FINANCIAL REFORM.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 791, 28 September 1867, Page 3

FINANCIAL REFORM.

On the motion for the House of Kepresentatives to go into Committee of Supply on the 20th, Major Atkinson moved an amendment of considerable importance, which, after a long debate, was carried on the voices. The amendment^ as it stood upon the notice paper, was us follows I — "That, with the view of enabling a speedy reduction to be made in tho present heavy taxation of the country, and of assisting the Government in the endeavour to introduce and remodel the overgrown Civil Service of the Colony, this Honse is of opinion that the sums to be voted under classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, should not exceed in tho aggregate the Bum of £320,000 for the year 1867-8. 2. That the Government, during the lecess, should so reduce and remodel tho several services provided for under classes 1, 2, 3, 4, € 5, and 6, that the total sum required for tho maintenance of those services during the year 1868-9 should not exceed £250,000." To render this intelligible to our readersj we must explain what tho classes spoken of moan. We copy them from the Estimates :—: — Class I. — Public Domains and £ s. d. Buildings 4,3/6 4 0 „ ll.— Public Departments... 45,225 10 4 „ lll.— Law and Justice ... (59,892 4 0 „ IV.— Postal, &c, Services... 155,241 4 0 „ V. — Customs Departments 44,810 7 6 „■ Vl.— Native 24,058 16 6 £343,004 6 4 The meaning of Major Atkinson's motion, then, is this : the Government has estimated as the requirements of the current year for the above named departments, the sum of £343,604 3 but the House tells Ministers their estimate is too high, aiid they must out down the expenses by £23,600, and that it will only vote the reduced amount ; and further, that when the estimates are presented next year, the House will expect to see the services named so remodelled as not to require a larger vote thau £250,000. The Colony is greatly indebted to Major Atkin* eon for the step he has taken. It is clear tho Government will attempt no reduction of tho public charges unless forced to do so by pressure, So long as the House will make up the Treasurer's deficit by new taxes or new loans, ho never will see the necessity of making the expenditure square with the income of the Colony, much less effect reductions that will enable the Goverutnent to lignten our taxation. We hope the electors throughout the Colony will call on their representatives to back up Major Atkiusonin his praisesworthy efforts. — Nelson Examiner, September 26. Mr. Curtis had an opportunity, on Friday last, of bringing the principles of the Financial Eeform League under the notice of the House of Representatives. Mr. Stafford, in replying to the motion of Major Atkinson, spoken of above, bm& :—: — " He had seen that, in the Province for the capital town of whicn he had the honour to be a member, a Financial Eeform Association had been started. He believed that if the association was really earnest and practical, if it tnrned its attention to the servioes with which it was locally familiar, and pointed out what services could be dispensed with, and what services could be reduced, it would do good. But that association at Nelson could not do any good by mere general declamation, unlesß it pointed out where retrenchment could be effected, and began with thoße services which it knew well." Mr, Curtis, in replying to Mr. Stafford, said :—: — " He did not look forward to any large amount of reduction in the Estimates now before the House. He looked to a political change in the manner in which the taxation was levied and the revenue expended, as the only means by which any satisfactory or permanent economy could be effected. There was little to be done in that way nntil the burden of raising money was thrown upon those who spent it; and until honorable ! members made up their minds to do that, he had very little faith in declamation about economy and retrenchment. The honorable gentleman at the head of the Government had referred to the Financial 'Eeform League just formed in Nelson, but ho was mistaken in its main object, which was as mnch, or more, to effect reform in the principles on which taxation is levied than immediate reduction in tho expenditure of the oolony, as would be seen by reference to the resolutions passed at the public meeting at whioh the League was formed. He would read the resolutions. [Mr. Curtis here read the resolutions passed in Nelson at the public meeting.] Mr. StaFpobd : I have never seen those resolutions. Mr. Curtis : They did not intend to confine their operations to mere retrenchment on the present expenditure of the Colony. This debate will be noticed at more length in its proper place. — Ibid.