GOVERNMENT REFORM AND PRACTICAL THRIFT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2660, 30 July 1889, Page 3

GOVERNMENT REFORM AND PRACTICAL THRIFT.

TO TIIK KDITOIf. Sir.,—Tt is jntixfactory t.l wo liy yimr lendin;,' articlo and Mr Umcliu'h sciisiblo letti.'r tluit pu tjl u: i»i'i ui* u in tlic A\ aikato li.ih nut w.n peniiaii'inlly carried away by Sir 11. Atkiiisuu's liir.iiic.iiil policy. Tliu olouy, purtly fi'im thu iiii.-l'ii'tiinca of our Australian 'felhiw colonies and from other causes, lias been favoured willi much liiudmr prices for nearly staple product, and also in many cases a increase in production, making our portion far more favourable than the Treasurer had any light to count ii]i.in, and yet his last yem's revenue wa.- £ 107,000 tinder his estimate. Notwithstanding this error ho by so-called savings or by holding over liabilities been tible. to pay o(f i'.'iO.OOO of treasury bills and show several thousand pounds of surplus, proving the correctness of tho opinion of those members who Isi.-t year voted in a minority (Uio Government eppo.-uijk' ministerial rj nest ion) th:it Mio ostiinntos could be reduced by .L'loo.ooo. We had alluring promises of reform and retrenchment to gild the heavy burden of new taxation imposed. Wv were told that owing to compensation for losses of ollice, pensions, itc., wo would not last year immediately feel the benefit from _ ministerial economy, and, therefore, this year \\e were looking with hopeful expectation for a substantial reduction in expenditure. with a corresponding reduction of taxation. But we find instead_ thatwith an expenditure last year of .13,077,250, and £i>o,ooo of Treasury bills paid off, he wants £-1,323,!)00 or some £1570,000 more to spend this year than he did actually expend last year,' inclusive of paying the said ioO.OOO bills, and yet many know that in all the pretended Ministerial economy there was no systematic and permanent reform, but a temporary and spasmodic tinkering with retrenchment. No Government is justified in taking the public revenue for political railways and other jobs, but for such purposes by grinding taxation to rob people of their' hard-earned money which they need and can use to so much better advantage than the (rovernment, is far worse than folly ; it is a crime against the rights and the welfare of the people. Tho Government should not get one penny more than they absolutely need for preserving the peace, order arisi good government of the colony, and also to pay for the public debt, too much of which has been the result of public infatuation and political iniquity. I hope that some independent friend of the Government will move that the public revenue expenditure should r.ot exceed in tho current financial year the amount actually expended during the past financial year, including the payment of A.'00,000 Treasury bills; that the difference, between such actual expenditure of the past financial year and the Treasurer's estimated revenue for tho current year shall be disposed of,—lst, by a reduction or remission of such taxation as is most injurious to the colony. 2nd, by a readjustment of railway charges upon broad principles of intelligent liberality. 3rd, that the Government should honestly continue to pay tho rates upon Crown lands, and also advance rates upon native lands but to take land under ccrtain restrictions in re-pavment. My resolutions which led to the passage of the Crown and Native Lands Hating Act wero not correctly embodied therein. As I stated at the time, my purpose was that after a certain number of years the Government (excepting cultivations, settlements and interments,) should take re-payment in sueh native land at full value and open it for settlement on perpetual lease, or what in Scotland is called perpetual "fen." The rent being '1 or 5 per cent, on tho capital value, such rents could be devoted for hospitals and charitable relief of the people of the colony irrespective of race, and partly perhaps to aid technical education in agriculture, mining and manufactures. I hope that tho people of Waikato and the whole colony will take a determined stand against any increase of public expenditure and will support similar resolutions to what 1 have herein suggested. Wo must insist upon Government reform and practical thrift. I will bo glad to assist by pen or on platform.—l am, &c. W. A. Murray, Piako, July 2-ltli, ISSi).