Reirenchment.

Speaking as to the question of retrenchment generally, Mr Ballance said that Major Atkinson, though condemning the Government as extravagant failed to place his finger on a single item on which he could charge them with extravagance. He made general statements regarding the expenditure but there was no direct attempt made to show that the Government had been guilty of extravagance. This he thought must be taken as the strongest evidence of inability on the part of the Opposition to point out any defects, and it must be taken for granted that the estimates were brought down framed upon an economical basis.