BALANCING THE BUDGET

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 188, 11 August 1931, Page 7

BALANCING THE BUDGET

AN IMPERATIVE DUTY COUNTRY’S REPUTATION CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 8. ‘ * I have some trepidation in coining to speak to you after the Budget which 1 recently delivered,” said the Prime .Minister, at the opening of the Christchurch Winter Show on Saturday evening. ‘’When I claim that it is a historical Budget-1 really hope that it will prove to be so, especially so far as the State deficit is concerned when we realise the possibility of it reaching £7,099,999. We know there has never been such a deficit and we do not want ‘‘With such a prospect before us, we should be. wrong if we did not do everything we could to balance the Budget,” continued Mr Forbes. “Everyone will agree, 1 believe, that it is the duty of the Dominion to meet its liabilities and to balance its Budget. We have a repu tation i f doing so in the past, and while 1 in England 1 was struck by the line opinion in which New Zealand was held. That reputation was built up on the fact that we have always fulfilled our obligations to the letter, and 1 am confident that the desire of the people is to continue on those lines. “In view of the expected deficit and the fact that the taxpayer has been asked to find only £1,899,009, I think tha’ it has been made as light as possible. This is not a party question, for it is our duty in every way to make every sacrifice to maintain the reputation of the country. The way to overcome difficulties is to go straight ahead and face them, a.id thi: .is the shortest and quickest path to prosperity.”