Hawke's Bay Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 1885. THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7196, 23 June 1885, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 1885. THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

The more we study the Financial Statement the less we like it, and we believe that that will be the general yei'dict of both the House and the constituencies. It completely falsifies every promise held out by Sic Julius Yogel when he took office. Let us glance at the position nine monthei ago. Sic Julius then laughed at the idea of the colony being in financial difficulties, assured us that our position was really an exceptionally good one, and that we groaned under a load of taxation merely because we did not know how to manage our affairs. He reduced the property tax to half, and promised its complete repeal, with other remissions of taxation, this year. The remission of half of the property tax waß more than made good by the practical abolition of the sinking fund* of the older colonial loans, but this, it was explained, was only a temporary measure, to give him time to perfect a more complete scheme of finance. The corner-stone of this scheme was, we were told,' the separation of local from general finance. That done, the rest was easy. The property tax, which was condemned in such unmeasured terms as a olog on the wheels of progress, .was to be abolished, a land tax imposed on the unimproved value of land, and that land tax was to be made local revenue, and expended in the districts where it was raised. Then Parliament could for ever wash its hands from all responsibility for roads and bridges, the strain thus removed would allow large reductions in taxation, while the local bodies would be in ample i lindß, for landowners would not object to a land tax for local purposes like they objected to one for colonial purposes. ' All this was to ', bring about "an assured finance. In 'the main the ! scheme was identical with that previously suggested'by Mr Ormpnd.. The

latter, when he found that a majority of the House were not prepared to adopt his views, persistently refused office. . Sir Julius, more pliant, had no such fine scruples ; he went in and made matters pleasant for the next nine months, and trusted to some trump-card turning up in the interim. That, as we have said, was thej position nine months. Let it be compared with the proposals of to-day. Instead of the proper (y tax being abolished it is to be restored to its old level. Instead of remitting other taxes the Customs imposts are to be enormously increased, and other indirect taxes share the same fate. Instead of a comprehensive system of local government we are to have the present system patched up, and no | more is heard of the final separation of colonial aud local finance. The colony was to go ahead by " leaps and bounds," to use the words of Sir Julius, but the depression in trade continues as serious as ever. Last year the depresnion was to be relieved by the remission of taxation ; this year it is to bo relieved by extra taxation ala Protectionist. Taxation, Sir Julius Baid laat year, was throttling industry ; he proposes to give an extra grip on the throat by way of rel'^f. He reminds us of surgeons of the old school, when venesection was looked upon as the grandest discovery in medicinal art sinco the days of Hippocrates. Those old-time doctors, when i man was brought to them in high 'ever from losa of blood, promptly let a little more blood to allay the fever — a satirical application of the theory of " like cures like " which even the most jnthusiastic of homoeopathisfcs would 3hrink from in these more enlightened clays. No one looking at the future in the light of the pa^t can for a moment hope ! that in the proposed trifling with the question of local finance there is any hope of a definite settlement of the much-vexed question of local self-gov-ernment. With the subsidy system we were promised " finality of local finance ;" when the subsidies were swept away and the Roads and Bridges Construction Act was passed, a similar hopeful anticipation was indulged in by its author ; now both have failed and we are to have a hybrid system including the most objectionable features of both, so far as can be judged from the vague language in which the Colonial Treasurer seeks to disguise his meaning-. He frankly confesses that he has altered all his views on local government since last session— he would have been more frank had he said that the difficulty of finding a majority in the House to support his viewa waa the cause of that change. He gives no reason for his reversed attitude. Last ', year he argued for a revival of the old | provinoea without the legislative powers possessed by those defunct bodies, giving the enlarged districts powers I over hospitals, police, charitable aid, and so on, and, to enable them to per. form their functions, he proposed to endow them with the property tax or a land tax, to be levied Instead of the property tar. Now he says he thinks that