THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE COUNTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2777, 1 May 1890, Page 2

THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE COUNTRY.

TO THE EDITOH. Sir,—ln your issue of Tueeday you have a leading article dealing with the advancement of the couutry. You state " that with a radical change of the railway policy a return of prosperity is likely to foilow." This may possibly happen to districts served by railwaye, but not to those thab aro without them. Some of the reasons given why people do not invest their capital and settle in New Zealand are :—-1. All the world knows that New Zealand is a wonderfully misgoverned country ; (2), the heavy burden of taxation which every individual in the colony hae to help to pay ; (3), the property-tax by-law. No. 1 cannot be remedied speedily; there are too many wire pullers behind the scenes ; still if the voters would learn true patriotism, and send fifty men like the Hon. J. Bryce to Parliament, the first step would be gained. We do not want any fresh laws — a great many of those in force now, need boiling down; but we do want men who will have the courage to tackle the evils of our Parliament. We want men, not faddists nor f rothists who can gabble on any and every subject; men who have hard business heads, to go to the root of the evil, and not be the puppets of this or that private secretary. The seat of Government is Wellington ; but for nine months of the year most ot the ministers are gadding about the co.intry. Is it any wonder that they know so little about the business of the country which they have to manage? Of course the real work is done bv the private secretaries, or heads of departments, and with the natural result that abuses of all kind become rampant. With regard to No. 2, " our heavy taxation," the first thing to do is to stop some'of the leaks and to reduce our expenditure in every department. This is the sore point; no one likes to suffer directly, but honourable reduction is preferable to bankruptcy. We cannot expect good results from our present Pailiament. —Many of the members are too thoughtful of themselves even to suggest reductions. No 3, " The Property-tax." is not as bad as soma people make out; still, as it is continually cited as the cause of our languishing industries, it would be better to make a reduction. In order to recoup the loss I would suggest that small annual taxes be paid by owners of pianos, race-horses, and buggies ; none of these are necessary for the real colonisation of a new country. Everyone allows that they are useful in their way, and promote social intercourse, &c. Still, as they are luxuries, let the people who can afford them pay for them as extras. Should anyone try to obtain a fresh loan to tide over the pinch, lot him be treated as a traitor to his country.— I am, &c, Elkctoii.