The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 67
Travelling Expenses
Travelling Expenses.
This was to some extent a personal matter, and he desired to bring it in. It had been said that the Government had been reckless in their personal and travelling expenses. He would like to compare notes, and make a comparison with those of his predecessors Mr Bryce had held only the position of Native Minister, whereas he (Mr Ballance) had held the portfolios of Native Minister, Defenoe, and Lands and had had to visit many parts of the country which the Native Minister was not required to visit—especially in the South Island. Taking the expenses for two years, and while not censuring or condemning Mr Bryce, whom he believed had incurred the expenses rightly and conscientiously in the discharge of his duties. Mr Bryce's expenses during the two years he was in office 1882-83 for travelling allowance and attendants' expenses amounted to £1355, while his (Mr Ballance's) for the two years of 1885-86 were £1112, and he had had a great deal of travelling to do in connection with the administration of lands in places where the Native Minister was not required. He could have made the figure more favourable to himself had [ unclear: he] culated the expense of having [ unclear: buggies] travelling where there were no railways which entailed extra expenses in travelling They must consider that his expenses compared favourably with those of his [ unclear: predcossors], and they must come to the [ unclear: conclsion] that his was not an [ unclear: extravaga] expenditure. With regard to Mr [ unclear: Larnac] expenses, he might say that there [ unclear: was] a nook or corner where gold was [ unclear: to] found in the colony that his [ unclear: colleague] not visited during the year, when [ unclear: he] curred the large expenditure; but [ unclear: if] had incurred a large expenditure in [ unclear: coparison] with his predecessor, he [ unclear: did] work for it, and his investigation had [ unclear: be] productive of the most happy and [ unclear: be] ficial results, (Applause.)