charitable aid, harbors, et hoc, are better administered by separate bodies ; and he triumphantly justifies his change of view with regard to the local expenditure of the property tax by eaying that under such a scheme the towns would have most of the money to spend. Of a verity this is putting up a bogy to knock it down again. Neither Sir Julius or anyone else ever proposed that the towns should have the spending of the property tax raised within their limits. The proposal was that each provincial district should have the expenditure of the money raised within its borders, which is an altogether different thing. The real truth is that Sir Julius wants a majority at his back, and is prepared to manufacture a policy to suit. He still condemns the property tax, but because a land tax is not popular he talks about the unwisdom of changing established systems of taxation, and on that weak ground gracefully yields his opinion. It is a pity, for his own sake, that he gave so many promises laat year. He should have remembered the tactics of Mr Biglow, and refrained from giving definite promises, and adopted, instead, the superior wisdom of Mr Lowells' 8 creation, from whom we quote once more : — I don't appruve o' glvin' pledges ; You'd ought to leare a feller free, And not go knocking out the wedgei. To ketch his fingers in the tree ; Pledgee are awfle breaehy cattle, Theb preudent farmers don't turn out — 2Tz long 'z the people git their rattle, Wut is there far 'm to grout about t

Our Auckland correspondent's letter will be found on the fourth, page. There was no busiuess at the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday. The football match between the Heretaunga and Hastings Football Olubs, played at Hastings on Saturday, resulted in a victory for Heretaunga by eight points to two. "We are requested to direct attention to the alteration of the time-table for the Wairarapa, which will leave here for the South at 1 p.m, on Saturday instead of 2 p.m. as is usually the case. The members of the Napier Holiday Association met at the Criterion Hotel yesterday, and decided to declare Thursday a close holiday, that being the date of the Jockey Club's steeplechase meeting. The odds in connection with the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club's steeplechase meeting will be called at the Criterion Hotel this evening, at 8.30 o'clock, and also at the same hour to- ; morrow evening. We are requested to draw attention to the fact that the first race at the Bawke's Bay Jockey Club's meeting on Thursday, 25th inst., will be started at 12,15 o'clock, and not at 12.30, as pre- .! viously advertised. We are requested to remind our readers that the sale of work in St. John's schoolroom will be re-opened at 7 o'clock this evening, and at 8.30 o'clock the articles remaining unsold will be offered for sale by auction. A quantity of children's clothing, and many other useful and fancy articles, are as yet undisposed of. „ The following members of the Union Football Club are requested to go into .practice for tke match against the Heretaunga second fifteen : — Pram, Bunting, JEtussell, Eobihson,. Williams, Graham, Mason, Yates, Ashton, G. Morrison, Langhan, Fletcher, Hoyte, Ford, Carroll, Reid.Donnelly, C. Tilley, Cameron, Hetherall, Pjrarii, Wyatt, .0.-0.; Boss, Tregonning,'Knapp> and Richardson, : t The first of the two SoutliSes Island

excursion trips notified by the Union . SteanishipCompany has been counter- '. manded, in consequence of the poor ] inducement offered. The spcond and longer trip will be carried out if a sufficient number of passengers notify their intention to make the excursion, which will embrace the islands of Tonga, Samoa, Tahiti, &c. The fare for the trip has been reduced from £65 to £55. The people of Taradale and the surrounding districts have a treat in Btore for them to-morrow evening, when a negro minstrel entertainment will be given in aid of the Taradale public library fund. Sogae of the best Napier and Taradale amateurs will take part in the entertainment, the programme of which showa a splendid bih of fare.. As the object of the concert is to provide a readiug-room for the district, and in addition promises to be a really good one, there ought to be a large attendance. Our Waipawa correspondent wired as follows yesterday evening :— " The Town Board election contast took place to-day, when Mr T. Cowper and Mr M. Collett, with their respective friends, did their best to win. Considerable interest attached to the election, as it was held in consequence of the last election, when Mr Collett was returned, being successfully petitioned against in consequence oi irregularities in connection with the roll used. The i result of to-day's voting was as folJows :— Collett 54, Cowper 47. The utmost good humor prevailed, although the contest was a keen one." The half-yearly meeting of Court Sir Charles Napier, A.0.F., was held in the lodge-room, Foresters' Hall, Dickensstreet, last evening. There was a large attendance of members of the Court, and a number of visitors from