The Globe. FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 928, 15 June 1877, Page 2

The Globe. FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 1877.

It seems to "be generally taken for granted that before long the Government will find it necessary to propose fresh taxation in one form or another. A very large portion of the money spent upon public works still remains unproductive, and it may be years before a return is obtained for the outlay. In the meantime, the interest on the loans has to be found, and it is generally agreed that the present sources of revenue cannot be materially increased. The Customs revenue is not likely to increase during the next few years. On the contrary it is more likely to diminish. Eevenue must be looked for in another direction. There are two sources from which it may be got, an income or a land tax. If either has to be imposed, the latter is by far the most equitable. It cannot be denied that the owners of property have been large gainers by the Public Works policy. The value of land has risen immensely during the last few years, yet its owners have contrib ut ed nothing to wards the general revenue, beyond what they pay as consumers of dutiable goods. Such a state of things is manifestly unfair. The man whose wealth has been increased enormously by the expenditure of the borrowed millions, ought to pay a larger share of taxation than the working man. There is an evident disinclination to face the question on the part of the majority of our public men, and, no doubt, if they possibly can, they will postpone the discussion of it indefinitely. But the mass of the people have a deep interest in its settlement. Even were our present revenue sufficient < to > meet our-re-quirements, we maintain that the time has arrived for an adjustment of

taxation. At present it presses most severely upon those who can least afford to pay, while the wealthy all but escape. Even had the heavy burdens of the country not been incurred for the benefit of the property holders, it woiild have been open to discussion whether the land should not have borne a share of the taxation. But in the peculiar circumstances of New Zealand the question hardly admits of discussion. All over the colony, wherever railways have been constructed, land has risen enormously in value during the last few years. A small tax per acre would produce a large sum, and enable the Colonial Treasurer to arrange our finances in a much more satisfactory manner. We therefore trust that during the coming session the subject will receive some attention at the hands of our representatives. Those opposed to a property tax should take a lesson from the result of the recent elections in Victoria. In that colony, owing to the high handed doings of the squatters and their friends, a set of men have been returned pledged to the imposition of an enormously heavy land tax, and the result will be that owners of property may find themselves rather severely dealt with. We hope no such party cry will ever be raised in this colony. But it depends upon the action of our rulers during the next few years. If they continue to impose the burden of taxation almost entirely upon the shoulders of the non-propertied classes, the people will rise in defence of their own rights, and the result may be as calamitous to the owners of real estate, as the recent elections have proved to the squatters of Victoria.

The result of the Waimate libel case will, we are sure, be a lesson to those who think it the duty of newspapers to publish any kind of correspondence forwarded to them, no matter how libellous it may be. We need not repeat again the facts of the case, as they have already been published in our columns. Both the writer of the letter and the proprietor of the newspaper in which it appeared were found guilty, and the former sentenced to three month's imprisonment, and the latter fined £IOO. His Honor, in addressing the jury, very justly remarked on the use and blessing of a free press properly conducted, and the curse of one allowing free license to the passions, and treating rumors and reports, without foundation, as absolute facts. There are certain members of the community who profess to deplore the absence of what they call independant journals in this colony. With them independant journalism appears to mean freedom to libel anonymously any one with whom they disagree. The result of the case under notice will, we hope, convince such persons that if newspapers enjoy great privileges, they also rest under serious responsibilities.