THE FUTURE.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13103, 30 April 1908, Page 8

THE FUTURE.

SUGGESTIVE REMARKS BY THE PREMIER. , ; •. (STECLU. TO ' '■'THE T%t88.") : :' WEJJ.INGTON, April 29* In an interview this afternoon, Mr W. F. Massey, Leader of the Opposition', made reference to the. Premier's remarks on the question.of; taxation. The very meagre account of the, Pro-; mier's speech sent by the Press elation makes no reference to.tbe.mat- , ter. The following account of what the Premier did say is taken ffroin.the "Evening Post":—' : -* :^-; Something in'the. nature of a warn-. ing for. the future wa8 k given by the Premier in the.: of his "financial ? ',tff*he*Lit>era] and 'Labour.Federation last ..night. There are not iimiiy of you, I think, he said, who do not .know as '-well' as''l do that; in times of great prosperity .:■ when there is a tremendous amount'of money coming into the treasury,' the Government; has : to. stand "as nrmas; adwrnant. It uras at such -Jamee, he added, that the Government had to realise the tremendous responsibilities devolving upon it. ana to recognise that not only tlw> adminiafeation but all classes ot the community^would be prejudiced if any serious, mistake was made in giving way to the persistent clamour for increased expenditure thai rame at such a time. The Government went on the assumption that the Consolidated Revenue■ could be dependedupon tojpay £800,000 a year to the' Public Works Fund, and .that that amount could. not be paid unless the j revenue showed the necessary £200,000 per month available for that purpose. With a full sense, of responsibility he declared that the barometer. ■ was "steady," but for all that he believed that the Government deserved recognition for a degree* of caution for which they had not been generally credited, but the country, required development and assistance, and he believed that it could carry on its public works on' the same basis as last, year, with perfect safety. (Applanse)i Ho did Tvot' think it wos necessary for him to l*e pessimistic, he continued. If X<ou- Zealand wero in a dangerous condition what would be the duty of the Government of the day? . .It would b" not to giro away anything in the (.shape of remission of taxation; it I would be to strengthen its position lα-. probably, jncroosinc taxation. What had been dom*- during a comparatively brief period of years ■* Thoy liad givett jiack to the people of Now Zealand in the Kliap© of remLs& : on.s of taxation and a total of £1,550,000, iind' during "the whole of that iime there had been an increase of taxation in one direction—the graduated tax. Were the people who had- been built up by sweh a policy tho sort to turn back should the necessity arise of "hau.iittgdown our'canvas and sailing aldttle closer to the wind?" If the necessity ever arose, his opinion was that the people, who had carve:! out homes for tUemeelves ttouW show the same courage and extermination as they had in the past; aud if . the iieoessity <*v-er he hopwl it never would for a.n increase of taxation', ho ventured to express tbo opinion that..those people who had ' received such tremendous benefits would not- bo the people to turn their backs on the country which, on the whok-. had'done so'much for them, .and , which, he-believed, would do '»> uoll for them in ttie futurfc. (Ap. l>bxuse.) - '•■'.•' • ■ ■ .