THE FUTURE POLICY.

Southland Times, Issue 556, 7 September 1866, Page 3

THE FUTURE POLICY.

(From the " Lyttleton Times.") The severe check which the financial measues of tbe present Government necessarily give to the prosperity of Canterbury, must not be allowed to blind us to some excellent points about them. The financial stetement of Mr Jollie is about as clear and as succinct as it could possibly be. Among other things, it relieves our anxieties about tbe loan of one hundred thousand pounds to Auckland. The money has to be refunded somehow or other before tbe end of this present year. The charge for the colonial forces is not excessive. It stands on the estimates for eighty-two thousand five hundred pounds. The alarming expenditure wb*c'i absorbs our Provincial threeeighths of Customs Revenue is mainly caused by the outstanding obligations to the military settlers in tbe "Waikato. In addition to the sum of four hundred and eleven thousand pounds already paid on behalf of that anomalous and absurd scheme of the Whitaker- Fox administration, upwards of two hundred thousand, pounds remain to be paid. Hence all our taxes. "Waikato is the monetary Maelstrom which engulfs our revenues. This plain statement of tbe case seems to point out a very satisfactory remedy for our grievances. Let Mr Yogel now bring on bis motion to guarantee to the Provinces their wonted three-eighths of tbe Customs Revenues ; and let tbe cost of the standing army of tbe North be apportioned among the Northern Provinces. This will do no more than take from thera what they are destined to lose under the proposed Governmental scheme — their three-eighths of tbe Customs Revenue. On the other hand, the balance of £179,000, remaining unappropriated from the Three Million Loan, may well be al- , lowed to go to the military settlers of the Waikato. Mr Jollie has, for some reason or other best known to himself, kept this little balance of the loan out of view in summing up bis income for the year. There can be no doubt he would find uses for it, without any troublesome appropriation being prescribed by the House ol Representatives. But it is very certain that his attention will be drawn to it, and tbe liberty further taken of deciding how it is to be expended. We have already stated our view of tbe subject ; and, looking at it from a Middle Island point of view, we think our suggestion a very liberal as well as a very reasonable one. The monetary arrangement is more exact than might be expected. The three-eighths of Customs Revenues from the North Island during .ast year amounted to one hundred and eight thousand pounds. This is more than snffieient to cover the cost of their gallant little army. Let it be so applied. The balance of twenty-five thousand pounds added to the balance of the three million loan would give two hundred and five thousand pounds, to meet the expenses of the Waikato settlers ; leaving a margin of five thousand pounds for contingencies. It seems that a strong feebng is at length rising up in this Province, or at least in Christchurch, against the intolerable burden of this Northern taxation. We call it Northern taxation because, though the taxes are mainly raised here, tbey are expended — every peany of tbem —in the North. We should like to see the attention of the West Coast and Timaru drawn to tbis little circumstance. It is not Christchurch that absorbs the funds, but the North Island. It is quite possible that a soi:> may be thrown to them in the way of securing for local purposes the proceeds from certain local taxes and other sources. But let them keep in view tbat this will be done only after the main sources of revenue bave been devoted to Northern purposes. The measures introduced by the Colonial Treasurer not oniy impose new taxes uDon us, but compel the imposition of fresh taxes by the Provincial Councils, in order to meet the current necessary expenses, and absolutely stop all but the the most necessary and least costly undertakings in the way of public works. We invite, therefore, the inhabitants of all the outlying districts to unite in memorialising the House of Representatives, or the members for their respective . localities to protect so far the interests'ofthe Middle Island as to secure to us our wonted three-eighths of Customs revenue. This is to our mind the best, perhaps tbe ouly step which tbe people of Canterbury can take in this matter. Memorials from all the districts to their members in the House of Representatives' would have a good and a direct etfect. W r e are persuaded that these memorials would be signed by thousands aud would be opposed by few, if any. A± so eventful a crisis in our affairs no time should be lost. Our common interests are at stake, and we have apparently but one remedy. Let the provinces of the Middle Island bave the three-eighths of their Customs Revenues guaranteed to them. We must bow submissively to tbe decision ot* our Parliament in the settlement of tbe minuter taxes. But in so threatening a matter as tbis is, — oue which decides the financial prospects of our Province for years — it is the bounden duty of the people to give expression to their opinions, and to make their influence felt.