BUDGET DEBATE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 15120, 14 August 1913, Page 7

BUDGET DEBATE.

COMMENCED LAST EVENING. , OPENING CRITICISM. : Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, August 13. When the House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr Macdonald (Bay of Plenty) opened the debate on the Budget. He complained of the absence of new proposals except tho grant of a few thousand pounds to fruit-growers. The Budget- was retrograde in its nature, showing less money expended on roads, bridges, and railways than for years past. The whdie aim of the Minister of Finance was not to enlighten the House, but to juggle with figures in such a way that they were now past all understanding. It was complained that the Mackenzie Government had run amok with finance. Mr Myers, while Minister of Finance, could show that the various funds were in a sound position. These surpluses now, by a process of jigglery, were shown as deficits, all for the purpose of misleading the House. If the moneys spent .by the previous Governments were expended for electioneering purposes, as was frequently alleged, why was the present jjoveniment coming to the House and asking for authority to expend similar amounts? Either the previous Governments' expenditure was not wasteful or extravagant, or the present Government was going to travel along the -same reckless lines. The settlement of both Native and European land had fallen off in the last year; publio works were stagnant; no reduction had taken place in tho public service expenditure, or in the cost of living. The Government generally had fallen far short of the anticipations of their best friends. MINISTERIAL REPLY. The Hon. W. Fraser said tho complaint, of the last speaker was that there was nothing m the Budget to complain about. Never had a Budget been placed before the House in which the position of the Dominion was so clearly set out. If the Opposition did not understand it, that' was not the fault of tho Budget. tie had never said there was no money for public works, but he refused to spend m anticipation of a loan being raised. As soon as that loan was assured ho had put all necessary works in hand, and prosecuted them vigorously. As to the future, he pointed out that four and a half millions had_ to bo raised ,to redeem debentures before next July, and twelve millions before December 191 fr That was the position before the Government, so members could see that there was ho room for reckless expenditure. The Government's hands were further hampered by tho commitments left as a legacy by their predecessors, one of'which, in cunr!ect:cn with the Otira tunnel, represented over £300,000. Ho agreed with Mr Macdonald" that we. were pushing settlement faster than ive had power to finance the' reading, and a concession in rent ought to be given to settlers who can get no access to their land. The Government desire to put as many settlers on the land as possible, and make them comfortable, when there. The more Members studied the Budget the better they, would like it. It was commended in all parts of tho Dominion by men who could not be described as belonging to the capitalistic c!as3. . MEMBER FOR KAIAPOI. The Hon. D. Buddo complained that the Advances to Settlers fund had been starved, a fact which had contributed largely to the financial stringency. Farmers had not to thank the Government for getting them out of difficulties." He approved of raising the interest rates on the Post Office Savings Bank deposits, but deprecated the State guaranteeing local bodies' loans in London, which was equivalent to increasing the public debt. The much promised local government reform was still postponed, and the importation of a railway manager from England was a great mistake. The Government claimed that the finances were sound. This was due entirely to tho fact that it had borrowed £5,700,000 during the year. THE MEMBER FOR ASOELBHHTON. Mr Nosworthy said the day for meteoric budgets had gone. They had come to a period when they wanted plain crude facts, and this Budget gave the country an honest statement of its position, that was what the members' opposite did not like. The prophesy that the advent of the Reform Government meant retrogression had not been fulfilled. The legislation which they were to repeal had. not been repealed, but had been improved by the party now in power. Mr McCalrum (Wairau) moved tho adjournment of the debate at 11.35 and the House rose.