The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15. 1887 .. THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1647, 15 October 1887, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15. 1887 .. THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

The Governor’s speech savors strongly 6f the . story of the old man and hi» ass. It aims at pleasing everybody, but we feel inclined to think that it , will please nobody. Passing over its formal gibberish, the first thing promised is retrenchment. Everybody is pledged to retrenchment, and therefore everybody must be pleased with that paragraph. Of course no one must say one word against retrenchment, for the country has pronounced in favor of it, and the country must be right. The question! therefore is, In what direction shall this retrenchment take effect? Will it be the Hall-Atkinson retrenchment of 1880, which made the rich richer and the poor poorer ? Will it be another 10! per cent, reduction in the Civil Seraice? It may not be that exactly, we hope it will not, but be it what it will we have not the least hesitation in saying that it will do nothing towards improving the condition of the colony. Ministers say (for let it be remembered that it is not His Excellency the Governor but the Ministers who make the speech) that they hope further taxation will not be necessary. They admit the Customs duties have fallen, and are falling off, and yet they say “ it will be possible to avoid placing further burdens upon the people,” We tell them we do not believe a word of it unless retrenchment is carried to an extent never dreamt of 1 even by Mr Scobie Mackenzie. They must retrench to an extent that will be fraught with disaster or increase taxation. Our revenue from the Customs has fallen off by £31X1,000, and the demands on us in respect of the increase in the sum payable for interest and in the public service generally has been augmented to a degree that puts it beyond our power to carry on the government of the country without additional taxation, and Major Atkinson knows it and told his constituents so recently. ?he assertion that no additional burden will be necessary must therefore be

characterised aa a deliberate attempt to throw dust it the people’s eyes. With the question of Protection and Preetrad® the speech coquets. The old man and his ass stand out at full length in every syllable of this paragraph. Ministers recognise the necessity for making alterations in the Customs tariff—that is a sop for the Protectionists—but they will not attempt such alterations this session—that -is to secure the co-operation of . that ,pit!able party who suffer from the Freetrade rabies. In this matter Ministers have shown that indecision of character typified by the ass between two stacks of hay. They cannot yet make up their minds as to the policy they shall adopt, but doubtless it will depend on which party would be likely , to give them the most support. Now as regards this question, it is in our opinion far before retrenchment in point of importance, and every genuine Protectionist in Parliament ought at once to use every possible means to oust from power Ministers who treat it as a matter that can wait. It is monstrous to say that men should be calling on the Government to give them employment while the work they ought to be doing is done in foreign countries. We are further promised that “ they will make increased efforts to secure the location of a prosperous class of settlers upon the lands of the colony.” That means, we presume, that village settlements will be discouraged, and the land parcelled out amongst those who have money to buy it. They will make it more easy of acquirement,” they say ; that is, they will probably make it cheaper, so that j moneyed men will be able to secure it ] in large blocks. The late Government put a stop to Native landsharking, but the present Government mean to make immediate alterations in the Native Land Laws, doubtless in a direction which will enable landsharks to continue the practice of purchasing Native land with whiskey and tobacco. There is to be some alterations made in railway management, but what it will be is left to the imagination. The definite proposals of the Government will be looked forward to with great interest, but we firmly believe they will not live long enough to give effect to them. The colony cannot be saved by retrenchment, and if that is all the new Ministry have to offer us the sooner they are ousted from power the better. We want industrial development, including extensive settle-* ment; we want the heaviest end of the burden of taxation placed on the shoulders best able to bear it; we want an end put to the unemployed cry, but retrenchment will not do : these things; it will only make things worse.