The Press. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1891.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7772, 28 January 1891, Page 4

The Press. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1891.

Thb Speech with which hia Excellency Opened Parliament yesterday is a disappointing production. It ia evidently framed with tbe object of doing away with the possibility of any discussion. Aa far as it goes no great objection can be taken to it. It is highly desirable that the new Government "Bhould make an exhaustive " inquiry into the financial condition "of the colony," with the objecu of ascertaining if it is possible to submit proposals framed with a "due regard to economy" and with such reductions aa the position of the country demands "without im-

"pairing the efficiency of the publio " service." lb is also desirable that the proved defeota in the land laws should be amended; that, if possible by legislation, the " relations of capital and labor" should be improved ; and that the mineral resources of the colony should be developed. All this is we say highly desirable. But it is even more desirable still that the country should be definitely informed aa to the intentions of the Government regarding a number of important questions whioh were brought prominently before the electors during the recent political contest. Now if we could be assured that the new Government would be content to rest satisfied with endeavoring to administer the finances with a due regard to economy, to amend tho proved defects in the Land Act, and to, adopt similar measures of that character, the publio mind would be relieved. At present the electors are left entirely in the dark as to Ministers' intentions with reapeot to the burning question of the incidence of taxation. It : may be tbat the Government in- \ tend to leave that matter severely alone, j j They may have made up their minds [to entirely ignore their platform utter- J ances, and to follow iv the footsteps of the Stout-Vogbl Government. They may have resolved upon a course whioh has been pursued oa more than oue occasion ia somewhat similar circumstances—namely, to kick the ladder from uuder their feet by which tbey have climbed into power. The Premier himself, and some of his colleagues, are committed in the most emphatic terms to a graduated land tax. What we propose, said ono of his colleagues, "is not a simple " land tax, but a graduated land tax; " not a simple income tax, but a " graduated income tax.'* The speeoh of his Excellency is altogether silent as to these* important questions, and what the public will desire to know is: Have these proposals been definitely abandoned. It will not be enough simply to shirk the question. Very important issues depend on the atcitude of the Government regarding it, and it is their duty, at .the earliest possible moment, to inform the people of the colony as to what their intentions are.

We asßerfc, with a full knowledge of the facta, that at the present time enterprise is discouraged and industry paralysed on account of the uncertainty as to the political future of the country. No fresh capital is being put into new enterprises.' Everyone who has saved a few pounds is carefully husbanding his resources so as to be prepared for the worst. The natural result of all this is that employment is less plentiful than it ought to be. What folly it is to. talk in a vague way about tho good to be derived from a Department of Agriculture, if the country settler has hanging over him a threat of vindictive taxation ? What is the use of submitting measures to improve the " relations of labor to capital" if* all the time measures are kept dangling before the country which would tend to drive capital from the country altogether, and thus render the proposed measure a dead letter ? If Mr. Ballance and his friends mean that their platform speeches during the late election were for election purposes only, the sooner they say so the better for the colony. Thosa who made suoh a liberal use of revolutionary language in order to gain their seats, while all along they had no real intention of giving practical effect to them, may not occupy a very enviable position in public estimation. That, however, is their own affair.' But the colony, sinoe they are in power, has a right to know what their real objeots now are. The people of New Zealand have been threatened by more than one member of the present Administration with progressive taxation, and if language has any meaning aj> all a progressive land tax should be a prominent feature of Mr. BalliANOb's polloy. If he has already definitely abandoned all

thought of attempting to carry such a tax he should have the courage to tell the country plainly that he has changed his .views. He can have no excuse for any delay. He must know already whether he regards-a change in the incidence of taxation as practicable. What has to be feared is that the scheme will not be explicitly abandoned, and that the dealing with it will be postponed. Such a'course will be far'more disastrous to the 1 country than a real effort to carry the measure, An attempt of the kind would almost Certainly be defeated, even in the present House. Pub vague threats are much more difficult to deal with. As we have already Baid, it is the fear of what may happen in the near future which is having such a depressing effect upon the trade and commerce of the country } and confidence in the future will not be restored until

the people iare positively assured that New Zealand is not to be made the victim of all Borts of fads and nostrums.