THE New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 1895. THE TARIFF.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1217, 28 June 1895, Page 20

THE New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 1895. THE TARIFF.

The Tariff Commission is the subject of some curious skirmishing. To the ordinary mind it seems that the Tariff Commission having reported on a very complex subject, the next step is necessarily the appointment of a committee to examine the report on behalf of the House. The committee is the body to which the House delegates the duty of examining intricate subjects. The idea mooted was that by the proposal to appoint a committee the Government was betraying a desire to shelve the report. Why? On Tuesday nobody could say why ; at all events nobody did say why. It was left to the Post to supply the omission, and the omission was supplied with amusing transparency. The Post committed itself to the statement —when the Commission was appointed—that the Commission was under instructions to give us a further and a instalment cf Protection. That was denied at the time, bait denials always o-o for nothing in presence of preconceived opinions. When that particular journal deliberately states that a certain thing is arranged, that statement becomes incontrovertible. Of course, it was not a statement of fact. It has now somehow got into the brain of the Post that the Commission did not make np a lump of Protection, grinding or otherwise. Before they reported they were described as subservient creatures of the G-overnment, taking their orders and obeying them. Since their report they have undergone a have blossomed into full-fledged independence. Remarkably fine fellows they are now, who have more respect for themselves, and always had, than for their supposed master the most autocratic Government on the face of the earth. Let us pause to contemplate the effect of this. Most of the members of the Commission were members of the subservient majority, so called. That was their patent of disnobility, which was made the foundation for the prediction of the nature of their report. That prediction was merely a corollary of the "dumb dog" theory of which we heard so much last session. In the light of this sudden transformation which has followed the report of the Commission the " dumb dog" theory stands a little discredited. Obviously the men cannot be dumb dogs one day, and independent outspoken legislators the next. But this is a digression. Getting back to the tariff, the Post got the idea that in spite of its predictions the Commission did not report Protection. At once the Post discovers that the Government is in a quandary, ahd wants to shelve the report of the Commission. Hence the committee we are told. There we have the why. But the thing is too transparent. The Commission has, we are quite prepared to believe, done good work, by removing the anomalies which .are grievous, as everybody knows, and by making a recommendation which does not injure the finance of the Colony, while it satisfies legitimate aspirations. We are quite prepared to believe that in this matter the Post may have an inkling. But we are not prepared to believe that the Government is in any way disappointed at the result. At the same time it is evident that, if the Commission has reported completely, a committee will do good work by going through the report for the House. A report dealing with such a subject cannot be discussed by the House in the absence of the Treasurer, who is responsible for the finances of the Colony. If a committee is set up in the meantime, time will be saved. On all tariff matters the usual course is to appoint a committee. It is inconceivable that anyone should object to that course now. The proposal to appoint a committee is a proof that the Government intend to go on with the subject. MORE MINISTERS. That " the time has arrived for increasing the number of my Ministers" will be generally admitted. No one can be surprised who has watched the growth of Ministerial work. The Labour Department is a large department, which, though comparatively speaking only just created, has added largely to the work of the Cabinet, i for its machinery not only deals with the distribution of the unemployed, but has to administer a number of statutes of farreaching importance. Then, there is the Lands Department, whose work haa been enormously increased, not only by the changes in the conditions of settlement, but also and in a far greater degree by the work of the Agricultural Department, which has been added to its scope. Again,, th© railways have come back upon the hands of the Government, which means that the work done by three Commissioners has been added to the responsibilities of the Minister for Public Works. There is, further, the large department just created which regulates the

advances to settlers. It is a department j which is sure to increase its functions very largely. Moreover, the Treasurer's responsibilities have been largely increased by the Bank Guarantee Act. All this vast increase of work and responsibility is not the result of accident; it is due directly to the will of the people, which has insisted on an increase in the functions of the State, and rightly so. Before this increase Ministerial work had more than reached breaking strain. Does any doubt it, let him look back over the obituary notices of recent years, which are heartbreaking reading. Let him enquire what is the nature of the complaint which is known on the streets as "Ministerial fever." Before the increased work and responsibility entailed by obedience to the popular will flesh and blood was overtaxed enormously. What must be its condition now? And with the popular desire set in the direction of more work and more responsibility for Ministers, what will be the case later on ? Unless the number of Ministers is increased, the number of the victims of the " Ministerial fever" will be augmented. The case for increase of the number of Ministers is overwhelming.