Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, JULY 11, 1870.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 803, 11 July 1870, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, JULY 11, 1870.

Foremost amongst the interests which call for the fostering care of Government we observe Mr Vogel places those of the brewer and distiller, so much so that while increasing the tariff rates of duty upon almost every article of food—from Hour through the list down to potted meats, and, indeed, most other necessaries of life—the plant and machinery for brewing and distilling purposes, which have hitherto been subject to a duty, are proposed to be admitted free. We see in this proposal almost as much matter for surprise as in any other part of the proposed scheme, If there has been any point on which we have agreed with the Premier, it has been on that of his temperance principles. Our readers are aware that that gentleman has been a prominent advocate of the temperance reform, that lie has given lectures before numerous audiences in various parts of the Colony, and we have honored him for rising in this respect supe-

rior to the prejudices of the time, and sacrificing a certain amount of popularity to his conscientious convictions. We confess, therefore, that the encouragement offered to the liquor interest in the new tariff somewhat staggers us, and we can only" suppose that in the Government Mr Yogel rules supreme, and feels it unnecessary to consult his compeers, or can it be that another gentleman has again sacrificed principle to place 1 Reference has been made to the expression of public opinion in favor of the financial scheme made by public meetings in Nelson and Canterbury; and an argument in its favor is deduced. We regard such expressions as anything but such an argument, the fact being that the tariff is framed for the benefit of those communities, they being in the agricultural interest. In fact a duty upon grain and flour is the very thing for which those districts have long clamored, and it is small won (lev then that they express their approval—though, by the way, it is a strange argument that is put into the mouth of one of its advocates, Mr [I. D Jackson, who " contended

that the alteration in the tariff would materially increase taxation. 1 ' Of course it will; Mr Vogel acknowledges as much, and indeed gives aw a reason for the change the necessities of Government: "we want to raise a certain amount of revenue", "the nominal amount of the added duties exceeds considerably the reduction";."! estimate that for the year the change in the tariff may yield some £5,000 additional revenue." This is of course that pot don of the increased taxation which it is estimated will reach the exchequer; but it does not convey any idea of its pressure upon the consumer, who, of course, will be taxed to the same extent on colonial produce as on the imported. This is the sop thrown to the agricultural interest of Nelson and Canterbury. The Colonial Treasurer adds, " The tendency of the increase will be to reduce importations," and "next year the change will be calculated to reduce rather than increase receipts" by the treasury; bo that while the additional burden will remain on the public, the whole is calculated to find iu way to the enrichment of a clas", and the exchequer is expected to lose rather than gain by a heavy increase of taxation. It does not follow that because Canterbury and Nelson approve of !a duty upon grain and flour that they will approve of Treasurer's gigantic borrowing scheme. It will be observed how carefilly the resolutions are worded to avoid any such committal, particularly in the case of Nelson, where a " practical modification " of the scheme is what is approved of, thus implying that the scheme itself is what its opponents declare it to be, "impracticable." The agitators in Canterbury too appear to be influenced by the idea that out of ten million pounds spent during ten years, at the rate of a million a year, a good share will fall to that province, to the present enrichment of many, and without reference to its ultimate consequences to the Colony. " After us the deluge" is too much in the style of the reasonings of many interested parties, and we doubt not that some of the advocates of the additional debt contemplate repudiation as the ultimate result. Of course we do not imply that Ministers? have an} such idea. To Mr Vogel the results of his scheme no doubt present themselv esin roseate hues, but to I he thinking taxpayer, who already groans under intolerable burdens, the additional burden of £-2 per head per annum for every man, woman, and child of the European population in the Colony, is something most alarmiii£f, as in the case of families of from 5 to 10 persons it means an addition to the annual taxation of from £lO to £2O.