Evening POst. MONDAY, JULY 4, 1881.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 3, 4 July 1881, Page 2

Evening POst. MONDAY, JULY 4, 1881.

THE FINANCIAL STATEJIENT. ? It is probable that the Colonial Treasurer will not deliver his Financial Statement tomorrow evening, as previously arranged. Thiß depends entirely on certain departmental estimates being ready in time. Major Atkinson's intention is, we believe, to place before the country a thoroughly exhaustive review of the whole financial position and prospects of the colony. To do this satislaotorily and completely, necessitates the compilation of various elaborate estimates as to the expenditure which has in future to be provided for, it being obvious that all plans for the raising of revenue must primarily be based upon the amount which has to be provided to meet the expenditure shown to be requisite. These computations are not yet quite finished, and it is doubtful whether they can be ready by to-morrow. If they are, then the Financial Statement will be delivered as announced. If not, its delivery will be postponed to either the following night or Thursday, as most convenient. If it proves necessary to take a private members' night for this purpose, the t> overnment will give up Friday evening to them instead. It is not likely that any other business will be transacted on the same evening that the Statement is delivered, as this will probably occupy nearly two hours, and members usually prefer to have time to digest the important information always imparted in a Treasurer's Budget before turning their mind to different affairs. As a matter of course and of cnstc-m, the exact nature of the financial proposals to be made m the Budget is kept a profound secret, it being evident that the revenue might suffer from any premature disclosure of an intended change in tne incidence of t > ration. It is generally believed, however, that do new or materially increased taxation will be proposed, but that there will necessarily be a reimposition of the Property Tax, which is considered to have given very favorable results on its first rear'n trial. Opinion is generally adverse to the likelihood of the tea and sugar duties being reviewed, for however expedient this might Eeem as a ready means of raising adiitional revenue, it might not be a popular 3tep to take on the eve of a general election. All these, however, are obviously mere speculations, in the inevitable absetce of my authoritative information regarding the Ministerial intentions, but whatever may be ;he precise character of the proposals to be inbmitted to the House by Major Atkinson »n this occasion, we have every reason to lelieve that he will be able to make a very atisfaotory report on the present and prospective financial poaition of New Zealand. Ye believe he will be in a position to show hat the finances of the colony have been re-

tored to a thoroughly sound condition ; that iur expenditure has been brought within our evenue, and that with reasonable prudence tnd economy ther6 should be no difficulty in 1 making both ends meet" for the future. THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILLS. ? The course which the Government purpose idopting in regard to their proposals respecting Local Government Reform is, we jelieve, as follows : —Major Atkinson, in his Financial Statement, will make a full explalation of the Ministerial policy relative to bcal government finance. This is, indeed, so intimately bound up in the general finance pf tho colony that it would be practically impossible to exclude such a prominent element from a Budget speech, and we understand that the financial phase of the local government question will be fully treated on bhat occasion. The Colonial Treasurer, after soncluding his Statement, will ask for leave bo introduce two bills dealing with local government, and assuming this td be granted md the bills read a first time, the second reading will be fixed for the following day. It •will be in moving the second reading of one of these bills that Major Atkinson will uißclose the entire policy of the Government touching local government as promised last week. We understand that he will review the whole subject very fully, analysing the present system, its merits and defects, and indicating what reforms Ministers deem desirable. This of necessity will bring to an issue the entire question of Local Government Reform, about which so much has been heard lately, and a protracted debate on the subject may be expected.