New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 1877.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5118, 18 August 1877, Page 2

New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 1877.

Sir Geokge Gkey treats national finance in an off-hand" and decisive manner, similar to that of the,debating society which settled the question of the execution of Charles I. and the origin of species under an hour and three-quar-ters. The Government having definitely announced that a revision of •the incidence of taxation and the imposition of a property tax should be; a cardinal point of their policy next session, the member for the Thames quietly proposed that they should retire "into Cabinet, and reverse the whole fiscal policy of' the country in an hour. Sir Geokge Grey had got hold of one or two points of finance, right of themselves-in the abstract, but not to bo legislated for in a hurried manner, and on this he built up a system of taxation, the main features of which were the exemption from duty of servant-girls' gown s and, babies' long clothes. With his usual tactics, too, he endeavored to place the Government in a false position. Mr. Woolcock, an avowed supporter of the Ministry, had brought down an amendment which. the Govern-' ment, according to. all constitutional; practice, were right in f accepting to a; certain extent. They proposed to accept; it by affirming its principles, but delaying legislation upon it until next session. Then

Sir George pressed an amendment of his somewhat in the same direction as that of Mr. Woolcock, -with the evident idea that he could carry what might appear to be a hostile vote. The Speaker ruled that the Government amendment could not take precedence, of Sir George Grey's, and hence the sham fight to which we were treated last night. The debate was chiefly remarkable for the ignorance of national finance and political economy which it is 'customary for certain hon. members to display.' In 1870 Government; predicted that the imposition of a property tax mightbe found necessary within three years, and last night Mr. Stout considered it a, frightful crime that they had'managed, after all, to avoid disturbing the fiscal arrangements of the country for four years longer than was expected. Mr. Stout is one of those cut-and-come-again gentlemen who recognise no suoh thing a 3 expediency, who call for divisions when the whole of'his party are against him, and who would change taxation at any moment, ' whether or no the country was ready for change, simply because he, Mr.. Stout, : approved of such a course. Really in this matter gentlemen like Mr. Stout have no shadow of excuse. If dissatisfied with the Government finance, why did they not long-ago table a motion expres-. sive of their ideas, and so test the point as between Government and Opposition 1 They twit the Ministry with their conduct over the Native Lands Court Bill and Mr. Woolcock's amendment. It is the Government that ought to twit them. In neither case have they had the pluck to do anything for themselves. They have simply seized upon the action of Government supporters and endeavored! to make capital out of the same. The proper duty of the Government is to reject all attempts on the part of Sir George Grey and his followers to seem to be the instigators of that which, in reality cornea from the Ministerial side of the House. The motives of Sir Georoe Grey, Messrs. KiEes, Others, and Co., is plain. They are prepared to accept any policy brought down by a supporter though not a member of the Cabinet, in hopes to give it an adverse appearance. We- verily ; believe that if a professed Ministerialist on Tuesday next were to bring down a motion affirming the principle of an equal distribution of property eyery Saturday night, the great champion of posterity, the advocate of the rights of man, would at once support it.