The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, JULY 1, 1880. ON THINGS POLITICAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 269, 1 July 1880, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, JULY 1, 1880. ON THINGS POLITICAL.

The bitterest enemies of the Hall Government cannot but sympathise with them at the present moment, when friend and foe alike are trying to rend it in pieces, or are so acting as to make it next to impossible for them to go on with the public business. The way that the Hall Government got into power, ploughing with Sir George Grey’s heifer, makes it difficult for true Liberals to forgive and forget. The time has come, however, when all this must be laid aside Tho financial state of the colony is really most alarming It is not only the public debt of the colony that wo have to grapple with, but also the troubles relating to our local industries Stagnation prevails iu the agricultural districts to an alarming extent It is only those who are allowed a peep behind tho scenes that are in a position to properly describe the true state of affairs Everywhere are to be met men who two short years ago were in afl'urit circumstances, but who are now verging on ruin and commercial disgrace Money for investment is abundant, but no one feels safe in embarking in any enterprise Excepting wool ami sheen, nothing can bo disposed of profitably Grain —the staple produce of the country — is a drug in the market Against this stands the engagements to tho various banks, loan eoeicti s, and merchants, who, during the land mania, advanced liberally, to enable fanners to purchase lands As is usual under such stimulants, many were too ready to speculate rather freely, forgetting that a re-action always sets in after a time of successful speculation This rc-action has taken place in New Zealand, as well as elsewhere So much is this the case, that town property, even to a greater extent than rural land, has deteriorated in value. The merchant as well as the farmer has found that he cannot sell at a profit, or indeed realise on his stock at any price —consequently, improvements cease, and employment for tho working classes is not to be had A time was when progress was retarded by the high price of labor and material At that time many were able and willing to go on with improvements, but they could not get the labor cheap Now they are not able to do so, even although labor were lower than it is now The result is that stagnation prevails everywhere People may cry out against soup kitchens and public charity, and say tho needy classes have been improvident, but tho same may he said of the other classes who are suffering To walk in respectable society, and to suffer the mental torture that many suffcr # is harder to hear than crmi the pangs of huneev Tcfc this is the case all over New Zealand, with but little prospect of relief, except through the operations of the Bankruptcy Court The present time, [therefore, is not a season to indulge in party wranglings Sir George Grey may have his grievances; Mr Wakefield may writhe under repeated disappointments ; defeated candidates for places of honor may have been nursing a spirit of revenge : and speculators who counted upon a great benefit by the expenditure of public money may plot and intrigue with the hope of getting some of tho crumbs thrown in their way—but all this must he set aside, and party feeling must give way to wise council and more patriotic feeling The Government whatever their faults,and however unskilful their tactics—are actuated with a desire to take the State ship safely through tho fearful storm to a harbor of commercial safety There is no denying that they are striving to make the expenditure balance with the income For this they deserve the thanks of ihe colony If it should take up the C-vil Service question with a firm determination to stop all abuse and waste, they ought to be supported by friend and foo, for every one must now see that expenses must ho curtailed Tho Ministry have begun by cutting down their own salaries Let them go on in their good work, and let the people praise them for it Let not the working man he a sufferer,though A shilling a day would not do much to them, but it would be a considerable deduction to a man with a family Consolidation should be a matter for consideration, but dismissal should be met by some provision being made for those dismissed, or the cure will be worse than fie disease In adjusting taxation , Government ought to lay the burden upon

those best able to bear it The wealthy who hare become rich by the labor of the poor should not begrudge a little money to save the country from ruin The speech of such men as Mr Ormond wo have no sympathy with To sell the Crown lands would ba to complete the suicidal policy too largely acted upo>- already It would have been better for the colony if no lands had been sold, unless for bona fide settlement If this principle had been acted upon, there would not be so many large blocks lying waste while our working men are leaving the country, or living m it in semi-starvation

To sell the railways would undoubtedly bring immediate relief, but in a few years the country would be in the same state as it is in now The distance that New Zealand lies from the great conti'os of population forbids its rapid growth.hence the necessity of making the country as attractive as possible This can only be done by lessening the burdens of the people as much as possible, and facilitating settlement on a more liberal scale than has over yet been done in the colony Mr Ormond recommends a taxation upon wool • this is class legislation with a vengcanco It may bo said that a id per lb upon wool would never be felt Never is not the proper word to use ; in a season like the present it would not bo much felt, but those who have lived long in the colony must remember the many years that wool was so cheap, when squatters were nearly all ruined This may soon again be the case, and a tax of a id per lb would be unbearable Squatters, as a rule, have much to account for, for the way they abused their privileges in days gone by, but it should be remembered that Now Zealand sheep farmers are not wealthy, and if we are to la(- by-gones be by-gones with one class, it ought to be so with others All we ask of our rich men is to bear a fair share of taxation Wo ask the same of squatters The Hall Government touched the least oppressive fo-m of taxation when they proposed the Beer Tax, originated by Mr Ballanco as one of the Government measures This, with an Income Tax and a moderate Land Tax will be found to bo the easiest collected, least inquisitorial, and easiest to be borne by the people We agree with Mr Steven’s remarks —that the depression will not soon pass away It was thought a good harvest and a good prlco for wool would set everything right Now, we have got both,and the colony is groaning under the weight of if 3 troubles Retrenchment hand in hand with judicious taxation must be the order of the day for years Iq come, and as the Hall Ministry have taken up this cue, it is but fair that they should have a chance of carrying out their programme Sir George Grey has the welfare of the country at heart, hut in finance he is nowhere Mr Ballanco is the financier, of the Opposition At the beginning of tho present session wo said a Coalition Ministry would be a wise arrangement Others are of that opinion now It is hoped that the extreme members on both sides will sink their differences for a time, and go in for a strong Government, which will be able to cope with the evils connected with tho Civil. Service, for it is evident no party Government can do