Untitled

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 5, 6 July 1893, Page 2

— — — f> I It is a matter for congratulation that the Government have decided not to interfere with the railway manage* ment this session. It would have been an unpopular movement, and have excited a feeling of antagonism to the Cabinet, which it is just as well to mroirt wben che general election is so near at hand. Although the Ministerial party is undoubtedly strong, yet they have evidently determined to take no unnecessary risks, while, cm the other baud, they are eviuciug a desire not only to disarm opposition, but to conciliate. This is notably the case in the matter of the subsidies to local bodies, which the Government have declared will not be reduced or J interfered with, for the reason that so I much new country is now being opened i up, and the settlers, under the limited borrowing powers under the Loans to Local Bodies Act, have so little money to make roads. We must be thankful for sntall mercies, but still we venture to oxpress the opiuion that an increase

in the subsidies could be very well applied in the cases of some of the road districts in this part of the country, where the roads have to be cut through rough and broken lands covered with dense forest. However, this is an event not likely to happen. We observ* that the next Parliament will be asked to revise the customs tariff. It is Bafe to conjecture, therefore, that more protection for certain alleged industries will be asked for. As Freetrade is not a popular cry now — and is still less likely to be at the general election — it need not be expected, or even hoped for, that many advocates of that system will be elected whose views are declared in its favor. We take it for granted, then, that any anticipation of heavier customs duties will be more than realised.