The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 1888. MR ORMOND’S PROPOSALS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1746, 5 June 1888, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 1888. MR ORMOND’S PROPOSALS.

“ Them’s my sintimints, and if they don’t suit they ken be altered,” said the Yankee statesman. It is exactly the same thing our own worthy Premier said in our own Parliament last Friday evening, when Mr Ormond brought forward his extraordinary motions. Mr Ormond on that evening brought forward resolutions to the effect that the school age should be raised to six, so as to save £25,000; that subsidies to local bodies should be abolished; and that the deficit should be funded, instead of being wiped off as soon as possible. These resolutions traverse the Government policy, and ought to be treated as motions of no confidence, but Sir Harry Atkinson said they were just the thing, and that he would be very glad to have them discussed. It leaked out afterwards that Mr Ormond and Sir John Hall had put their heads together and drafted the resolutions, just in order to save the Government. The fact was that the Freetraders were forsaking the Government, and that they stood in danger of defeat—and it was to try to appease them that these resolutions were brought forward. If these resolutions were carried, the extra duty placed on tea and the primage duty of 1 per cent, could be remitted, and there would still be room for reducing taxation by J 44 000. 8o as to appease Freetraders, the intention is to reduce the protection given to certain goods which can be manufactured in the colony. Was a more insane proposal ever heard of ? Nothing must be done to promote the development of our resources. We must continue to import goods, so that we may raise revenue. It is really incredible that men are to bo found to advocate such a policy. With regard to raising the school age, it appears that the deter* mination is to make the poor pay for all. The great burden of taxation has been thrown on their shoulders,,

and in addition to tliis tbeir children are not to bo allowed to go to school until they are six years of age. This will shut up the country schools, if it becomes law. As to subsidies to local bodies, it must be remembered that the maintenance of charitable aid was recently thrown on the local bodies’ shoulders. Until then charitable aid was administered by the Government, and it looks only reasonable that the Government should give the local bodies some assistance towards the burden of such a heavy responsibility. Sir Harry Atkinson proposed to continue the subsidies for this purpose, and in order to raise funds he proposed to put an extra duty of twopence per lb on tea. It was not on property he proposed to put it, but on tea, so that the poor would have to pay for charitable aid. That was very clever, but several members appear to have rebelled against the proposal, and now Mr Ormond proposes to abolish subsidies altogether, and let local bodies contribute to charitable aid out of their rates. This will throw the maintenance of charitable aid on property, and we certainly think that it is far better that property should bear it than that it should be paid by poor people on the verge of starvation with a taxation of twopence per lb on their tea. As regards the third of Mr Ormond’s proposals, that is, to add to our debt the deficit of £128,000 instead of paying it by means of taxation, it is the first time Sir Harry Atkinson has had the courage to suggest that deficits should be paid by means of taxation. His custom has always been to float treasury bills until they had grown into a good, round sum, and then add this sum to the public debt, and, like Wilkins Micawber, thank his stars that so much was off his mind. This year, however, he has come forward m a most commendable way, and said in effect, “ Our debt has grown large enough already, and we cannot afford to continue any longer to borrow in order to pay our deficits. We must pay the deficit by means of taxation,” This was the proper way to deal with the matter, and if this policy had been adopted years ago wo should not have drifted so far as we have done. But if Mr Ormond’s resolutions are carried, Sir Harry Atkinson’s almost only sound and sensible proposal will be rejected, and virtually the abominable policy of paying interest out of loan will be persevered in. Last year the 3-16ths of a penny in the £ added to the property tax yielded £58,000. Could not property afford to pay another 3-16ths, instead of heaping all the burden on the poor F We have frequently warned men of wealth before, and most of what we have said to them has proved true. We warn them again that it is better for them to face the difficulty in time, and not let it go beyond their power to grapple with it.