Excerpt from Address of Hon. E. J. Davis, Commissioner of Crown Lands, in Connection With the Budget Debate of the Legislative Session of 1902: Opposition Criticism Fully Answered

Perhaps this debate Is one oi the most important In whith we can be engaged in this House. It allords the members an opportunity oi examining the financial statement oi the year which is placed bolure us by the Honorable the Provincial Treasurer ior tla consideration oi the House and the country. This is the course pursued by all properly conducted business institutions, which at the end of the year maiw a statement showing exactly the position oi their business arrangements (or the year just clwod. Why do we do this? And why do all well-regulated com panies and business men pursue this course? The object is to ascertain whether the very best results are being obtained. It is oi very great importance and interest to the people oi this Province that they should know, at least once a year. And be able to see lrom the detailed state ment oi the financial manage-mt oi the Province. That the very best results are being achieved by those who are resnonsible. Ior the time being. Lot the conduct ol the business in which the people oi this Province are interested. I am not sure, air. But that perhaps we. As public men. Might iollow this example with profit to ourselves and profit to our country, ii, at the close oi each year, we consider lor a few minutes what progress we have been making through that year in adding to the development and prosperity oi the people whom we represent, and whose interests are placed in our hawdz. Sir, how are we to judge the result in dealing with 3 financial statement such as n is, dealing with important interests in an important Province. The most important in this great Dominion of which we are proud There is only one way by which we can lorm an estimate as to whether we are achieving the best results by our financial management, and that is by comparing our position and results with those of other Provinces in the Dominion. And States oi the American Union similarly sitinted to ours. And when we rise itom the considera tion of that question, and compare our position with that at other Provinces and States. Every citium oi this Province, will, 'l think. Rim with pleasure horn such consideration of our Budget, and admit that thereis no Province in the Dominion so happily wituated as we are. (minty rial applaun.) Sir. I propose. A little later on to give some data that will bear that out, and I would ask the Hon. Gentlemen who loiiow on the other side oi at Home to be good enough to point to any Province in. The Dominion or State in the American Union that can compare with this Province, so far as its financial management is concerned. The first observation ol the lion. Member lor South Lanarr, in reply to the Troap surer'a Budget speech. Was to say that the whole speech was an apology.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.