CO129-519-1 Estimates for 1930 5-9-1929 - 14-11-1929 — Page 114

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such improvements as are provided for in the present Budget will be considered to be more than worth the increased expenditure they involve. I might add that part of the increase in the dollar expenditure is explained by the fact that sterling expenditure other than salaries has been converted into dollars at 1/10d instead of at 1/1ld as in the estimates for 1929.

Hon. Members will notice that in spite of the

increase in the total estimated expenditure there is an increase of only $421,145 in that very popular vote Public Works Extraordinary to which members of the public are inclined to turn first to see whether their own favourite schemes have been included. It might have been expected that with so large an expenditure there would be a large increase in expenditure on Public Works of tho kind included under the heading of Public Works Extraordinary but, Sir, funds did not permit of this popular move. The Government however has not been content to adopt a waiting policy. revenue has shown a remarkable stability throughout the recent difficult years and the Government has every confidence that the revenue will be maintained or even increased in future years provided no fresh political upheaval still further distracts our great but still sorely distracted neighbour the Republic of

China.

The

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