TIGHT and responsible control of public expenditure is always a desirable goal. It is therefore important that the Board of Governors of the new Hong Kong Stadium be accountable to the Urban Council which elected it to ensure it spends wisely. In thatsense the latest row over the cost of the gala opening of the new stadium is justified. Since the Urban Council is responsible for half the cost of the event, the Board of Governors should have consulted councillors before it committed itself to outlays ofmillions of dollars.
However, the outrage over the cost of the party itself is probably overdone. Complaints over ''Rolls-Royce class'' opening ceremonies and over-spending on construction and fitting out have dogged many of the world's most prestigious and attractive publicfacilities. Yet in retrospect, it has been money well spent. This is especially true when no one is making any claims in self-justification that the public is getting the Rolls in question for the price of a Ford. If one is openly going for the most expensive, there will always be those who carp that it is a waste of public money.
But sometimes the best is worth paying for, without pretending one is getting it on the cheap. An enormous amount of money and effort has already gone into the construction and equipment of the Hong Kong Stadium. To baulk now at paying out an extra $5 millions (in reality the additional spending will be less, since a cheaper presentation would also have cost money) for an opening which could put the stadium in the public eye region-wide may be penny-wise and pound-foolish. The purpose of the new stadium should be to provide a prestigious, and profitable, year-round venue for outdoor events of international standing. It should not be hidden away and brought out once a year for the Rugby Sevens.