The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1896. THE FINANCIAL OUTLOOK.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 107, 3 November 1896, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1896. THE FINANCIAL OUTLOOK.

— — #. Sir Robert Stout was interviewed recently by a representative of the Dunedin Star, on the subject of the present financial outlook of the colony. He said he expected the revenue from the Customs this year will exceed that of last year by £80,000. Then our stamps were under estimated and parbaps the land revenue was also under estimated. Altogether we shall have perhaps £120,000 more revenue than the Treasurer estimated. Sir Robert did not think, however, that we are to have a rosy financial time ahead- fie estimated the Government ought to have about £200,000 to begin nextyear with. On being asked what is likely to happen in the near future he replied : " Well, it seems to me if the party now in power are returned at the ensuing General Election an increase of taxation is inevitable. Last year they proposed an increase of the ieath duties. They cannot well increase the Customs duties again. They did that last year, and those who supported tUe Ministry were coolly assured that taxation was only i#mft adjusted. It was an euphemious pbr«a# fcr increasing the taxation. The Waiatoj may propose to deal with the death duties* «b 4if their proposal About old

age pensions be given effect to they must increase the Land and Income Tax. Both these taxes are high al ready ; they are at what is called in England " war rates." But I should not be at all surprised were an attempt made next session to lower the exemptions and to increase the Land Tax. I believe that this was what the Premier intended to propose last session." The only conclusion Sir Robert could arrive at was " We are in for increased taxation " and he did not think we can go on borrowing, as we are doing, unless we increase our taxes or repudiate our debts. As to direct taxation he said it was suffi ciently high already, as on many ordinary farms the direct and local taxes together amount to about one fifth of the produce of the land itself. As to the Labor members in the House he said some have done their work well, while others have been lazy, have spoken seldom, and have taken no interest in the work of the House, save to vote occasionally when their masters bid. As the Premier, Mr Seddon, will deliver a political address in Halcombe this evening, it is highly probable that he will reply at some length to the strictures of Sir Robert Stout,