THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, AUGUST.25, 1866.

Grey River Argus, Issue 97, 25 August 1866, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, AUGUST. 2S, 1866.

The defeat of Mr Stafford's Ministry is a matter in which the interests of Westlaud are more nearly concerned than would be imagined by many. Had the" financial scheme of the Colonial Treasurer been endorsed by the House, there is no portion of the colony where the result of the Ministerial policy would have been so severely felt as in tlie Gold Fields districts of "Canterbury and Nelson. Had the Government succeeded in. limiting ..the provincial share of the customs revenue to one-eighth, it would have followed -that the provincial authorities -would have been unable -to carry out those important and expensiveV works that are so _ urgently needed -in tne ; newly settled portions of the country. The direct revenue, derived frQQi the gold fields would bo able to accomplish but little, so that without taxation y in some other form tlie coiniibry'wouljcl.Lave to «go without roads, indeed without many riecessary works.. Happily however tlio House of j Representatives.' refused to sanction a j scheme of iiuarice in volvingsuch- serious effects on tlieprospei'ity.pf the provinces, .' and- the consequence waathe resignation cf Ministers. This is the siccprid a^tcivipfc '

that has been made 'by successive Governments to interfere witii the existing arrangements -with respect to the ,diyi r sion of the customs ''revenue,. Mr Weld's ministry desired to absorb the wholii of the customs duties, and to make' .annual .appropriations to -the 'provinces and now Mr Stafford seeks to grasp all but a paltry onereighth, > and to devote the money chiefly to "purposes.- 'with which the inhabitants of the chief contributing provinces' have little or no ( concern. The time has evidently arrived' when*a stop must be put to these attacks on provincial resources, and we fully agree with' "our contemporary'the "Lyttelton Times," that the opportunity should now be taken of .protesting by public petitions against any tampering with the right -of the provinces to three-eighths of the customs duties," Until this arrangement is con-, firmed by legal enactment' the Provincial Councils will be crippled to an epctcnt that will seriously impair the progress and prosperity of the colony. How can "a Provincial Council entertain the carrying out any large public uridertak- • ing, or any' important scheme involving heavy cost; whilst this chief item of revenue is liable to be disturbed. It is a pity that Mr Vogel's motion was not carried, but probably before tlie present session expires, it' or a similar measure may come before the House, and there can be no doubt whatever", that such a motion would be veryinucli strengthened by petitions such as oxir contemporary recommends. The remarks of the " Lyttelton* Times" are so very appropriate^that we. quote them at length: — " A strong feeling is at length rising up in this province, or at least in Christ, church, against the intolerable burden of -Northern taxation. We call it Northern taxation, because, though the taxes are mainly raised here, they are expended — every penny of' them— in the North, We should like to see the attention of tho West Coast and Timaiu drawn ;to this little circumstance. It is not Christchurch that absorbs the 'funds, but the North Island. It is quite possible that a sop may be thrown to them in the way of securing for local purposes the proceeds from certain local taxes and other sourcesr But let them keep in view that this will be done only after the main sources of revenue have been devoted to Northern purposes. The measures introduced by^the Colonial Treasurer not only impose new taxes upon us, but compel the imposition of fresh taxes by the Provincial Councils* in order to meet the current necessary expenses, and absolutely • stop all butthe most necessary and least costly un- | dertakings in the way of public works. We invite, therefore, the inhabitants of ! all the outlying districts to unite in memorialising the House of Representatives,'or the members for their respective localities to protect so far the interests of the Middle Island as to secure to us. our wonted three-eighths of customs revenue. This is to our mind the best, perhaps the only step which ■, the popple of Canterbury can take in j this matter. Memorials from all the districts to their members in the House of Representatives would have a good and direct effect.- We arc persuaded that these memorials would be signed by thousands, and would be opposed by few, if any. At so eventful a crisis in our affairs no time should be lost. Our common interests are at stake, and we have apparently but one remedy. Let the'provinces of the Middle. Island have the three-eighths of • their Customs Revenues guaranteed to them. We must bow submissively to the decision" of our .Parliament in the settlement of the minuter taxes. But in so threatening a matter as this is— one which decides the financial prospects of our province for years — it is the bouriden 'duty of the people to give expression' to their opinions, and to * make their influence felt." ~