RETRENCHMENT

Immediately on going into office, each member of the Government went carefully into the affairs of his department. Those ef them who, like himself, had depart ments in various portions of the colony, made visits of inspection to as many of those places as they possibly could, with the result thab they met together in Wel lington as a Government in Cabinet, and came to the conclusion that a very large amount of retrenchment could be made in the public service without impair ing its efficiency. They were aware ■what odium the actions of the Ministry in that direction had brought upon them through the medium of the Conservative press "of the colony, which on their as suming office accused them of being the •« Scatter-cash Government." Odium was also cast upon them by those whom they had unfortunately had to dispense with and their various friends throughout the colony. They had, during the four months they had been in office, reduced the public expenditure of the colony by between £50,000 and £60,000 (applause), and the public service, he ventured to Bay was being carried on at the present moment just as well as it was on the day they took office. A great deal had been said in the press of the colony with regard to tho actions of the Governmenb in that matter. They had been accused of doing injustice to this one and to thab one, of dis pensing with officers whose services could not be done without, and of inflicting punish ment and acbine in a cruel manner bo those whose services had been dispensed with. They had also been told by a eecbion of tho" press throughout the colony that Ministers were conducting themselves with out any reference to their colleagues. 