The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1877.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5222, 17 December 1877, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1877.

Press telegrams inform us that Sir George Grey received a warm reception at Napier. People like a little excitement, and when a gentleman who has played a prominent part in the history of the country, and is for the time being Premier, comes amongst them, it is hardly to be expected that the good people of Napier would withhold a welcoming hand. Sir George Grey can flatter as well as abuse, and the citizens of Napier experienced some of the former on Friday last. Some twenty-two years ago he was in Napier, when only one European in it came to procure land from the natives for the Europeans. But what a change has come over the place since that day. The Premier now says “ the dreams he had then as to what the place would bo he was happy to find realised.” This would naturally bring a train of reflections in the minds of the people of Hawke’s Bay which Sir George Grey evidently did not calculate upon. He admits the district has prospered to his utmost anticipations ; and we would ask him, during the greater part of that time to whose hands were entrusted the government of the late province of Hawke’s Bay, and who have received the confidence of its people 1 Was it not to the very men, of all others, that Sir George Grey had singled out for unmeasured abuse. > It is pleasant to find that in the first step of his stumping tour throughout the country the Premier sees strong evidences of prosperity around him, and that the colony-may nob after all be in such a bad state as he would fain make people believe. When Sir George had done paying compliments to the people of Hawke’s Bay he said nothing that he had not previously given utterance to at least fifty times, and is composed of such vague generalities as the following:—Every man shall be instructed in political knowledge, so as to enable him to exercise the franchise properly. With regard to his remark about pocket boroughs, it is hard to understand the constituencies to which they apply, since Sir George has taken lately to praising Napier and Taranaki; tor in all his former utterances on this subject he inferentially pointed to these places. The only pocket boroughs we know' of in the colony are a few about the Waitemata, which Sir George Grey himself has at his command, and for which it has been said he could return any one he likes. That tiie wealthy should contribute in proportion to the benefits they derive from the State is a sound maxim of political economy, which few will deny should be applicable to all times and all countries. But the matter is very difficult of adjustment, and is not to be trusted in the hands of men who failed to grasp the true state of the finances of the colony. If a direct tax upon property is to be adopted in this colony, it will be very difficult of collection, as is proved by experience in those places where it has already been resorted to. We have previously expressed an opinion that, despite theoretical truth, it-would be inadvisable to levy a property or income tax in this colony as long as sufficient funds to meet our requirements can be raised by other means. It is noteworthy that it is only in those countries which are not celebrated for their advanced civilisation that direct taxation is resorted to to any great extent. Such countries as Turkey, Russia, and Spain raise their revenues largely by direct taxes, while England, Franco, and the United States avail themselves fully of the Custom House as a means of raising revenue. The fact is in those countries where the people are possessed of political power the revenues are raised indirectly, and it is just as well to bear that fact in mind. We are satisfied that if Sir George Grey succeeds in imposing a property-tax, he will have sounded his own political deathknell. Property of all kinds is widely distributed in this country, and no matter how liberal the franchise, the voting power will be mainly in the hands of the owners of real estate. What is most wanted in this colony is capital to develop our resources, and we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that a pro-perty-tax would have the effect of preventing the capitalist investing his money in colonial undertakings. Still, as the current of popular opinion in the colony appears to be in the direction of a property-tax, and as Parliament last session affirmed the principle, we have no objection to seeing it adopted ; only it is just as well to view the subject in all its bearings. It would bo useless to follow Sir George Grey’s opinions further. His utterances about a land law are of the vaguest. Every statesman in the colony has professed a desire to settle the people on the land, and have enunciated some scheme by which they believed this could be done. Sir George expresses the desire, but is unable to give even an outline of a scheme. Ho has already tried his hand, however, at framing a measure, and its cardinal principle was to raise the price of land in ovory , province of the North Island to

such an extent as to. practically prevent settlement. We are afraid that the only enunciation of the policy of the Government which the people of the colony will get from Sir George Grey will consist of empty phrases; and when Parliament again meets, the portion of the human family located in New Zealand will be as far from perfect happiness as over.