THE FEILDING CHRONICLE AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1879. THE RE-IMPOSITION OF THE TIMBER DUTY.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 57, 16 July 1879, Page 2

THE FEILDING CHRONICLE AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1879. THE RE-IMPOSITION OF THE TIMBER DUTY.

The announcement of the rumored in-, tention of the Government to propose the re-imposition.of the timber duty during the present S^ssion^ has been received by the saw;uaillers with a c«rtiin amount of scepticism. They can hardly bring themselves . to beliere. that a Ministry that could bie so inwine as lo s*" :c?i eoneof the most important indi.itr *m the North Island to. the ag-. giaudi • ■•\t of one firm or- clique, col d h, ye tho discrimination to »c? the mis sl« >»7 have made, or the courage to acl. 5%Xf 'g9& by retracing their blun-

de^ing^step.^J&e.do not share m the j*wmillerß;%iiitrogfepftheGot«Brnihents' rumored "idtentioin. It is it safe card, andiabout the belt card they could pos- , iibly play. It ii no seoret that it wM the remission of the duty on foreign . timber that diteredited Sir Gbobgi G*et with th* Auckland sawmillerr, and alienated ijtom th* present head of the Government thit allegiance which they had so blindly tendered him. • On the occasion of his visit to Auckland* the Premier ..was given to understand m. plain and unmistakable language th» grievous injury that the senseless policy of his Ministry had inflicted on th»chiej industry of his favorite and favored Pro vince— an inj ury much mqr* ■eTdrfeljr felt by the sawmillers m the JSorth, than ''■"' by those m our own district; inasmuch " J as they were shut out from their principal market. The imperious • chief,! sinking for the nonce th» " pei tonality" of his Government, magnanimously " shunted " the responsibility of the ; measure on to the Colonial^ Treasurer. r But the trick, did not succeed, and Sir Gkobgs GjßErnpw finds himself heldl, very cheap m the very dittrict where formally he was idolised. To the rr» J mission of the timber duty may b* ' * traced the imminent downfall of th* Grey Ministry. The estrangement be^ tween the Premier and the Colonial ' Treasurer gradually increased until it culminated m the recent rupture, and the resignation of Mr BiXLANCi. Th* defection of the Colonial , Treasurer^ following so closely upon that of thV j Attorney-General; has greatly weakened the Ministry, and no stone will be l*ffc unturned to secure votes d.urin.g th* Session. There can be no doubt that the, re-imposition of the .timber .duty* would have the desired effect m the Auckland districts. ; The Northers ■■- members: would doubtless be appeased by this concession to the interests of their constituents, and the .Ministrycould oount upon winning back th* votes of several otherwise recalcitrant •-, representatives. We shall, therefor** , be surprised if a promise to propose th* re-impesiiaon of the duty on foreign timber be not made at a Tory •any period of the Sessioa.' Whether, it made, the prtse,nt Ministry willsurviv* to see its fulfilment, is extremely ques- ' tionable ; but if not, we trust that their- ' successors will recognise the impolicy of. the Grey Admimstra.tion, ii abolishing the duty; and will lose no time m reme* dyiug the evils resulting therefrom,, by' at once re-imposing it. . ,'.-•.