THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1900.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 41, 4 September 1900, Page 2

THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1900.

ASSUREDLY the new Tariff proposals were a victory for the " Boxer" party. While in the main the Financial Statement was gratifying to the country at large, there were points in it, that were by no means pleasing to those members who had certain local industries in their districts — particularly of course city and town members. The proposals to take the duty off dredging machinery | coffee and cocoa were particularly objectionable to these gentlemen, and in a lesser degree the remis- ! sion of the tariff on candles and matches. It will be seen from the statement we publish in an- ■ other column, that these points of difference have now to a great extent been removed, to the great joy of thft" Boxers. 5 ' We believe that the country will now bepretty well satisfied witk tha proposals though there will be strenuousopposition still to the suggested remission of 10 per cent, on punctual payment of rent to Crown tenants and to the reduction of the mortgage tax by 25 per cent. The new proposals offer a very striking reply to the often - repeated charge of despotism and tyranny made against the Premier. Had Mr Seddon ! chosen to be autocratic, he could : probably have carried his proposals in the teeth of the 41 Boxer " party, because the Opposition were prepared almost to a man to support him, and yet he declined to do anything of the kind. He listened with deference to the suggestions of a minority of his own party even, and finally actually abandoned some of his own original proposals, and adopted theirs I There seems very little of the autocrat or the despot aboutjthat ! Of course the town representatives are jubilant at the alterations, and as far as the country members are concerned, it is really of no consequence at all to them. It matters nothing to the country settler whether he gets a penny a pound off his tea, or on 2 his roasted coffee. It is all the same to him to get twopence off his tea — rather better in fact — than to get a penny off his tea and a penny off his coffee. So long as he gets the full amount of duty x>ff common articles he uses every day, it matters little i to him which of these articles it may be taken off. He gets his agricultural machinery in free, and it does not touch him personally that dredging machinery pays 5 per cent. Portable and traction engines that do interest the country settler somewhat come in free. So that if the proposed 10 per cent, reduction in the Crown tenants rents takes place the country party ought to be happy, for the Budget - gives great gifts to the farmers. The remission of the kerosene, matcheßand candles duty ought to mean a great deal to them. It is almost entirely for their benefit, because in the towns where there is gas or electric lighting, the use

of kerosene,' matches and candles ig, comparatively speaking, very limited. Considerable outcry has been raised over the fact tbat the remission of duty has been at once put in force. Holders of large stocks of kerosene, tea, patent medicines, etc, on which the old duty had been paid, find themselves, they say, now compelled to sell at the same price as those who have cleared their stuff from bond under the new arrangements. The natural result would be that these large holder* of cleared stock would practically lose the duty they had paid. We .must say for ourselves, that we see* no great reason why these remissions were not fixed to come into operation, say, on the Ist of January next. If this had been done we do not think there would have been a single grumble. Nor are there wanting precedents for such a course. When the tariff on sugar was reduced in New Zealand, some years ago, six months notice -was given. When the Victorian Government reduced the duty on tea, in 1888, from 3d to Id,- and took the whole off raw coffee, cocoa and kerosene, dealers werej given six months notice ; and further, when the New South Walas Government reduced the tariff on bo many articles, some four or five years ago, they also gave a reasonable notice. Of course, when there are only a few large holders like wholesale druggists, the difficulty may not be so great, because it is comparatively easy for these few merchants or companies to keep up the price by combination, and in the case of patent medicines this will probably be done if it is finally decided, as indeed seems likely, that the remission is to take place from the date of the resolutions. Of course, there are still some who aigue that no remission at all of oustoms should have been made, but that the surplus revenue should have been used for developing the country, raising the salaries of inadequately paid workers, and generally in the public service. Well, something may indeed be said as to the necessity for paying many of workers employed by the Governj ment, a better salary, but as far J as railways, roads or public works that are intended to last from generation to generation are concerned, it seems absurd to propose to build them out of annual revenue. Why should we of today, tax ourselves heavily, to hand over tree to the next generation such a thing as a railway ? Surely it is only right that the users, from time to time, of such a work should pay something for its use. On the whole, of course, the Budget is a magnificent one, and is sure to create a great deal of sensation throughout the Empire. Once again New Zealand I stands in the front rank, and long may she occupy that proud position.