THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1879.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1158, 27 November 1879, Page 2

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1879.

The country will endorse the opinion of the House m its upholding of the financial policy of the Government, In matters of detail, the financial proposals of the Treasurer are, doubtless, open to amendment, but on the whole the colonists will agree with the principles enunciated, will approve the boldness which, refasing to slur over a difficulty, grapples bravely with it, and will cheerfully acquiesce m the inevitable necessity of increased taxation, with the certainty of placing the finances of tbo colony on a healthy and sound basis, rather than go on as •wo have been doing, sinking deeper and deeper into the mire of debt and difficulty. The brake has been put on none too soon. A little longer lease of office and the late Government would have brought the colony to positive bankruptcy. The man with two wives fared badly who allowed the one to pick all the grey hairs and the other all the black ones out of his head. The Colonial Treasurer would be mno better plight if he listened to every interest aflected by the^new tarrift. when it comes to a question of saving the national credit and of carrying on the Government at all, each one must accept his responsibility, and the objection should ba not that this or that interest is pressed upon, bat that such a. pne is allowed to

esonpp. There is no little outcry rniseri at the incronaod duty on spirits and tobacco, but though both are generally used, neither the one nor the other is a necessity. If the statutory sixpenny worth v curtailed m quantity and m this way tho pnb'icnns will recoup themselves tho extra rtnty imposed, there will be no real lpes, aud the cuiise of tetnperence will be assisted. If the new duties were imposed upon the necessaries of life we could understand such ' assertions as those made by Mr Moss, but this is not so. The only articles of tho kind m eluded are grain, split peas, and salt. A charge of 9d per 10?lb being imposed upon the first, and Is per cwt on the two latter. What is more objectionable, howevei', m the financial proposals of the Treasurer than any increased taxation, is the intended abolition of the subsidies to local bodies, A sum of .£270,000 is thus supposed to be saved to the taxpayers, but it is not so, or if saved, saved at a cost which is positively ruiuons. If so much is to be drawn from public expenditure m the promotion of settlement, a similar amount will have to be levied by extra rates, or the ttork of colonisation bo very seriously retarded. When property is so heavily taxed as it will be tinder the new system, this abolition of the subsidies to local boards is a serious blow It was money, too, not only justly but well spent. We make bold to say that there was no public money expended on general works that was more faithfully and economically laid out than these subsidies. Tho local trustees or councillors who expended them did so' with the jealous eyes of the ratepayers fixed upon them, and for the slightest waste or misappropriation would have been brought to book. We can only hope, from the remarks of the Treasurer, when referring to the cntting off of this item ot expenditure, that somo other souvco from whence local bodies can be assisted will be found. We should, however, have been better pleased if this source had not been left merely to 'conjecture,but had been directly specified. It is a questiou which must not be lost sight of, and one which the country settlers feel very strongly upon.