SUMMARY OF THE "PROGRESS" OF THE COLONY UNDER THE STOUTVOGEL ADMINISTRATION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2343, 16 July 1887, Page 2

SUMMARY OF THE " PROGRESS" OF THE COLONY UNDER THE STOUTVOGEL ADMINISTRATION .

And now, in conclusion, .1 should like to ask the House what has been the effect of the financial doings of the honourable gentlemen in those benches for the last three years. Has it not, from the beginning, produced unrest and doubt throughout the country? What did we have at first? First, the country was flooded with ideas of large borrowing. We were to have what is called a large “boom.” Then a large part of the country rose up in arms against this, and the House would not permit it, and stagnation spread throughout the country. I say stagnation spread throughout the country; The stagnation has been worse, and is worse at the present time than it was when the honourable gentlemen took office. It :is worse, Sir, both North and South. There is no doubt about it. I say that business was paralysed. The speculator was afraid to act, because he thought money could not bo borrowed. The prudent man buttoned up his pockets because he would not run the risk while the honourable gentleman was going about with these grand schemes. Generally, the House refused to sanction the schemes; and gradually things settled down a little. Then the honourable gentleman begins again with his alteration of taxation. From year to year people did not know what the honourable gentleman was going to do with regard to taxation, and doubt and distrust were spread from one end of tho colony to the other. And now, after three years, we have got into this position. After three years of unrest and distrust wo now find the honourable gentleman coming down and telling us that, in order to carry on, he must have.no loss than £325,000 additional burdens put upon the people—£2so,ooo for the treasury and £75,000 thrown upon the local bodies. That has been the effect of the rule of the honourable gentleman; and I will ask tho House is the honourable gentleman a safe guide in these matters ? Can the House trust him now to impose this burden upon us. Can we, when we sec he [[has entirely neglected—as I have shown beyond the shadow of a doubt he has—to carry out his promises of retrenchment? Can we trust him now with this largo additional sum merely to lead us into greater difficulties during the current year? And I venture to rise to tho occasion and say it will not submit to n further burdening of the people until the honourable gentleman has really submitted proposals of large reductions in the cost of the public service.— Major Atkinson. Hansard, May 25th last.