other Courts were also present. The election of officers for the ensuing term resulted as follows :— O.R., Bro. Smale; S.C.R., Bro. Robson ; S.W., Bro. Langley ; J.W., Bro. Clarke; 5.8., Bro. Gibson ; J. 8., Bro. Hatherall; Secretary, Bro. C. P. Lound; Treasurer (re-elected), Bro. J. Parker. A vote of thankg was unanimously accorded to the P.C.R., Bro. J". G. Gilberd. Six new members were initiated, and three candidates were proposed. The Court closed with the usual oeremonies. The following deeds have been submitted for investigation to the Trust Commissioner at Napier during the past week : — Lease for 21 years of the undivided interest of Raniera Tarairo and five other natives in the Mukutauroa block, 3432 acres, to George Walker ; lease for 21 years of the undivided interest of Wikitoria Kanio and three other natives in the Te Motere block, No. 1, 389 acres, to George Walker; conveyance of the undivided interest and shares of Kura Haka in the Tawapata south block, 10,403 acres, to George Walker ; lease for 21 years of the undivided interest of Ihaka Maihi Whanga and two other natives in the Whangawehe block, No. 1, 8071 acres, to George Walker. In the case of the two first deeds, certificates will be issued after nine days' notice in the Wairoa Gruardian, and in respect to the two last deeds, after five days' notice in the same paper. A meeting of those- desirous of creating some public memorial to the relatives of the late Mr John Sheehan was held in the Municipal Council offices last night. About thirty gentlemen were present, including his Worship the Mayor, who ocoupied the chair. The Mayor briefly stated the object of the meeting, and expressed regret that more gentlemen were not present. Ho ascribed the small attendance to the fact that many who would otherwise have been present had formed prior engagements. Mr Mayo then proposed that subscription lists be opened, with the view of erecting come memorial to Mr Sheen an. He spoke highly of the late member for Tauranga, and promised hearty support to any movement to perpetuate his memory, though he (the speaker) was a political opponent of Mr Sheehan. He suggested that, as Mr Sheehan had given one of the large lamps to be erected in Clivesquare, the erection of a drinkingfountain in the square would be a suitable monument. He felt sure that funds would be readily subscribed to erect a substantial .memorial, which would perpetuate the memory of Mr Sheehan when those then present had followed him to the tomb. He moved that a committee be formed to collect subscriptions for the erection of a memorial in Clive-square. Mr S. Oarnell seconded, but suggested that it would be better to eliminate the latter part of the motion, and leave it to the subscribers to say what form the memorial should take. In putting the motion his Worship promised his cordial concurrence in the movement, and highly eulogised the high talents and BOcial qualities of Mr Sheehan, whom he described a» the first of native-born colonists. Political friends and opponents could unite in paying this tribute to Mr Sheehan, and in admitting that he had done good service to the country as a member of the House of Representatives and a Minister. The erection of a monument to Mr Sheehan would be an honor not only to the memory of Mr Sheehan, but to the town of Napier, in the progress of which Mr Sheehan had always shown a warm interest. The motion was then passed unanimously, and on the motion of Mr Leonard thoae present were appointed as a committee to carry out the object of the resolution. It was decided to hold an adjourned meeting that day three weeks, for the purpose of appointing a sub-committee and the arrangement of details. A committee meeting was held subsequently, when Mr ±\ fcj. M'Lean was appointed hon. treasurer and Mr J. Cunningham hon. secretary. At the meeting of the Castlepoint Licensing Committee Mr Buckeridge'e application for a license for the Wharearoa Hotel was refused, on the ground that the house was not required. Mr Cars well's application for the Kumorou Hotel was refused on the ground that the house was not yet in existence. Mr W. C. M'Dermott's application for the Club Hotel, Castlepoint. was granted. Renewals were also granted to Messrs Rogers, Baker, and Wilson, During the year ended 31st March last 491,066 frozen carcases of mutton have been exported, against 247,772 during the previous year, being an increase of 243,294. Of these Otago furnished 133,964; Canterbury, 121,627 ; Marlborough, 15,950; Wellington, 130,436; Napier, 89,089. For meat preserving purposes 100,490 sheep were utilised. During the same period Otago supplied 572; Canterbury, 26,374; Marlborough, 757 V ; Wellinc[ton,'26,99B j Wanganni, 19,270; Napier, 24,884; Auckland, 1635. The total number treated exceeds that of last return by some 9000 sheep. The number of sheep boiled down for the year ended 31st March last amounted to 52,206. Of these 20,800 were contributed by Marlborough, 22,251 by Wanganui, and 9155 by Napier, showing a falling off , as compared with the previous year, of 2667.