Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, AUGUST 2, 1869. THE THREATENED CORN LAWS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 705, 2 August 1869, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, AUGUST 2, 1869. THE THREATENED CORN LAWS.

According to present appearances the new Ministry under Mr Fox are resolved that they will be remembered by the. Colony by other things besides the abandonment of the advanced positions of the Colonial forces, and inspiring the rebels with new life ; for at length it is seriously proposed to inflict upon this unfortunate Colony that most odious and impolitic ot all possible taxes, a duty on cereals and breadstuffs. The subject was mooted at first in the House of Representatives on Thursday, 22nd ult., by a private member (Mr Macandrew), probably as a kind of feeler to discover in what spirit such a proposition would be received by hon. members before it was seriously brought forward by the Government as an integral portion of its policy. On that occasion (we quote from the authorised debates), " on the motion of Mr Macandrew, it was resolved, Thab this Hou*e will to-morrow, resolve itself into; committee of the whole to consider the following resolution, viz. :—'ln the opinion of this House it is expedient that upon all Cereals and | Breadstuffs imported into this Colony from other countries, there! be levied an Import Duty equivalent to that imposed by such countries, upon similar commodities imported from New Zealand.' " Mr Macandrew's resolution having been so readily agreed to seems to have given the Ministry courage to speak out and show their colors, which was accordingly done by the Colonial Treasurer, Mr Yogel, who, as we learn from a telegram in our| contemporary, lenunciatee the policy of the Government in this matter as follows : "Go\ eminent will propose a small duty, to continue while the price does not exceed a fixed minimum. The duty is estimated to yield about .£15,000. Government does not assert the abstract doctrine of either protection or free trade, but pi-oposes the duty because the fiscal policy of Victoria seems to force this course upon us." We are informed that the Government expect the proposed duty to yield £15,000 per annum to the Treasury ; but we are not told—and indeed it would require an expert financier to tell to an approximation how much the people will have to pay to produce this result, a matter too frequently overlooked by those who advocate taxes of this class. It is, however, true that while the duty paid on the imported article is all that reaches the Treasury chest, the full amount of that duty is paid by the: consumer on all that is consumed of home produce as well as foreign, so that while £15,000 reaches the treasurer, some £150,000 or £500,000 may have to be paid by the public,! according to the proportion in which home products exceed foreign importations, j It must be admitted that in this' matter the Fox Ministry are trying' a most critical experiment, and one that, if persisted in, will only hasten its downfall. As a rule, the public are already disgusted with the result

of its retreat policy, although that has not been different from what might have been foreseen ; but to introduce a system of taxation condemned by the experience of all Go vernments that have given it a trial, and which is being got rid of as fast .as possible by all communities that are so unfortunate as to labor under it, is the height of political folly,— the reason given for this strange proceeding bein •, not that the Government approves of the exploded doctrine of protection, but because a neighboring colony has been so foolish as to adopt it.