POLITICAL SPEECH

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 57, 8 March 1901, Page 3

POLITICAL SPEECH

MR WARD PREDICTS A £400,000 SURPLUS.

By Telegraph—Per Press Association. Auckland, last night. The Hon. Mr Ward visited Te Awamutu last night. In the course of a speech ho stated that last year remissions of taxation had been made to the extent of £323,000, yet the revenue for eleven months of the present year amounted to £5,112,200, as against £4,850,900 last year, an increase of £252,000, with another month to go. He ventured to prophesy that at the end of the present financial year the surplus would amount to £400,000. Thenfinances never stood better in the London money market than now. The last intimation received concerning the position there was that 3 per cent, bonds stood at 98], 4 per cents. 1144, and 34 per cents. 108.

There was a plethora of money in New Zealand to-day, such as had never before existed in its history. The income tax to February this yearshowed an increase compared to 1892 and 1893 of £105,000, and at the end of March it was calculated that the increase would amount to £159,000. Referring to the South African war, he said that, whilst opposed to militarism in New Zealand, ho considered it our duty to continue to assist tho Empire in fighting for the rights of our people. It was said we had gone far enough. Wo were asked by some to stop sending more more men to the war. We ought to stop if neoessaryj but we had had 1300 men out there for 14 months, many woa.ty and worn. The Government was going to replace them by asking tho men of New Zealand in a position to go to relieve them till the necessity had passed away. Already more had offered than were required for that particular purpose.