MR BAXLAHCB IN BIFLAS ATIOK. ■- On the motion for going into Committee for Supply Mr Baxlahob drew attention to a paper laid on the table purporting to show that the late Government expended the sum of £11,239,527 during their two yean of office. He took,exception to that .statement. When the statement came to be analysed it. was very different from what it was represen ted to be by the Colonial Treasurer. He (Mr Ballance) then proceeded to analyse the

statement at some length and refer red to the different item* in detail. The total expenditure of the late Government during the given period was, he contended, only £3,072,969. In considering the question at to whether or not that waa an extravagant expenditure, he had to remind them of the fact that their predecessors in office had spent during a similar period aa much as £4,464,831. Again, it was said that the Grey Government iad left liabilities to the extent of three and a half millions, but the fact wa» that these extended over a .very long period. Then, again, he did not find then? liabilities at all equal to those of the preceding Government. They found that in 1875 that Government stated their liabilities at four millions. If their accounts were properly looked into it would be found that their expenditure was much more economical than that of their predecessors. It had also to be borne in mind that before the land revenue was delocalised Government collected it/ and paid it over to the localities. Then again they were entitled to deduot expenditure made under permanent Acts, interest on loans, and other expenditure, which was absolutely beyond the control of any administration. If they added these oharges they would find that a total of £4,322,457 had to be deducted. Looking at the amount Government had placed on their estimates this year, it would be found that if they deducted permanent oharges they pro posed to expend £1,940,000 against an expen diture of £1,700,000.
