DOMINION'S FINANCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14450, 9 November 1917, Page 5

DOMINION'S FINANCE.

"A VERY STRONG POSITION. "

In an interview at Christchiurch Sir Joseph Ward said: — "Financially, 1 think I am justified m saying that though we are m & state of war we are m a very strong position. We require to be, and the legislation passed through this session makes our position still better and more effective to meet any. emergency that may arise. 'There have been great demands on the Government ih many directions for increased expenditure, but while the Government has been willing to go a lotag way, and imdeed as far as it is possible at present to help our soldiers and their dependents and the-men employed m the services of the country through! this war period, there necessarily is a limit which the revenue of the country from all sources, including the high taxation which has to be imposed, cannot exceed. As a matter of fact the present Government is controlled m the matter of extending expenditure by the result of the year's financial operations, and it is impossible to know what state they will be m at the end of the year.

"After all it has to be remembered that when the war is over the future of the country has to be considered from the standpoint of every class— from the humblest to the highest — and it has to v be not only considered, but dealt with on an effective basis. If the war ends within the next 10 months, there can be no doubt that many important changes will be absolutely necessary m dealing with the altered condition's that this great and prolonged war is responsible for. It is idle at this juncture to. attempt to prophesy what they will be, but I think that any sane man m any walk of life m this country, will agree that we must keep m a strong financial position to ensure that New Zealand will be a country worth living m and protecting, commercially and industrially. This can be done, and the fine heart and confidence that our people have shown m the mat-, ter of providing men and money to enable the Dominion' to do its part, are one of the best auguries that one can refer to. Practically all the legislation giving the Government its present enormous power, which ho Government should have m normal times, has been given with the distinct object of reaching this goal with which the people of the country as a whole are m whole- | hearted and active sympathy."