Wellington Gossip.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7915, 2 December 1887, Page 3

Wellington Gossip.

- . " - ♦ . . ' (BY TELEGRAPH.) (FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. ) Wellington, Thursday. ANOTHER SOUTH SEA BUBBLE. Some curiosity has been evinced as to the nature of the mysterious scheme alluded to by Sir Julius Yogel a few days ago, whereby taxation would be reduced, encouragement given to local industries, and the railways constructed without having recourse to the London money market for some years. Sir Julius has been interviewed on the subject by a . reporter from the Post, and the report of the interview occupies about a column of. that paper. I make the following extracts :— Sir Julius said in reply to a request for some information its to his scheme, "When I alluded to the subject in the House I was not speaking without ample consideration. The fact is that since I have been out of office I have given many hours' study to the position of the colony and the conditions which require to be met, and 1 have come to the conclusion that these conditions can all be • met and the colony relieved from many of . the troubles which now surround it. In all countries various conditions constantly arise which require more or less exceptional treatment, and. that treatment - . can be devised by those who recognise its necessity. The misfortune of New Zealand is that there never seems to be an idea of looking into the features to be dealt with and devising the requisite means for dealing with them. A person who proposed anything oat of the commen • -has to submit to jeers which are little short of insults. As to myself, it is particularly the case that although I have succeeded in giving the colony a great number of valuable proposals, and those proposals have been adopted- with great success,, yet still in tho very face of their adoption and acknowledged success I am insulted •when I suggest any such plans." Being asked to mention the plans he referred to, Sir J nlius said " I need go no further than the public works proposals. It is a matter of history that over and over . again I was insulted because of my venturing to propose those plans— in many cases by the men most benefited by them. Major Atkinson, who, after I left the colony in 1876, more than once distinctly declared that the policy had been a great success, is now one of the first to declare that the colony has bad enough of me and my plans. That statement was made the other evening. I might instance the" Insurance Department ; the Public Trrist Department; the Forest Department, which would, if continued with, have been a great success, as would also my proposals in relation to the South Sea Islands ; the bonus offered for preserved fish, which has been the means of encouraging several large undertakings ; the bonus for beet sugar, which will yet , prove to be very successful ; the inscription of stock ; the two harbors on the West Coast ; _ the telegraph cable, and many other things of different kinds. I may mention, for example, such as the mutual security of civil servants, which lias saved to tlio officers thousands of pounds in the payment of premiums to guarantee associations." The reporter remarked that the proposals to be made were of an entirely novel character, and Sir Julius Yogel replied, " They are so ; I do not believe any human being has hitherto conceived ' them, and I am of opinion that they would not only be adopted by New Zealand, but, as in the case of our public works policy, would be followed by other colonies." The reporter then asked Sir "Julius to give him an idea of their nature. Sir Julius Yogel replied, "I dare not do ' so. Not only because I should be doing an ininsiace to myself, but because I feel certain that they would be so misused as to prove non-effective. Their effect would be to enable the taxation of the country to be reduced. I do not say that they would prevent the necessity of the , Customs tariff being revised, because I am distinctly of opinion that the tariff shonld be revised apart from the question of revenue, but they will certainly make it necessary to raise less revenue, and enable relief to be given to the people." Upon being asked if he intended to take any steps to give effect to his proposals, Sir Julius Yogel replied, "It is clear that I can do nothing this session, unless I have much better assurances than 1 have at present that my proposals will . receive fair consideration. Possibly I may do something next session, although I don't pretend to say that there woald be equal advantage to the colony then, for I fear very much otherwise; yet I think that they would be found effective then, For those reasons in the first instance 1 would, instead of authorising a new loan ' abstain from putting the North Islam trunk loan upon the market; next : would have recourse to less taxation, an< make provision for a reduced raihva; tariff immediately upon effect beta]

given- to my -plans. - There- is the fear- in the meanwhile that the colony will be in a less healthy position to carry out my plans than it is at present, and there is of ceurse the disadvantage of some 27,000 people being called upon to pay the proposed high property tax, and the current expenditure being carried on out of borrowed money." The reporter asked if Sir Julius would bring these plans before tho House early next session. Sir Julius Yogel replied, " That I cannot say. It is impossible to tell what may Be the position next session. Certainly I should not be inclined to ventilate my plans unless I had a much greater assurance of their receiving fair treatment than I have at present." The interview then terminated. BRIDLE TBACK TO WAIROA. Captain Russell this afternoon asked the Minister of Lands if he would-anthorise a detailed survey being made of the best line of a road from Petane to AVairoa, Hawke's Bay, and cause a bridle track to be made on thaP line out of the fnnds available for opening up lands before sale ? Mr Richardson said that the funds at the disposal of the Government for opening Crown lands were at present not sufficient to enable the work to be undertaken. The country was very difficult to make roads through, and a bridle track would probably cost £10,000. SYDNEY TAIWHANGX'S PETITION. The Public Petitions Committee reported to-day on this petition, the prayer of which was that Sydney Taiwhanga and other natives were awarded the sum of £227 8s 9d as compensation for land taken for railway purposes, but that they only received £100. The report of the committee was that the petitioners had failed to establish any claim against the colony owing to a receipt for £100 having been given in full discharge of all further liability. • FOREST LANDS OF THE CROWN. Mr Tanner asked the Government if they would give instructions that grass seed be_ sown on the forest lands of the Crown immediately after a fire has passed through ; also on roads which have been cnt through forest lands ? Further, if the Government would take steps to improve the road through the new Makaretu blocks (recently sold) at a spot known as "the ravine," to enable settlers to reach their sections ? Mr Richardson replied that generally grass seed is sown on roads that have been felled and cleared when the funds in hand permit. Regarding the sowing on forest lands acciden tally fired, it was recognised that it was advisable to do so, and any case brought to the notice of the Government would receive attention. As to the second question, he said Parliament would be asked to vote a small sum for expenditure on roads to open the Makaretu block, and the Makaretu Rqad Board was some time ago authorised to make a road to give access to sections that had been sold. V THK GREAT SCHEME. The general opinion in the lobbies on Sir Julius Vogel's so-called new scheme is first, that he has no scheme at all ; and next, that he must produce something that will be very much more satisfactory than his communication to the Post before he will get any consideration. THE TOTJKIST SEASON. Mr Kelly, the member for Tauranga, asked the Minister for Public AA T orks if it is intended to have the road between Rotorua and AVairoa put in repair, so as to enable tourists to visit that place during the coming tourist season. Mr Mitchelson said it was not the intention of the Government to do so, as he understood it would cost £200 to repair the road. Mr Kelly has since informed the Minister that the work can be done for £100, and Mr Mitchelson has promised to reconsider the matter.