WELLINGTON PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Press, Volume XVIII, Issue 2552, 6 July 1871, Page 3

WELLINGTON PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

In proroguing the Council the Supcriuteudent of Wellington, after assenting to a number of Bills, spoke ns follows —

" But the several acts you have passed are not to be taken ns the only gauge of tho extent and importance of the work of tho session, for, in addition to those measures, you have passed several important resolutions, accompanied with certain draft Bills, which you have requested mc, as Superintendent, to procure the passing of in the next session.pf the General Assembly. Whilst I assure you that I shall use my best endeavors to c:\rry out your wishes, I take the opportunity of stating that, if I entirely fail to obtain*tho assent of. tho Parliament of the Colouy to the measures which you thus desire mc to bring forward, I see.no prospect of my being able to render you any further service in the capacity of Superintendent ; and permit mo here to observe that the office would cease to be desirable if I could not promote the progress of the province.

" In reviewing the legislative labors of your present sessiou, I note with particular satisfaction that, notwithstanding the difference of views as to the basis of rating, you have maDfully faced the question of direct taxation, and have thus adopted for the Province a policy of self-help, similar in character, if not iv degree, to policy of selfreliance which was so fortunately inaugurated for the Colony as a -whole in 1864 ;.and it is a further gratification that your measures with regard to district roada, main roads, tramways, and railways, constitute the complement of the policy' of the present Colonial Government. ' '

Having had 'the courage to adopt the policy of a general land tax, you have doubtless already discounted at its true value the usual outcry against all taxation. I speak upon reflection when I say that I regard as a popular fallacy the belief that the prosperity of a country is always in an inverse ratio to the extent of its taxation. I believe, on. the contrary, that the rule is, that the progress and prosperity of a new country, is in direct ratio to the extent of its taxation; provided always that the produce of taxation is expended on works of useful development.