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Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 883, 8 December 1916, Page 6

With money so abundant as it is in the Dominion at the present time a considerable amount of injudicious expenditure is inevitable. It is perfectly true, as Mr Booth and other responsible citizens point out, that it is the bounden duty of everyone to economise, to live simply, and to save as much money as they can, so as to be able to place it at the disposal of the Government. But the temptation to raise one's standard of living with increased prosperity is hard to resist, and a great many people are using their increased wages and their larger profits to provide themselves with things they could very well do without. MiHarold Beauchamp in his address to the shareholders of the Bank of New Zealand to-day refers to the growing expenditure on luxuries despite the increased cost of importation, and it is a matter of common knowledge that trade is good in numerous lines simply because people refuse to do without articles they find they have money to pay lor, although they are quite removed from the category of "necessaries of life." At the same time considerable accumulation is going on, and the financial position of the Dominion is growing stronger. Any extravagances that may be indulged in by individuals are not seriously affecting the situation. In two years there is a balance of trade in the Dominion's favour amounting to over £21,000,000, and the deposits in the banks, and the investment in war loan scrip and certificates speak for themselves. But for the shortage of labour the Government would be quite justified in inviting the public to find the money for development works on the usual scale. It will be noticed in our cables to-day that the Canadian Pacific railway is about to spend 15 millions sterling on improved facilities for coping with the trade in and out of Vancouver. In New Zealand we are allowing our transport facilities to fall hopelessly behind the present requirements of the community. If two steamers arrive together at Lyttellon it lakes the authorities weeks to get the goods to the consignees in Christchurch. We question very much the wisdom of the policy of making the war an excuse to defer practically everything in the nature of development works. There is money enough in the Dominion to finance our share of the war and provide for necessary public works as well. The labour difficulty could be got over by importation, and local loans for public works would afford persons who are spending their money when they ought to be saving it an extra inducement to put it to better uses.