The Clutha Leader. BALCLUTHA: FRIDAY, APRIL 16,1880.

Clutha Leader, Volume VI, Issue 340, 16 April 1880, Page 5

The Clutha Leader. BALCLUTHA: FRIDAY, APRIL 16,1880.

'-■ M^NYhints have.of late from time to time been given, to Ministers and Members of - Assembly in general, of the desirability of : taking' the : public into their confidence, "and* affording some information as to the current ..of political event. All snch/ however,: appear to fall upon * deaf " ears. 5 There are no indications of an in- * tension on the part of any influential m&nber'* addressing' his constituents prior • to session of Parliament.' We do - not think this apparent determination on the part of the Government to; maintain •Bileiice as to their, actions and policy, and to prevent "the public being fully informed as to the'true position, pit their own affairs' will meet' witli approval. -The present' Government have dn this respect, adopted , " a new • line of action, for; we* question whether 'during any previoiis recess in the history of the Colony the public have been i\ kept^so much ..in the dark upon general - questions, or; whether, there has ever been : • '" felt fi & greater - desire - for information ■'ithala^at present.- 'The ratepayers in; this, ' . as \ well as^ m 6iheT r . districts have f goqd y * c&xisq for, anxiety! We hear .every ! day of :.r^failing revenue, oi large and unexpected 'deficiencies in almost eyery department, "'■vfKiie^ne^. systems of* heavy. taxationiare; * ' ' ' }Mng 'put' into 1 operation. . ; All this during ( -? w prices for prp-' a^ucerf 1 and general commercial depression^

js surely" sufficient- -to cause - anxiety.Throughout ,thd ; QlutJia,liqr,exanlple, ,y?e j have *to =pay:tß,oadi.Board*caxes, County.] taxes /'dogHaxes'/'^tilifid^ ! 'iakp'- and 1 prbpei ; ty-* texra^foriteamii pMod. hr ln -the',Wnshirj 4 ,\ye ? nave, the -general. .J^Lunicipal jrates,*| a' special rate of one shilling in the pound; iar, special fiworka, <■ dog ytaxesi, , : Land Tax |arid>_ ! Pro^Urty Taxv-'> Still it appearslthat:, 'even tKis7exiraqrdiniiry- ! taxa^ion I '-is 1 in- rflufficieui.^o' ,i»a^e Tends' nVee^,' 'eitli er jvith' <. the ,(j,o.vernment or. .the. iocaJjb'o ; Hies ?: and,. some are hot :alow« to (predict as the; result, , i^repudiation. •of lawful debts : ; or;' generaV bankruptcy! 'Indeed it is 'difficult Itp : say how, tin some ' cks6s* ; at" least, /bankruptcy^ is „tp be avoided,' '-and t the {honest-intentioned : portion jof the com■niunity are seriously alarmed, at such.a- --' prospect. From r statements made 'by the : Government to " various parties,* it "would;' seem it is. not. the intention longer^to cbntinue the payment of subsidies to .local bodies; If such a change is contemplated ;it should at once be intimated, so that timely : pro vision may be made against a disorganisation " of "'the . 'financial arrangejxients of these bodies. \ jt is most unwise to keep' the; public in the dark regarding this and many other matters of vital importance. It is just possble that were full information ''given, the affairs of the ; country might not prove so bad as they now: appear . to be in the estimation ' of many. . ' . . r ' .