THE Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri FRIDAY, 24th JULY, 1874.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1596, 24 July 1874, Page 298

THE Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri FRIDAY, 24th JULY, 1874.

In Parliament a long debate has taken place upon the excise proposals of the Government. By the 'Distilleries Act of 1868, with the view of fostering "local industry," a difference was made in favor of locally distilled spirits of 6s per gallon. The " industry,''" but for this encouragement, would not likely have been started (except in' an illicit manner), and even with the great assistance given by the Government, the distillers complain that their business has been a losing concern, the prejudice against local productions being so great. -The result has been an enormous loss to the country, with very little benefit, pecuniary or to those engaged in the trade. The Government now propose to gradually assimilate the excise duty to the' Customs rate, and so by degrees extinguish the so-called industry tliey have been at such pains - to foster. Better sweep away the Distilleries Act at once, and save the Colony any further loss on this head. As to the results of the experiment, we epiote Mr Reynolds, the Commissioner* of Customs :—" The result showed that the revenue had lost eighty-two thousand six hundred and six pounds, or for every bushel of grain, grown in- the Colony and consumed in its distilleries, the Government had paid a bonus of lis to lis £d ; and loss in the differential duty

had been nearly 2s per bushel; besides the growing of grain, contrary to the expectations they had entertained, hail been stimulated, but the reverse;} 1 ' "nor had the employment of labor been much: The Auckland .brewery employed only five permanent hands, and Bunediii distilleries twenty-three) Of the grain 'used, a large proportion had been 'imported, many of the distillers haying to : go to - California for'barley.'' The. result of this endeavor at ."protection" —a doctrine in which Mr Vogel is a firm believer—has thus been a most • wretched failure. - It. is instructive, as showing how the anticipations of pro-, tectioriists are falsified by -(facts juLevery particular. During the debate, some of "the members "had"the conscience to propose that the Government should, before altering the duty, "buy- up" or " indemnify ".the ;w hose sole benefit the Colony has already paid upwards' of eighty thousand pounds! ..: n v : i: :■.'■] ~;>;J3T ,■*>-, — ~, •', ,_'■,,- We have not space to-daV to vl reyiew at length .Mr -Vogel-'s financial stated me.nt,' the official summary of which we ! give in another Column. -Unlike previous statements by 'JBreasurer, it contains nothing very new or startling. Ifc is important, as '.showing the views of ' the GoveninWnt 1 qn'the delicate subject of Provincial borrowing, on which point it is anticipated that the great battle of the. session is to .be fought. Auckland, West!and, and Nelson— the three Provinces which are "nowhere" in.the race of progress, are to be relieved by the. Colony, and other more prosperous Provinces are also to be placed in a position to carry out those public works which they have.set before them. Hawke's Bay is a notable exception. We, are merely: told that our line of railway is to be pushed on. Possibly the General Government are of opinion that this is sufficiently prosperous without its longcoveted breakwater. It is satisfactory to see that the Premier intends to.pay the interest on loans out of the consolidated revenue; and satisfactory too, that he counsels economyand prudence. We-hope his advice in this respect will be followed by the Parliament. "This "Council" during its late session passed- a vote qf £IOO r to the Napier Athenamm,'conditionally on the annual subscription being reduced from £1 Is to 10s 6d.... After two meetings,of the subscribers, and much discussion, it