Development <<n<l Taxation. 81 



Three Ways of Development. 



The question for discussion is whether the colony can he developed 

 without imposing fresh burdens of taxation upon the citizens. It seems 

 that this is only possible in one or all of three ways, first, by retrenchment 

 and the devotion of our economies to opening up the country, secondly, 

 by formulating and carrying out schemes remunerative from the outset, 

 and thirdly, by securing the introduction of outside capital to carry out 

 independently a constructive policy of which we should reap the benefit. 



I use retrenchment in the widest sense. In its narrow sense it is a 

 very popular policy at all times and a favourite electioncatchcry. Those 

 who use it are seldom able to point out methods where it can be applied 

 without a corresponding loss of efficiency. Rough surgeiy can be prac- 

 tised by anybody who has a butcher knife but the difficulty is to prevent 

 the patient from being mortally wounded or bleeding to death. Even 

 when the knife is scientifically applied as had to be done during the 

 Swettenham-Ashmore regime to save the land from bankruptcy, much 

 may be pared oil* which either can never be replaced or which has to be 

 built up again piecemeal when the delusory character of the economy is 

 realised. In this regard I think I need only refer to the abolition of the 

 Administrator General's Office It has had to be reconstructed step by 

 step and what this colony has lost in revenue from its abolition owing to 

 the absence of any proper supervision of the administration of estates 

 must amount to a very considerable sum. The abolition of the flourish- 

 ing Government Savings Bank the oldest British institution of its kind is 

 another instance However, there is no doubt that our legal equipment 

 at all events is redundant and overweighted for present requirements. 

 I am glad to say that His Excellency has approved of my proposals for 

 abolishing the Limited Jurisdiction and. while providing for an in- 

 dependent local Appeal Court, for enabling the bench to be reduced by 

 one Judge. I am glad to say too that Their Honours individually have 

 expressed themselves in sympathy with such a scheme. It will give each 

 Judge the full powers of a Supreme Court Judge and do away with the 

 anomaly of three Judges being necessary for all cases affecting sums over 

 S2,500. Other proposals for reducing the cost and number of the legal 

 branch of the administration are being considered by His Excellency. 



This is an instance of retrenchment in the narrower sense, but there 

 is also an economy to be practised in the health and fitness of the human 

 machine, in the lives of men, and especially in the lives of babes and suck- 

 lings. It is a relief to think that our splendid public health regulations 

 are being put into force with a system and determination which has never 

 been surpassed before, under the inspiring influence of His Excellency and 

 Surgeon General Godfre} 7 and with the scientific knowledge which Drs. 

 Wise, Rowland, Ozzard, Ferguson, Minett and Wishart have been able 

 to furnish. In connection with this work of public health it would be 

 unfair to overlook the name of Dr. Law who, with our indefatigable Sur- 

 geon General, kept the flag flying in spite of the hostility of the uneducated 

 and the indifference of those who ouu;ht to have known better. The results 



