The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3062, 1 March 1892, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal and exact justice to all men. Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political.

TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 1892. ♦ The speech delivered by Mr Reeves to his constituents in Ohristchurch affords one mere evidence that the leaders of the dominant power have, now that they have the responsibility of power, found it wise to modify their tone, and if they have uot actually dropped some of the fads they too readily endorsed, have discovered that they must keep them in tho back ground till such time as the extreme wing of their party is much more numerous and powerful than they have found it. It lias always been the case that tho extremists of a political party aro the most loud-toned and industrious. They talk much and talk often, and this volubility goes some way towards giving them an importance in tho estimation of others which neither their numbers nor logic justify. We have frequently pointed out that it is not due to the measures introduced that a feeling of uneasiness has prevailed throughout the thinking and substantial sections of the population. On the contrary it is the dread of those of which leadeis gave a forecast which has done the mischief. I'he ascending scale of land taxation is of course neither sound nor just policy. There is no objection to a land tax, but it should have been of uniform weight and levied on all land without exception, the scale being fixed sufficiently high to have allowed a considerable reduction in the Customs duties. The ?mall holder might, by this means, have recouped to biin a considerable portion of the direct tax. The large holder on the other hand, his consumption of dutiable articles not being proportionate to the area he occupies, would receive little relief, and one of the avowed objects of the ascending scale—the bursting up of large estates —would have been attained without breach of taith with those who bought largely at the invitation of Parliament. It is this breach of faith rather than the tax itself which is doing the mischief. Confidence in the integrity of Parliament has been shaken, and no greator evil could fall upon a self-governing community. Men naturally ask, "Whatnext?" and being unable to calculate the lengths to which a body will go in the wrong direction, when it has once been guilty of a breach of faith, elect to cast in their lot with a people who do not hold tho doctrine that to own much property is a sin, and the guilty one not entitled to be treated in accordance with a contract, implied if not actually signed, sealed and delivered. When we tompted these men to purchase there \v;is no stipulation that if they paid for more than a given number of acres they would bo liable to bo taxed on a higher scale than tho remainder of their unfortunate brethren—unfortunate in that taxation is a necessary evil. Mr Ballance and his responsible followers are silent on the nationalisation fad, and wb are glad of it. If they eoutfiitf-e silent, it is possible that their wild tall- will be forgotten, or, if remembered, treated as a somewhat unserapvlous bending to the exigencies of a general election. This is a digression, but the natural outcome of the fact is that

Ministers have done more harm by wild and ill-considnred talk than l>y their measures. Mr lleeves, as we have remarked, was more moderate in his tone than hitherto. He considers that the Government, having a majority in the Lower Chamber, are entitled to have " sufficient representatives in the Upper Chamber to ensure a fair measure of support there." He also denies the desire to swamp the Council, and has omitted the threats which usually accompany any remarks hitherto made in reference to the Council. Nobody disputes the right of Ministers to fair representation, and we are glad to find that the Government have modified their views down to this reasonabla proposition. Hβ claims that the Government has made a reduction in Departmental expenditure of £45,000, this mainly, of course, by the reduction of officers. They were returned for this purpose mainly, and a very unpleasant duty has devolved upon them in consequence, and much hardship has necessarily been inflicted ; and, again, it is difficult for any Ministry to scrupulously fulfil a promise of" retrenchment and retain a sufficiency of popularity to keep them in office. The gilt is taken oft" the £45,000 somewhat by the fact that the total appropriations for the year were £2,012,000 against

for last year, but he ex plained that many of the sums making up the total are non-recur-ring. The Premier has expressed his willingness to modify his taxation proposals when they come before the House for confirmation, and to delete some of the objectionable clauses. If he does this and evidences economy, in Government now that ho has apparently abandoned some of his fads it would perhaps be better that he should continue in office and be afforded an opportunity of giving effect to a policy of economy upon which he and his party were returned. It is on this policy he will be judged, and that by" actualities not probabilities.