The Globe. SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1305, 25 May 1878, Page 2

The Globe. SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1878.

The Bill announced by Mr. Ballance, to reform our present system of Representation is not such as to alarm the most Conservative amongst us. All the present qualifications, with the exception of miners rights and lodgers franchise, are to remain untouched. The man who holds property in ton separate electoral districts will continue to have a vote in each. The man of wealth will bo able to exercise all tbo influence he at present exerts upon the return of members to the House of Representatives. In spite of what has been said about the inherent want of justice in the present mode of Representation, property is after all to be made its basis. It is true that a manhood qualification is to be introduced, but what is it? Before a man can claim under it be must have resided for two years ip the colony, and three or six months in one electoral district, and then be must be able to sign his uaipe to the application. This residential qualification will absorb tbo franchise granted to lodgers and to holders of miners rights. Now wo are not at present expressing any opinion for or against the measure sketched out by Mr. Ballauce. Our object at this time is to make our readers clearly understand what is the nature of tfio reform which the Grey Ministry propose as regards the franchise, and to ask them if it is in any sense what they wore led to expect jt would bo, and ou the strength of which many were induced to give their support to what has been called the “ Grey policy.” Next, as regards the incidence of taxation, what is the Ministerial plan, as sketched out by Mr. Ballance, under this bead? It is to impose a laud tax, ou what he called the natural value of laud, wjuicli

for this purpose would be divided into three classes. The fii*st class would be taxed a penny per aero, the second twopence, and the third threepence. But properties under 320 acres in extent should be totally exempt. Mr. Ballance would also include in the scheme those large companies which, he said, were reaping very handsome profits in the colony, and would got at them by imposing say per cent on their not income. The land tax is estimated to produce £150,000 to the revenue. Wo do not propose in this issue to enter upon the merits of the Government measure; wo leave our remarks on the proposals to a future occasion. But we wish to point out that Mr. Ballance said nothing whatever about reducing the Customs duties. The imposition of fresh taxation can bo justified on one of two grounds. The necessities of the country may bo such that additional revenue is absolutely needed, or it may bo required in place of other revenue which is to bo abandoned. The latter reason is the one which has boon largely made use of during the last few mouths. Wo have boon told that the burden of taxation required redistributing —that land was not bearing its just share, and that the necessaries of life were far too heavily taxed. Yet in the Ministerial manifesto issued by Mr. Ballance, the interests of the poor man receive no notice whatever. He does not tell us whether the Government intend or not to reduce the duties on the necessaries of life. All that the Premier has said on the subject is ignored. If there was one matter on which the head of the Government was more eloquent than another, it was on the injustice of our present system of taxation. Yet Mr. Ballance tells us nothing of the Government intention to remedy this injustice. If on the other hand the laud tax is required for the purposes of revenue, the point ought to bo made quite clear. If such is the case, the Government certainly cannot claim any special credit for the course they intend to pursue. All agree that, if fresh taxation is required, it must take the form either of a general property tax or a land tax. Of course it is possible, but not at all probable, that notwithstanding the non-reference to the subject by Mr. Ballance, it may still bo the intention of the Government to reduce the Customs duties by the amount they calculate to derive from the new tax. It is noticeable, however, that Mr. Ballauce gives, as the chief reason for the tax, the desire to distribute the land of the colony. “The great principle the Government had in view,” he said, “ was the distribution of land. If the aggregation of groat estates was allowed to go on the prosperity of the colony would cease.” The views of Mr. Ballance on the other great point in the policy of the Premier, the necessity for liberal land laws, we reserve to a future day. We have brought forward enough, in this issue, to prove that there is a great gulf between the opinions of the Ministry, as expounded by Mr. Ballance, and as announced by Sir G. Grey.