MUNICIPAL SUBSIDIES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2267, 23 June 1880, Page 2

MUNICIPAL SUBSIDIES.

The following resolution was passed at (he Municipal Conference, held in Dunedin on Monday evening ; “That; inasmuch as by the Financial Arrangements Act, IS7G. it is provided by clause 18, sub-sections I and 2 thereof, that “ there shall be issued and paid out of the Consolidated Fund during each tinancial year, for o years after (his Act comes into operation, but no longer, the following sums, that is to say—(here follow sub-sections named) —it is, in the opinion of this meeting, a breach of faith on the part of the

Government to interfere with ilio’Act in question. That the various boroughs affected thereby will be seriously inconvenienced by the withdrawal of such subsidy, inasmuch as they have made such arrangements, in the belief that the subsidy would not be interfered with until the expiry of the time laid down in the Act referred to. that they cannot escape from except it be by the imposition of further local taxation, which, in view of the heavy taxes proposed to be levied bj'the Government for general purposes, they deem to be unwise, impolitic, and inexpedient, and more than property-holders can reasonably be expected to bear. That, therefore this meeting pledges itself to use its individual influence with members of Parliament representing their respective boroughs to obtain from Parliament a continuance of the same as named by the Act of 187(5, wherein the subsidies therein provided shall he paid to borough and county councils. That a copy of this resolution he forwarded to tlicGovernmcnt.and members representing the local boroughs in and around Dunedin, with an earnest hope that they will endeavour to give effect to the views of this meeting. Cr. Fish, who moved the resolution, contended that by withdrawing the subsidies, tbc Government had broken a solemn compact, and pointed out as the result of the new proposals rc taxing Government property, places like Napier would get £IBOO per annum, while other municipalities equally deserving and in need would get nothing. In concluding, Mr Fish referred strongly to the effects of increased taxation. The time was coming when every man who could realise would do so, and say “ FlHlee from this colony in sorrow and fear, for every shred of profit I may expect to make as a property holder will he eaten up ; and I’ll take my departure before not only my interest, but my capital also, is swallowed up in taxation.” That was what it was coining to in Now Zealand. Let the Government tackle the Civil Service, cut down bigsalaries, and make those who got them work for them. Let them take not £loo,ooo but £2d0,000 off the million and a half paid to the Civil servants of the colony. Let the men who were feeding and fattening at the expense of the land be made to work as other people worked. Let the taxpayer put his foot down and say, “ I’ll not pay the tax whilst such men - as these are overpaid in this way.” That morning ho had seen a lately-created Civil servant, probably drawing £IOO a year, la-de-daing down to his office at 10.30 n.m., and if he had been there to see, no doubt the same Civil servant la-de-dacd back from his office at 4 p.m. And all the while the taxgatherer was knocking at the door of hard-working men to get the wherewithal to maintain such a state of things. A revolution would come —and that would be the end of it. Well, that was strong talk, hut it was a shame that the people of this Colony should he called upon to pay such heavy taxes. It was a shame and I, siu, he said, that such taxes had to he paid whilst so vast an amount was going in riot and waste and debauchery. —(Laughter and applause.)