The Evening Mail. MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 456, 15 October 1877, Page 2

The Evening Mail. MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1877.

The ultimate fate of the new Ministry will in) doubt, to a considerable extent, depend upon the policy which it enunciates. What that policy will be it would be difficult to foretell ; but in all probability the House will be'informed of the intentions of Ministers this evening. If we are to judge from the utkranees of Sir George Grey while in opposition, and accept thtin as the foreshadowing of his future policy —and we presume we may fairly do so—we should most unhesitatingly assert that the policy of the new Ministry will be alike liberal and acceptable to the people. Briefly stated, the heads of the policy enunciated by fcrir George Grey at different times, and concurred in by his colleagues, are as follow :—Fiscal reform, redaction of the ordinary expenditure, liberal land law, extension of the franchise, representation according to population, triennial Parliaments, and the alteration of the constitution of the Legislative Council. Willi regard to the first portion of this policy, Sir George has given no uncertain suiiud. When Mr. Woolcocks motion for affirming the desirability of the re-adjustment of the incidence of taxation was before the House, Sir George Grey nave expression to his views in a powerful speech, full of reason, and carrying conviction with if. His amendment, too, was one not easily to be mistaken. It was as follows: " Tnat the sj'stem of taxation should immediately be alttred, with the view to impose taxes on property and relieve the people of the Coiony from some onerous Customs duties now paid." Tiie speech delivered by him on the occasion in question might almost be accepted as the complete development of a policy, and was couched in such language that there should be no drawing back now that he has the opportunity of giving effect to his utterance. We may then fairly accept it as settled that a property and income tax will form one of the princ.pal items on the banner under which the new Ministry will fight. This will be accompanied by a proposal to relieve the Customs duties on necessaries, so that the burdens of the "country shall to some extent be borne hy rich and poor more in accordance with their capabilities to bear taxation than has hitherto been the case. While the oppressive duties upon the necessaries of life are to be relieved, there would be no fresh taxation imposed upon the poorer classes ; for the income tax would only be leviable upon incomes above a certain amount, and the land tax would be made to touch principally the large estates. The next item in the policy sketched b}Sir George Grey was that of administrative r-jform in the shape of reduction in our ordinary expenditure. Who shall say that there is not ample room here for considerable amendment 'I Thousands of pounds might be saved that are at present frittered away without the possibility of the slightest 'return. Sir George Grey was not far wide of the mark, when he said : —"Some of the'measures I propose would lead to such a revolution in establishments that a very considerable decrease in the public expenditure could be

brought about. I calculate, and I believe my estimate is correct, that LIOO,OOO could be saved in. that expenditure." It is to be devoutly hoped that the new Ministry will set itself earnestly to work to bring about the.financial reform herein indicated. We have been living beyond our means, and at is necsssary that the prunning knife should be applied vigorously to many of the useless and injurious branches of our over-grown tree of expenditure. If the new Ministry should content itself with this task alone, it would be deserving of support; for therein lies the chief remedy for the many evils attendant upon the wild and extravagant system of finance pursued by the late Ministry. Finance having been thus dealt with, SirGEOKGE next turned to the question of representation. According to his proposals, he would give to every person who has to contribute to the revenue of the counuy the powtr of exercising a vote in the choice of the representatives entrusted with the expenditure of that revenue. Then he would do away with existing rotten Inroug'is, and adjust the representation on the basis of population. With regard to both these proposals a gr< at deal may be said both for and against. When the time comes for discussing the wisdom of them we shall probably have something to say. In tie meantime we may merely add that, on the face of them, both seem perfectly fair and feasible. With regard to the initiation of triennial Parliaments instead of quinquennial, a great deal may also be said ; but tlie same does not apply to the last item on the programme brhfly stated above—the alteration of the constitution of the Legislative Council. Few indeed would question the wisdom of making the second Chamber of the Legislature an elective instead of a nominative one. But whether a proposal to alter the constitution of the Legislative Council would meet with suco ss is extremely doubtful, for the "Lords" are scarcely likely to agree to give up the privilege of holding seats in Parliament for life without the necessity of undergoing the trouble of election. Taken altogether, the policy enunciated by Sir Georc-je Ckev is one that should command the support of tue House and the approval of t. e people. But whether it will be adopted in its entirety by the new Ministry remains yet to be seen. Hmvfcver that may be, it is not likely that the new Ministry will uuekrtake to carry into eif'-ct this Session any policy of which it may approve. The session Las already been extended to great length, and it is therefore more than probable that Ministers will content themselves with merely bringing forward such measures as are urgently required, leaving until next session the task of working out great reforms.