Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 1899. The Coming Election.

Manawatu Herald, 20 April 1899, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 1899. The Coming Election.

Matters appear to be progressing very satisfactorily for the Government at the coming elections, the Opposition not having, apparently, marshalled their forces, or their facts, or their policy. This is decidedly most unfortunate, as a strong and healthy opposition is of very much value to the country, being the only means whereby the people are enabled to keep the party in power, in check. The workers have been so busy; for so long, running after special legislation for themselves, which, except in a few cases, has we think worked to their disadvantage instead of profit, that they have left the most important plank in the one-time Liberal platform, a free breakfast table, unnoticed. When a collector comes round and demands a certain amount of coin, the person from whom it is demanded realises at once the cost of that special service, and rightly estimates whether he gets a proper value for his expenditure, this is direct taxation, and is the system desired by those, who, having nothing to gain from party strife, would like to see enforced in this colony, when a keener interest would be taken in election matters. If we all received a notice, certainly it would be longer, but still it could be framed on the model of the Borough rate notices, on which we read that Parliament had voted so many hundreds of thousands of pounds for salaries, as many more for defences, a lesser sum for Ministerial travelling expenses, a very large sum for education, for hospitals, gaols, &c, &c, and had assessed the payment, in proportion to one's wealth, at so much a head, we should be much inclined to grumble at the outlay and demand a reduction. It would at once sweep away the absurd statement so many people like to make that our educational system is

free and compulsory. Every Minister who secures his position knows that the immense sums yearly squandered for political reasons, under the heads of public works, postal or any other heading could never be so used did the public realise the immense drain these calls made upon their income. There has, therefore, grown up the most objectionable custom of levying what is termed indirect taxation, in which on whatever is eat and drank and worn or smoked pays so much to a common fund, styled the Consolidated Revenue, from which it is abstracted by vote of Parliament, and thus the real connection between eating sugar and drinking tea, and the cost of schools, Ministerial expenses, &c, is lost. Some statistics have been prepared with the hope that from the facts therein given, the public will awaken to the expensive way they are taxed in order that they shall not understand how much they really pay in taxes. We mentioned a free breakfast table as having been a very important plank in the Liberal programme years ago, and though a Liberal Government has been continuously in power, no further progress to« wards the desired end has been reached. The why and wherefor is simple — they found it would not pay from a party point of view. Thus far they are correct, but the facts which prove them to be so, are those which should compel all who desire economical and just administration to urge for the direct system of taxation. A duty of four pence per pound is now payable on tea, which is equal to about 40 per cent on its cost, thus a family of five pay the sum of nine shillings and ninepence a year without some of them thinking of it, to the Government to do as they best please with it. The duty on sugar is equal to thirty per cent, of its cost, and thus a family of five yearly pay another item of nineteen shillings and two pence a year in the dark as to what it is for. These questions require a deal of consideration and cannot be doubted when the Customs Revenue for the year, which is all indirect taxation, amounts to £2,007, 431. It will be well if candidates for Parliament were questioned on this view of our taxation, and a definite expression of opinion ootained from them. ________««.