NOTES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2381, 12 July 1892, Page 2

NOTES.

A motion for putting a duty on NewcastlecoalisbeforeParliament,and that wonderful ram avh the freetrader is once more in evidence. The freetrader is screaming lest a tax should be put on Newcastle coal because this tax would come out of the pockets of the people. Now let us look around us and examine matters as they really exist. During the last couple of years people in this district planted a good deal of potatoes; they have had tine crops, but there is no market for them, and they have had their year's work tor nothing. Why is this? Simply because there is not sufficient population to consume them. In this item of coal alone there is £120,000 going out of the colony to New South Wales, which colony recently placed a tax on our potatoes. Now let us suppose we kept this £120,000 at home, it would give £IOO a year to 1200 men, and suppose each man had a wife and child it would mean that 8600 would be supported through it. These would be eating our potatoes, our beef, our mutton ; they would be paying Customs duties lightening the burden of taxation, the country would be much richer, and everyone would benefit. The freetrader says: " No, New. Souf;h Wales, may tax our potatoes and oats if it likes, but we shall not tax her coal. It is better that potatoes should rot, and potato growers should starve than that we should offend against the canons of freetrade." Fancy men who pay 25 per cent through the Customs calling themselves freetraders.

True to their instincts all the wealthy Tories spoke strongly against the resolutions protesting against the introducion of colored labor into Queensland. Mr Ballance introduced the resolution, and though the Opposition voted against it to a man it was carried by a large majority.

Parliament has never gone to work in such a business-like way as it has this year so far. A good many Bills have already passed the second readreading, but what is more remarkable is that the Government appear to hit the happy medium, which is exciting the sympathy of even their political opponents. Everyone supported them in the Oyster Fisheries Bill, the object of which is to prevent the complete destruction of oysters, and the result will probably be the cultivation of the fish. Former Governments legislated for sheep and sheep-men, this for the people in general.

The West Coast Settlement Eeserves Bill introduced by the Government has won the commendations of even Mr Rolleston. On the west coast of the North Island several Europeans, including the Bank of New Zealand leased or bought , 1 '"oni the Natives years land .. ■■ , , • j- i. ago. The matter > s bee " in . dls P ute ever sine* and neither 2?*™. nor Europeans have made much out of it. It was to investigate these titles that Judge Edwards was first appointed as Commissioner. The Government have now introduced a measure to give legal efFect to the transactions, and we shall hear the end of them. Mr Mitchelson when Native Minister in the late Government advanced £3OO to a wealthy Otago squatter to take one of these cases to the Privy Council, but gave no assistance to the poor Natives. There cannot be the slightest doubt but the aim hitherto has been to get the best of the Natives, but they have been too' tough, and now our Liberal Government is determined to do justice to both.

One of the proposals of the Government is to tax Native land. If this is carried out the Europeans will be relieved of a good deal of taxation, and we see no reason why it should not. Natives have hitherto escaped taxation ; they have been treated like children and shamelessly robbed. The present Government seem determined to deal honestly with them, and make them contribute their fair share to the taxation of the colony. This is only right, and it will, too, have the effect, of compelling Natives in the North Island to make use of the vast area of land which is now lying unproductive.

The new Electoral Bill provides that schoolhouses are to be given to candidates for election free of charge. This is as it ought to be. Some of the school committees made ex-

-•■•tiqnate charges, while others let , off with a few shillings the cauu ,i eanillg and lighting, to pay for .. others one Some charged one , 'o„ our Bethe pound ten shillings, and 01 . T candidate could 'hot Complain, districts where there were twenty or thirty schools to pay for the candidate found his expenses heavy. Not only that, but a most extraordinary crop of school entertainments grows up during the elections, and the candidate of course must buy a couple of tickets. In fact from the moment a candidate announces himself a shameless set is made on him. It is time something was done for the protection of parliamentary candidates.

Sheep-owners pay a certain sum pinyear to provide for sheep inspection, and so on. The amount they pay is £l7,(>b'3, and the cost of the service £25,878, leaving a balance of £BISO to be made up from ordinary taxation. An attempt was made this year to remove the sheep tax and throw the whole of the cost on the whole body of ratepayers. A motion to that effect was brought in by Mr T. McKenzie, and as is usual with his motion it was rejected. Instead of taking off the tax it ought to be increased, so as to make the sheepowners pay for inspecting their sheep. The service is for their own good, and they ought to pay for it.

The Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times has the following : The Opposition apparently has resolved on the adoption of obstructive tactics. The debate on the oyster fisheries last night was talking against time to prevent the Committee on the Electoral Bill being reached. This indicates that the Opposition are unprepared to go to the country, which they fear they would have to do if the Electoral Bill were rejected or mutilated by the Council. Their object is to put the evil day afar off. There is a strong feeling of dissatisfaction with the result of the Whyte-Baggott prosecution. If such transactions are legal it is felt that the law requires amendment, and the matter will shortly be ventilated in Parliament, when probably an amendment of the law will be proposed. Though the newspapers openly denounce the transactions as highly improper, Mr Whyte is not at all likely to resign his seat in the Council.

In the course of an interview with the Premier the question of the Electoral Bill was broached, and Mr Ballance stated how for he Avas prepared to go in modifying the provisions of the measure. He has personally no objection to the abolition of special Maori representation, which is a matter for the Maoris to consider. He will be guided by the wishes of the Maori members. He intends to adhere to the one month's residence clause, the objection to which rests on no sound basis. He will agree to reduce the time within which election writs are returnable from forty days to twenty-one, and will make the writ issuable forthwith on a vacancy arising.

No time has yet been fixed for the commencement of the debate on the Financial Statement. The leader of the Opposition has been consulted on the matter, but has given no indication. Presumably the Oppositionists are finding it a hard nut to crack.