The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, FEB. 9, 1893.

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 99, 9 February 1893, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, FEB. 9, 1893.

The Member for the Hutt. Dr Newman, M.H.E. for the Hutt, was interviewed by the Wellington representative of the Otago Daily Times. The Doctor regarded the prospects of the Opposition at the next general eleotion as more cheerful than they were some months ago. Promises of support have come from the most unexpected quarters. Iv all directions candidates for the seyenty-four constituencies have been sought, and the majority have already been decided on. Mr Carson will be again a candidate for Wanganui against Mr Ballance, and Mr Uarson is iv favor with a large proportion of the country settlers. As to the Government itself, curiosity is no longer awakened by what might be called the Government policy. It is felt that there are no more " surprises " in store ; that after the large promises made of relief from taxation and promises of vast improvement in the condition of the " human race in New Zealand " during the two years past the public are beginning to ask where 1 they are. When the present Government took office they amused themselves by lavish abuse of the previous Ministry ; but to«day the position is altered. Ministers are now in their third year of office, and the public naturally ask, " What have 'you done for us ?" The recess speeches of the Hou Mr Beeves at Auckland and of the Hon Mr Seddon at Otaki were absolutely naked of any policy. ! He went on to say : The revenue is ! coming in satisfactorily. The GovernI ment will have a considerable surI plus. It is rumoured that the surplus \ wiij reach £400,000, but I think thnt ; can only be at the very highest estimate possible. Still, I think there will be a large surplus. 1 strongly objected to the financial policy of the i Government for the last year despite the fact that they had a big surplus, and in the face of the well-grounded expectation that the country would show a large surplus this year tlwy propose a nnv tax <m cattlf. I suppose they do this to encourage the dairy industry. They put a new tax on oysters ; they put a tax on servants' registry offices, which was done, one would suppose, to protect the Labour Bureau ; they throatc-nud a tax on boardinghousc-keopcrs, and a tax on manufacturers. They further proposed half subsidies to local bodies during the coming year. The year after subsidies fcolocul bodiesshould be 'abolished altogether. This, of course, means that local bodies already struggling with hampered finances can only get along by doubling their already crushing rates. Instead of piling on taxation in this way, I think what the country really demands is relief from taxation, and that any Government worthy the name should sweep away irritating taxes instead of adding new ; ones. The frozen meat trade is of wonderful growth, but the trade has to pay all sorts of charges on the smallest payable profit. Four thousand sheep are killed every day in the province of Wellington for freezing purposes. There is now scarcely any j beef shipped from the colony, v* the price of beef has ruled so high, It is true this province is goin^ aluNul with magnificent strides botlj in town and country. Settlement is ach;ni«in^ rajmlly in every direction, au<l ilk

agricultural resources o£ this part of the colony are being rapidly developed. That will continue if the country be not overloaded with taxation. If taxation is to grow more and more prosperity will cease. The Government have not shown any disposition to relieve trade by a reduction of taxation. Their policy has been the reverse of that.