The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. TUESDAY, FEB. 5, 1889.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2585, 5 February 1889, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

TUESDAY, FEB. 5, 1889.

Equal ami exact juslicc; to ;ill nu-n, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political.

• e 'I'm-: Premier, Sir 11. A. Atkinson, is on a political tour to the north and arrived in Auckland on Sunday. He will address a public mooting in the northern capital in which ho will review the policy of the Government, but his chief aim will he, as is generally understood, to dej fend the Property-tax and claim for | it a superior adaptibility to the exigencies of eovernment in this colony than any other form of taxation. The tux is particularly obnoxious to the people of this provincial district; therefore, the Premier will require to call into requisition all his eloquence and all his logic to convert his hearers to his belief in that special tax of which he is the grea L , apostle. His appearance before an Auckland audience is, therefore, looked forward to with great interest as well in the city an.l in the Waikato. There is an intention on the Premier's part to extend his visit to this district, in which case, wo shall probably have an opportunity of hcarinf a public address from him. We have already had a forecast of the Premier's views on 1 jading questions from his speech at llawera, when he addressed his constituents last week. On that occasion he referred to the great difficulties by which he was beset in forming a Ministry when he agreed to take oilice, and the extraordinary condition of parties at the time that left him without, real and reliable support in the House. The peculiar position of th- Government, and the immense difficulties which surrounded them in giving Hied t® the express wish of the country, we. have always been ready to concede. We have looked to

rjir Harry Atkinson and his colleagues to readjust tho affairs of tlin colony in accordance with the will of tho people Ho long as they showed they hn.rl no intention to betray the confidence reposed in them' by tho country, we have made generous allowances for the difficulties confronting them and have been ready to judge them fairly. It has only'heeii at such times when they have displayed a disposition to defy public opinion, and enter upon a course not. warranted by the condition of the colony, nor desired by the majority of the people, that we have lifted up our voice against the present Ministry. The Premier told his constituents that in his liscal policy the question-; of Free-trade or Protection did not eni.T. but merely tho necessity of i certain duties for a >.p'H i d object, the purposes of revenue. The Cabinet possessed four .staunch I 'roc-traders, and they had agreed to the policy as necessary on public grounds. He said it was a fallacy in this country to argue that by lowering a certain elass'of duties a new body of customers would be created and, therefore, a larger revenue be obtained, because here all classes alike are able to obtain whatever they want irrespective of customs duty. Perhaps, Waikato people, who are agriculturists, will require a little morw elucidation, ou this poiut wheu

JL. JL * JiU T * JLJk JL>-J j t!i.! huMOLir.ilili: gentleman i:omos l)(;- | fiii-i- l!i:-.::. us \v« siiiciirnly trust. 1 , lie will. Tli<; Pivininr next deals | wit.ii tlm ;jip'.s! ion of the s^fctlenient jof the country. He iwoyiii-scs tin; - ' r'aet. that in:~>ri' is iicccvs-s-irv to restore liii-meial soil ml news an i prosperity l.esid s retrenchment an:l the ul'oliiion oi: puUie extr;iv;iu'liiees. Hi; snfs it is very essential that the piipulttion of the colony 1..; in, .Teased, and Ik; expressed himself in favour of a system of modified im'ii 1 ioii, :'i:ll!<i iiit would bo •a is;' I.') assist, h >itn fill'' agricultural snttiers to come to this colony. \V<! arc here in perfect accord with the Premier. I hough he claims much • •redit for the present land policy of the Government, and we admit they are interesting themselves in the matter, we are distinctly of the opinion there is still much room for greater vigorr and larger provisions towards inducing not only an inllux of a right class of people from the Mother Country, but also towards encouragini; iircat numbers of those living in the colony, especially in the cities, to adopt a country life and engage in agricultural pursuits. Speaking of the Native Land Act of last session and the provision niade for native owners to dispose of their surplus hiids without pauperising themselves, the Premier said, in reference to the King Country, that a special proviso had been made by which that part of coimtty could not be dealt with tor thiee years. This precaution was adopted because it was impossible to deal with the land before that time, and would prevent speculators tampering with the natives. With this statement from the Premier before us it is somewhat inconsistent to be told that Mr T. \V. Lewis, of the Native Department, was entirely successful in his mission, a couple of weeks ago to the King Country, in inducing the natives to permit the Government to proceed with the survey of the Kolie Potae blocks. As was to be expected, Sir Harry Atkinson entered at some length upon the explanation of the recent appointments to the Hail way Board of Commissioners. He does not appear easy in his mind that the transfer of the railways of the colony to the supreme control of the Board will be a success. He distinctly asserts it is an experiment sanctioned by the Legislature. It was pointed out by him that it had been impossible to procure a really good | man—the "ideal'' man — from Home to accept the Chief Coutmissionership, and that, the Government were compelled to fall back upon their own service for experts. 11l order to justify the ultimate selections they made the Premier quotes the testimony of two of his colleagues and some other colonist who visi(e:l Australia lately, in proof that the New Zealand railways are better managed than the Victorian lines. This will cause most New Zealanders to elevate their eyebrows in mute surprise. The Government fixed on Mr McKerrow as the man having the best qualifications for the Chief Commissionership, as a firm man, and one who could exercise his own opinion and stick to it if. necessary. In spite of popular opinion to the contrary, he expressed his belief that Mr Maxwell and Mr Hannay had managed the railways in a meritorious manner. This certainly is not the experience of the \Y aikato, and the feeling here on that point clearly runs iu a contrary direction. The Premier paid a tribute of praise t,o the present Parliament of New Zealand, its intellectual power and high - mindedness. At the same time he declared that there could not be a complete economy of expenditure unless the number of members was reduced, and he assured his hearers that there was no chance of the Representation Act being repealed. This statement, so far, would lead us to consider the Government staunch in their intention to carry . out the wish of the country in connection with that question. There were other subjects touched upon by the Premier, such as amending the rules of procedure, settling the responsibility of affording support to permanent paupers by the Charitable Aid Boards, a superannuation scheme for the Civil Service, and the improved credit of the ' colony. He was not very sanguine of a surplus in the revenue for the y ar, but thought the expenditure and income would balance. As we said before the views of Sir H. A. Atkinson on the justness and | equality of the Property-tax will | form the leading feature of his address iu Auckland. We, therefore, await the. delivery of his speech with considerable interest, as \V aii kato settlers have not a loving affection for the tax. Its operation has been very injurious to the prosperity and settlement of this part of the colony.