The Ashburton Guardian. Magna et Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 1890. STATE RETRENCHMENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2488, 11 August 1890, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna et Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 1890. STATE RETRENCHMENT.

Ministerial insincerity m the matter of public retrenchment is strikingly illustrated by proceedings now taking place m Committee of Supply. The Ministry are fighting tooth and nail to have the Estimates passed as originally brought down, and when this is found to be impracticable, the country is treated to the spectacle of Cabinet Ministers pleading piteously to Government supporters, " Skinflints," Opposition, and "Independents" to deduct as little as possible from certain highsalaried officials, who are notoriously over-paid^ Ministers were elected to their positions on the distinct understanding that public expenditure was to be curtailed. This pledge was given and was kept for a time, but, on the eve of an election, and with a view to catching the working-man's vote, the Government hare turned a political ■omersault, and would now pose before the country as the champions of the underpaid Civil Servant. Salaries previously cut down are recommended to be raised again, and a, decided effort is being made to force the Retrenchment Party into a false position. They are made to appear as the enemy instead of the friend of the poorly-paid Civil Servant ; and they are the enemies of that class of Servant only who draw princely incomes for doing next to nothing. The working man, however, be he a Civil Servant or otherwise, is not the fool he appeared to be a few years ago, and is sufficiently educated to distinguish between those who are his friends and those who are his foes. He will therefore be able to appreciate at its true value the sincerity of a Ministry who have cut down the salaries or dispensed with reasonably-paid Civil Servants, and have left a small army of over-paid Civil Service barnacles untouched. We think the coming election will prove this, and we look hopefully forward to see the majority of those who are now supporting the Government to maintain lavish expenditure rejected by the various constituencies.