The Globe. MONDAY AUGUST 12, 1878.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1401, 12 August 1878, Page 2

The Globe. MONDAY AUGUST 12, 1878.

Although it may be presumed that no sane man, who had the least knowledge of the finances of the colony ever anticipated that Sir George Groy's views in the matter of the customs duties would be carried into effect by his colleagues, it is nevertheless well in appraising the extent of confidence to which ho is entitled to boar in mind what those views were last session, and to compare them with the proposals made in the financial statement. Taking first of all the two main items on which the Government propose a remission—with respect to tea Mr. Ballanco says: —"I have estimated the revenue on tea this year at ,£'B-1,000, and we propose to reduce the duty from (id to 4d per lb, giving a relief to the teadrinkers of £28,000 a year." Speaking on August 17th last year Sir George Grey said : —" I say that at once the inhabitants of New Zealand genorally might be relieved of taxation to the extent of £359,000 a year by reducing the taxes on articles which some people say are not necessaries of life compai'ed with porridge, but which the British race, wherever they go, consider as essential comforts of their homes. ... By taking 6d per lb off the duty on tea

£75,000 a year would be saved; and I will particularly say in reference to this article—an argument which need not be repeated in all other instances—that this £75,000 a year does not represent the whole charges; that when the merchant pays this, he adds to the cost of the article not only the duty, but the interest on his outlay, and other charges which he has to pay: so that I believe that the 6d in the pound of tea really comes to 9d or lOd by the time it reaches the consumer. The £75,000 saved to the consumer would therefore inrealitymean almost £IOO,OOO a vear." From which it appears that on this item only a third of the amount which the Premier said could at once be saved for the working classes in duty, apart from merchants commissions, is to be saved. Then as to sugar, Mr. Ballance sa y S.—» .—» The sugar duty mainly bears on the same classes as does the duty on tea, but it affects a number of industries which require special consideration. . . . The duty on sugar is now a penny per lb, and we propose to reduce it to a half

penny. Tho estimated revenue from sugar is this year £137,000, and the relief to the consumer under our proposal will be £68,500." On the other hand, Sir George Grey in the speech above quoted, said ; —" lam of opinion that sugar not only is an essential comfort, but in the case of children one of the primo necessaries of life at the present day. . . , I turn next to sugar, molasses and treacle: and there a saving of £126,000 a year might bo made, but, as I said before, the actual duty only partially represents the sum which the consumer would have to pay." In this case, therefore, Sir George Grey's Government, after a year's preparation, propose to give only half that which ho held it the duty of the late Government to give in full and at once. On these two items alone, therefore, there is a difference of £104,500 between tho remission on necessaries which tho Premier held was immediately possible, and which would principally benefit the working classes, and that which his Government propose now. In other words, ho, though ho now has tho power to remedy what he regards as a wicked imposition by the rich upon the poor, to the extent of the sum stated, will not stir a finger to do so, even though ho stooped to nuke capital against his predecessors in office out of the alleged practicability of his Ihon scheme.

Let us look now at tho other items on which tho Premier said that tho duty ought to bo remitted, and held that there Avould bo no difficulty in effecting tho saving immediately. Where i P the remission of £SOOO on coffee, of £IO,OOO «n rice, of £9OOO on haberdashery, of £BOOO on cotton goods, of £IB,OOO on apparel, of 123,000 oil cottons and kerosene ? But even supposing these reductions belonged to the unattainable, whore, oh whore, is that reduction upon drapery of which, as ho touchingly pointed out, "are made children's frocks and girls' gownc," to the amount of £84,000? By permitting these taxes to cuutiuue bo is, according to his own Rowing, imposing

on the colonists, and principally upon the ■working classes, burdens to the extent of £157,000, which at this time lastyear he hold might he easily removed, and the weight placed upon the shoulders of the wealthy classes by half an hour's conversation among the then Ministers, if only they had the will. He had the will. "Wo have a sufficient number of votes," ho said, " during this session, and I would squeeze it out of them when wo can." See now his performance ! Now that by specious promising, by frothy oratory, and indignant denunciation of all that is likely to be regarded by the working classes in the light of an evil, he has succeeded in worming himself into their confidence, and so temporarily obtainod an autocratic power such as no Minister in Now Zealand has beforo possessed. What return does this honest man make for their implicit roliance ? This is his return: this is tho measure of his honesty: that of £359,000 which he said would bo immediately saved, and might forthwith be transferred to tho rich from tho shoulders of the poor, he will consent to the remission of £96,500, or little more than a fourth, leaving £252,500 still untouched. No doubt the working classes may be properly grateful to their benefactor; they may reward his honesty of purpose, that noblo zeal with which ho equals his professions by his performance, by fawning on him in a maimer yet more abject than beforo. If this is what Sir George Grey expects, wo think he will be disappointed. The working classes of tho colony may bo unversed in political wiles, and may at first bo led astray by much promising. But though they swallowed his sugary words for a while, they are not such imbeciles and idiots as he seems to think. They can discern between promise and performance, and though the froth of tho demagogue might seem a wholosome meal for them yesterday, to-day they will find its vanity and unsatisfying character, and the consequences of that discovery will soon make themselves felt.