COLONIAL TAXATION.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IX, Issue 463, 21 March 1867, Page 3

COLONIAL TAXATION.

[New Zealand Herald.] The amount of taxation borne by the colonists at present is large, far to large. But since public attention is now called it, since exceptional circumstances, as the war, will soon really cease to exist, and the cry for retrenchment is deep and loud, we trust that every exertion will be made to lighten the burdens of the people. There is certainly one redeeming feature in this matter of taxation, though heavy and grevious to be borne at the present, it shows very conclusively to the English public that the colonists of New Zealand will maintain their public honor and credit at any sacrifice. We may grumble at heavy taxation, but we grumble and submit in order that the public creditor may be paid. Although it is strongly felt that Great Britain has acted very harshly towards a young Colony with unexampled difficulties raised principally too by Imperial officers, yet there has never been a hint given that the “Yankee notion ” would be entertained which the “ drabcolored men of Pennsylvania ” piously put into practice, if we except the attempt at present threatened by the Wellington Provincial Executive to repudiate their agreement made respecting the patent slip to be erected by Messrs Kennard, and the idea of which repudiation will doubtless be scouted by the Provincial Council of Wellington when it takes cognisance of the matter. Out of evil therefore may yet come good, for when the money lenders of England note how this young Colony has battled with its great difficulties, has made unparalelled efforts to surmount them, and determined at great self-sacrifice to pay her debts in an honorable manner, their confidence must of necessity be given to the colony. The English papers publish the fact that we have imposed heavy taxation upon ourselves. This in itself is an evil, but for the object for which it is imposed, it redounds to our credit and raised us in the scale of nations. Thus, it is quite certain that our selfsacrifice will be carefully noted in England, and as a struggling merchant who curtails his expenditure, and in tiio fstes of scLvSjTSS circumstances p&ys his debts, wins respect and confidence, so similarly do colonies such as this, which impose extra and really heavy burdens on themselves to meet their engagements.