, is largely responsible for this continual clamouring for a share of the Ministerial loaves and fishes. Certain constituencies have been pampered to such an extent that they are like spoilt children, and it is most difficult for Sir Joseph Ward to put his foot down, and refuse the applications of old-time political supporters. Money has been frittered away in worthless objects, largely for Ministerial advertising purposes, and members consider that if money can

be found for these, it should be forthcoming for branch railways and other things, and they press the claims of their respective districts with renewed vigour. The Premier would require to have the Bank of England at his hack to satisfy all the demands now made upon him. The setting up of a Public Works Committee, as proposed by Air Massey, would probably, if agreed to, be the means of robbing Ministers of much power and political patronage : hut at the same time, we do not think that Air Massey’s suggestion would be the best means of settling the vexed question of a fair allocation of public expenditure. We would prefer to see more scope given to local bodies in tlio expenditure of public money in their respective districts. as they, generally speaking, see that money is sjient to the best possible advantage, as by doing so the members of these bodies are alive to the fact that they are thus conserving their own and their fellow ratepayers' interests.