The Globe. SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1878.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1388, 27 July 1878, Page 2

The Globe. SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1878.

The speech of his Excellency with which Parliament was opened yesterday is disappointing. The sayings and doings of Ministers during the recess naturally excited a great deal of curiosity to learn what the intentions of the Government wore. People were anxious to know which section of the Cabinet was in the majority; whether it was Sir G. Grey, Mr. Ballanco, or Colonel Whitmore, who had succeeded in gaining the ascendancy —whether, in fact, the measures wore to bo radical, moderate, or conservative ones. The speech does little to enlighten us on this. All that wo are told on the subject is that measures have been prepared, and will be brought before Parliament dealing with electoral reform, “ which it is hoped will tend to place the franchise and the method of electing members of the House of Representatives upon a satisfactory basis.” All the information which we gather from the speech, therefore, is that Ministers intend doing something in the matter of electoral reform, but what that something is, it has not been expedient to make public yet. We turn next to what is said on the question of the re-adjustment of taxation. Hero again the speech is guardedly vague. Measures, we are told, will be introduced “ to place the taxation of the colony on a more equitable basis, apportioning the public burdens according to the capacity to bear them, and the tariff will be submitted to revision, tending to relieve commerce of some restrictions which retard its growth.” The speech does not tell us in what manner it is proposed to place the taxation of the colony on a more equitable basis. Are wo to have a laud tax, or a property tax, or an income tax ? Recent Ministerial utterances would lead us to believe that it is a land tax which will be proposed. As regards a reduction of the Customs duties, those ardent supporters of the Premier, who have been dreaming of a free breakfast table, will be somewhat astonished to learn that the proposed reductions are to be made, not in the interest of the working man, but for the benefit of commerce; the tariff is to bo revised so as to relievo commerce of some of the restrictions which retard its growth. Of course this is a most desirable aim. Everything which tends to develop our commercial relations must benefit, not only those directly interested—the trading classes—but all the inhabitants of the colony. But that is a very different object to be attained from that of reducing as much as possible the duties on all the necessaries of life. Those supporters of the Premier among the working classes, who were induced to give him their support on the faith of his platform speeches, will soon be able to judge how far ho has fulfilled his former promises. Of course they will be bettor able, when the Bills themselves are before the colony, to come to a decision on the matter. But, as far as the speech repeals the intentions of the Cabinet, Sir G. Grey has won the support of a section of the community on something very like false representations. Wo believe there are some of his supporters who, in spite of the utterances of his colleagues, have been clinging to the belief that he would, ultimately, have his own way iu the Cabinet, and that, when the House met, it would bo found that the Hon. Mr. Ballance would bo nowhere, and Sir G. Grey’s influence all-powerful. It was hoped that all the Premier told them would bo embodied in concrete form, and that those who had been predicting a wide gulf between his promises and his performances, would he covered with confusion. If any such still exist, they must now he grievously disappointed. A large part of the speech is. of course, occupied with Native affairs. The House is congratulated on the fact that peaceful relations have “ at last ” been established with the Waikato and Kgaiimaniopoto tribes. The most is made of the result of the recent meetings between the leading chiefs of those tribes and the Premier and Native Minister. Papers are promised which will show that “ the long period of serious difficulties with the Native race may be reasonably considered to bo approaching a termination.” Ministers are quite right to make the most of their dealings with the Natives. It is a subject on which the general community are less informed than on most other public questions, and there has always been an air of mystery surrounding our relationship with the Maori race which opens a tempting field for the operations of the quack. Wo hope, however, that, in, the present instance, the

magnificent anticipations of Ministers will bo ovou half fulfilled.

Upon the other questions referred to in the speech, wo need not dwell at length. We are informed that Ministers had resolved to take steps to defend our harbours, in the event of war, and that the necessary armament will shortly arrive in the colony. Of what use armament which will “shortly” arrive in the colony, would have boon to us, had war been declared some months ago, it is difficult to determine. But, now that wo possess the necessary guns, it is to bo hoped that they will bo mounted, and steps taken to train a force which will, in any future emergency, place the colony in a position to defend itself against the sudden visit of an enemy. The other subjects in the speech, such as a reform in the Supremo Court procedure, the Royal Commission on the Now Zealand University, the mail contract, &c., call for no special comment at present.