Retrenchment.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 534, 20 November 1890, Page 3

Retrenchment.

[to the editor.] Sir,—lt was pleasing to hear Mr Kelly say that he assisted in reducing the public expenditure last session by close on £50.000, and it was also satisfactory to hear him say that, it would have been just as easy to save £lOO,OOO if a majority in Parliament had determined to do so. I think it is clear the country needs such a majority at the present time, and if Mr Kelly is re-elec ted I hope he will have an opportunity of assisting to save another £50,000 next session. Mr James Muir, Hon. Sec. N.Z. Financial Reform Association, in a communication to The Otago Workman, says : —“The Atkinson Ministry seem to be affected by a moral obliquity when they state that they cannot see where retrenchment can be made in the. public expenditure. Look at last year’s bill: —

Or a total sum of £1,963.766 16 8 for governing about half a million of people, of whom at least one half are children.” And I may remark in passing—the children are of course non-yoters, and half of the remaining members of the population are women, whom some candidates we know of, would not allow to have a voice in the expenditure of public money. The saving referred to by Mr Kelly was brought abvtit by the firm stand taken by some Auckland members, who demanded from the Premier a reduction in the estimates to that amount. This demand was made by a compact body of nominal supporters of the Government—-but practically members of the opposition in this matter ; it was vigorously supported by the Opposition members, and the desired result was attained. Those who simply did their duty on this occasion are falsely described as ‘ Skinflints ” by some people. Mr Lawry, one of the so-called “ Skinflints,’' has been explaining how it was he “dared to do such wicked deeds?’ (see Auckland Weekly News, Oct. 18.) “He urged reductions should be made on the salaries of highly paid civil servants. He thought there was surely no great sacrifice in taking £2 a week off the salary of an cffi<*er who was getting £16.” Most people would agree with Mr Lawrv. The highly skilled mechanic would, who hag spent at least seven years in perfecting himself in bis trade, and who would be willing to work hard with hand and brain for over a month to obtain such an amount, and without any prospect of pension or compensation. The bushman, the ploughman, and the navvy, would also agree with him, and would have no difficulty in arriving at the conclusion that Mr Lawry was not a “ Skinflint," for it is hard to say how long they would have to work to gain such a sum of money. Compare the extravagant amounts given to many persons engaged in the public service, to the miserable dole of three shillings a day tendered to the common juryman, and the conviction must lie forced upon us that some things are not as they should be in the way public money is expended in the colony.—l am, &c., J. SIOLET.

CLARES 1 TO 13. Legislative .. .. .. £14,474 0 7 Colonial Secretary .. 111,940 0 11 Colonial Treasurer ... .. 38,275 1 11 Minister of Justice .. •• 118.701 8 7 Postmaster-General 273,103 4 10 Com’r of Trade and Customs 70.0G6 7 6 Commissioner of Stamps .. 22.338 16 1 Minister of Education •• 365.641 11 6 „ Native Affairs .. 19,431 1 2 ,, Lands and Mines 49 248 1 6 Working Railways . * 656.698 6 11 Minister of Public Works • • 56.615 19 1 ,, Defence .. 162,820 10 10 Services not provided for •• 4,412 5 3