WELLINGTON PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2620, 11 July 1871, Page 3

WELLINGTON PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

In proroguing tlie Council llie Superintendent of Wellington, after assenting to a number of Bills, spoke as follows ; “ But tbe several Acts you have passed are not to be taken as the only gauge of tbe extent and importance of the woik of the session ; for, in addition to those m asures, you have passed several important resolutions, accompanied with certain draft Bills, which you have requested me, as Superintendent, to procure the passing of in the next session of the General Assembly. Whilst I assure you that I shall use my best endeavors to carry out your wishes, I t ike the opportunity of stating that, if i entirely fail!o obtain the assent of the Parliam- ■ t of the Colony to the measures which you thus desire me to bring forward, I mo no prospect of my being able ta vender you any further service in the capacity of Sup>. riutendent; and permit me here to observe that the office would cease to ho desirable if I could not promote the progress of the Province. In reviewing the legislative labors of your present session, I note with particular satisfaction that, notwithstanding the difference of views as to the basis of rating, you have manfully faced the question of direct taxation, and have thus adopted for the Province a policy of self-help, similar in character, if not in degree, to that policy of self-reliance which was so fortunately inaugurated for the Colony as a whole in 1864; and it is a further gratification that yonr measures with regard to district roads, main roads, tramways, and railways, constitute the complement of the policy of the present Colonial Government. 11 aving had the courage to adopt the policy of a general laud tax, you have doubtless already discounted at its true value the usual outcry against all taxation. I speak upon reflection when I say that I regard as a popular fallacy the belief that the prosperity of a country is always in an inverse ratio to the extent of its taxation. 1 believe, on tbe contrary, that the rule is, that the progress and prosperity of a uew country is in direct ratio to the extent of its taxation ; provided always that the produce of taxation is expended on works of useful development. ” A resolution has been passed by the Wellington Provincial Council requesting his Honor the Superintendent to take the necessary steps to procure the passing of an Act in the next session of the General Assembly for raising a loan of L100,U0(). The total appropriations for the year commencing 1871 and ending March 31, 1872, amount to LI 1?,220, and the estimated income is L 34,256, showing a deficit of L 82,970. The loan is to meet this deficiency. The Council voted LBOOO for the erection of the new Government Buildings,