THE MACKENZIE GOVERNMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 256, 29 April 1912, Page 8

THE MACKENZIE GOVERNMENT

IT'-. VI. M\-' OUTLINE. CIVIL SERVICE TO RECEIVE ATTENTION. A Wellington correspondent states:— It is well known that last week a series of important Cabinet meetings took place, with full attendances of Ministers, ;uul I have good reason to believe that the main lines of the new Government's policy were decided, if not put into final shape. When the official announcement of the. Government's intentions is made those who are expecting a programme of legislative fireworks such as was suggested by the late Government's final policy declarations (which would have involved the introduction of at least twenty new Bills) will be disappointed. Apparently the Mackenzie Government is going to make an effort to show primarily that it has administrative powers worthy of respect. It certainly has fair platform ability, and the movements of Ministers suggest that this is to be utilised in a systematic way so as to acquaint the people in all parts of the Dominion with their new Cabinet. TAXATION PROPOSALS.

Administration rather than a long legislative programme is evidently going to be its speciality, but there are, of course, some important subjects which will be recommended to the House for legislation. It is certain that the question of taxation will be opened up in a fairly comprehensive fashion. Regarding the land tax, it is said that the new Cabinet is determined to make <i big change, imposing a graduated scale of much greater severity than has previously been known in New Zealand. On the other hand, the feeling of Ministers in regard to the income tax is that a policy of remissions in the lower scale must be suggested to the House. The Ward Government's proposal to differentiate in favor of incomes earned by personal exertion, a principle, in operation in almost every other Australasian State, must bo applied effectively, accompanied by a further concession to parents in the shape of an increased amount of exemption, possibly £ls for every child under the. age of sixteen. CIVIL SERVICE. Wondering members of the Civil Service here are beginning to ask whether Ministers.' keen interest in departmental methods is only a case of new brooms sweeping clean, or whether a general overhaul of the administrative machine is not contemplated. Departmental expenditure, notably in regard to agriculture and education, has reached a very high point, and some means of pruning may be planned by the new Minister or capable men appointed to advise them. So far this is only suggested as a possibility, but there is undoubtedly an impression that, the Civil Service is to have an overhaul, and that the Railway Department will be considerably shaken up in the process.