MB^^—1———■ : I ff7/f MtildhiQ jf/an TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1891. j Government Financial Proposals •» :

Feilding Star, 17 November 1891, Page 2

MB^^— 1— — — ■ : I ff7/f MtildhiQ jf /an TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1891. j Government Financial Proposals •» :

The policy of our self-styled Liberal Government is as far off as ever from becoming acceptable in. England, and •we "were informed by a cablegram which reached us yesterday that the principal financial houses in London deny the statement made by Mr Ballance, Premier of New Zealand, that the taxation policy of the Government is not expelling capital from the Colony. They declare that the policy is a suicidal one, and assert that many instances are known of the withdrawal 1 , or contemplated withdrawal, of large amounts at present invested in New Zealand. The land companies in London which are connected with the Colony, contemplate taking combined action against the taxation proposals, and will probably submit a united protest to the New Zealand Government in the matter. While we heartily concur in the latter proposal, we doubt very much whether any good results will follow. We believe that if Ministers were to show any inclination to give way to this pressure from without, their most ardent supporters would turn against them and rend them. Nothing but a policy of spoliation will satisfy the latter, and the only hope to that end the Liberals have is the continuance of their alleged representatives in office. That there will be a revulsion of feeling before many months are over is more than probable, but the time has not yet come. At the same time, it must not be forgotten that the prospects of the Colony were never brighter than at the present time. The amounts of our exports and imports are both largely on the increase: This indicates clearly and distinctly a happy and prosperous future notwithstanding the crass folly of our legislators, and the still greater folly of the electors who placed them in power.

From a Parliamentary paper containing a return of the names, revenue, and amount paid for salaries and office expenses of Local Bodies for the year ending 31st March, 1889, we glean the following items of interest. We regret that, so far as Feilding is concerned, we can gather no information whatever from the return, because "no returns were received " from this Boi'ough. Palmerston North : revenue, £1519 Os 6d; salaries, £201 8s sd ; office expenses, £177 2s lid. Halcombe ; revenue, £215 7s ; salaries, £25 ; office expenses, £JQ 9s lOd. Khvitea Road District-: revenue, £4308 9s 2d; salaries, £60; office! expenses, £20. Bfanawatu Road District: revenue, £1125 Is8d; salaries, £110; office expenses, £35. Manchester Road District : revenue, £2731 17s 5d ; salaries, £75; office expenses, £39 12s 4d. Mangaone River Board : revenue, £106 9s 3d ; salaries, £15 ; office expenses, £5. Wanganui Education Board : revenue, £21,228 8s ; salaries, £400; office expenses, £277 7s sd. It will be seen that the Road Districts, of which Feilding is the centre, appear to the best advantage as regards maximum of revenue and minimum of expenditure.

The cost of the Royal Commission on the Native Land Laws amounted tq £1106 16s sd. Of this sum the Commissioners annexed £407 11s 2d ; the Secretary £394 8s 4d ; the Interpreter, £230 11s 8d; Clerks, £21 10b , Reserves Trustee, £l 9s 6d ; steamship fares, £19; Assessor, £8 8s ; map of the North Island, £5 5s ; rent, £3 ; and only £15 3s 3d for advertising. We know the cost, but have yet to learn the actual value of the services rendered by this Commission,

In our correspondence column to-day, "Arbor" writes complaining of the destruction of the willow trees planted j along the banks of the Makino stream, by cows herded by boys. While no objection can reasonably be made to cattle being permitted to graze on the roadsides where feed is now bo remarkably abundant, wb think that people who are virtually allowed to . have the use of the grass for their j cows, and who do nothing in return for the privilege, might give such directions to the boys as would make them keep the cattle in their care, away from the young willows which hay.o been planted to be a benefit to ovorybody. £f they do not take tho hint thus kindly giy.en them, then (hoy must abide the consequences. I

Tub following are the traffic returns of the Na/jier-Tarauaki section for the i'jur weeks ending 10th of October, 1891 , and for the corresponding period

The number of passengers ia 1891

was 46,937 and iv 1890 35,917. There is an increase in timber : 1891, 3,303 tons; and 1890, 2,414 tons. A slight falling off appears in merchandise, but it is not appreciable!

iv 1890:— 1891. 1890. Passengers 5,730 1 5 4,807 6 4 Parcels 677 \% \ 441 19 10 Goods 5,422 4 5 5,442 \1 2 Miscellaneous 465 4 5 431 5 6 i 12,195 2 8 2 10