TARANAKI OPINION ON THE TREASURER’S SPEECH.

Patea Mail, 5 April 1881, Page 3

TARANAKI OPINION ON THE TREASURER’S SPEECH.

The Taranaki Herald in an article on Major Atkinson’s lecture on the “ political economy of tbe present Government,” says :—Major Atkinson’s review of the financial and political history of the Colony strikes us as being somewhat tame ; tbe essential ingredients of it being certainly not new. Then be lias a bad habit of quoting figures in such a way few can understand—rattling them off as if be wished to mystify rather than explain. The alleged deficit is harped too much upon ; and the errors of the previous administration would have been better omitted from bis speech, because the matter is a debateable one, and during the last session was ably replied to, and some of the statements absolutely refuted. The alleged £900,000 deficit which he referred to as existing when the Government took office, is purelj 7 a manipulation of figures —and figures may be made to prove anything. The Herald does not think with Major Atkinson that property versus Income Tax will be the party cry during the next election, but is glad to learn from such a reliable authority as the Colonial Treasurer that “ the general results of the year promise to be satisfactory,” and that “ the revenue would cover the expenditure,” which very conclusively proves that the “ depression ” after all was only a “scare” and not go “ deep-seated ” as the members of tbe Ministry wish to make out. The present Government are alarmists—they cannot hear the rumbling of a waggon without being sure that an earthquake is coming. The continued reiteration that the Colony wanted “ rest ” frightened those with money from investing it, and thus tended to intensify a depression which need not have existed to any great extent had the Colonial Treasurer taken a more hopeful view of affairs last session, and not painted his picture in such sombre colors. Had be represented the aspect of the future in more cheerful language, the “ scare ” to a considerable extent would certainly have been avoided. We cannot understand why a Government should wish to stop reproductive works. Borrowing for them is quite legitimate, and should not need extra taxation. It seems inconsistent for a Government to retard the progress of a district, when the completion of a railway in it is certain to add considerably to tbe revenue of the Colony. Yet by the

slow progress being made with the railway which will connect New Plymouth with Wanganui, it looks as if the Government wished to keep this district from progressing at the same rate as the rest of the Colony. Major Atkinson in referring to native matters says that his views and Mr Bryce’s are identical. If so, then we can only presume that the Colonial Treasurer’s views aie opposed to those of Mr Bolleston and fhc other members of the Government. Ilis position in the Cabinet must be an unenviable one, and it is bard to imagine bow Major Atkinson can remain connected with a Government which, according to bis own showing, is carrying out a native policy opposed to his own views. WAIRARAPA OPINION. The Wairarapa Standard , referring to Major Atkinson’s speech, says : But there was a blemish in it after all. It may have been clear and convincing ; it may have set many doubting minds at rest ; it may have transfixed many men with astonishment ; —but still it lacked one important feature. It was not true. No man knows this better than tire Colonial Treasurer. Thus when he told his hearers “ that the weekly expenditure during the last two years of the Grej 7 Administration was £110,000,” ho should have remembered that the men he maligned were not two years in office. The speaker left office on October 13clr, 1877, and took office again on the Btb October, 1879. He said that the Grey Government spent £IIO,OOO per week for the last two years they were in office, and that the weekly expenditure was “ now down to £60,000 or £70,000 per week” ; but he did not tell his bearers the important fact from the nine months’ returns of the present financial year already published in the Gazette, that the weekly sum spent by the Hall Government amounts to about £IOB,OOO per week. He told the Patea people that “ the Government had to make up the deficit in spite of depression.” But he did not tell them that he had taken a million and a quarter from loan, and levied taxation broadcast over ns all to achieve such a result.