THE PREMIER’S SPEECH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2495, 7 May 1909, Page 5

THE PREMIER’S SPEECH.

MR. J. ALLEN’S CRITICISM. (Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Mavjß. In the course of an interview to-day, Air. J. Alien, M.P., expressed disappointment with the Prime Minister’s Invercargill speech. He said that apparently the whole of the extra railway earnings (£83,507) had been expended. As the Premier states, a saving of £176.340 had been! effected on votes. Without this saving on appropriations, there would have been no surplus at all. The statement that the expenditure of the consolidated hind for the vear had increased by £-571,(300 was startling. The Premier admitted that £250,000 could bo saved by amalgamation economy. If that waving could be made this year, it could liaie been made in other years, and the money used on roads, railways, etc. The increase in revenue m the three years of Sir Joseph Vl aril’s Administration was £1,416,826, but the increase in the expenditure m the same ter mwas £1,663.1(3, and lie anticipated it would be necessary to raise a loan of more than £125,000 in the euirent vear. It was satisfactory in one sense‘to know that the Prime Minister had been able to arrange for loan renewals. but the practice of having to renew a large amount of short-dated debentures every now and them'was a verv hazardous one. It was not right that the Government should have to renew to provide for within throe yea is nearly £8,'000,000 of debentures and provide in the current year for another j>2 613,890.. Mr. Allen condemned the native land administration, and said the southern members ought to help the North to make provision that native'land will be no longer unused. He feared that the Prime Minister s national annuities scheme would not be one of a sound financial basis. Hi stron»dv advocated a change m .regard toT"?oU and l.op«l would do something in the- mattn.