- 3-
400
are many where circumstances combine to prevent the expenditure of the money allocated to this or that
object, and among the desirables work may be postponed
at any rate till late in the year owing to difficulties,
such as change of site or questions of accommodation
required or of design. It is in fact hardly possible to complete a programme of this size precisely according to a very definite plan, and a margin of variation is called for; and hence a margin of saving in fact a
slightly inflated estimate is unavoidable.
Considerations such as the se, invariable under-expenditure which cannot be estimated for, will justify calling the Account balanced when mathematics would not justify the word. But all the expenditure allowed for must be at the lowest desirable" and must at its total figure be
within our means and the Government holds that the
proposals now before the Council fulfil these
requirements.
If
A word on the other side of the problem.
necessity compels, as it did when the dollar sank to 1/- and below, it is possible to reduce certain departmental expenditure and some Public Works. It is granted that this can only be done by a certain risk of efficiency as e.g. by reducing travelling and other allowances, or
but by lowering the standard of the upkeep of roads necessity may compel, as it has done before. The Treasurer is standing by with his blue pencil as he
notes