The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, MAY 18, 1891.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 9085, 18 May 1891, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, MAY 18, 1891.

The fact that Parliament will assemble in about three weeks time is naturally creating some little interest in - political questions. People are beginning to inquire what the Ministerial programme will be, and are discussing the chance of an attack being m-do upon tho Government by the Opposition side of the House. In the absence of any reliable information as to the Ministerial plans it would be a useless' waste of time to discuss at any length the matter. When tlie present Govern merit took office, one of the tasks they undertook was administrative reform. It was an invidious task, because it takes the direction of reducing the cost of the departmental establishments and a saving of public money, and tends to make a Ministry unpopular with a wide Bection of the public. The Government, however, .on taking office at once set to work, and for the past few months scarcely a week has elapsed without our hearing of a large number of officers being dispensed with. It i» stated that between £70,000 .and £80,000 per annum has been saved by the retrenchments made ; at what cost to the colony in the shape of compensation, we have yet to learn. We have been told by the Press Association, in a sort of semiofficial manner, that the incidence of taxation is to be- revised, but to what extent or how, we are left in the dark. The present Ministry are pledged to get rid of the property tax, but what tax will be substituted to raise the revenue, -has not been disclosed. It is hinted that, a. Laird and Income Tax is to be introduced, but those who have made tlie question their I study, say that sufficient cannot be raised from those sources. What then will be the means by which the Government propose to raise the necessary revenue to carry on the business of the State? The Ministry must be. -careful that any proposed new tax will bring in the. required amount they anticipate, or they may be left in a very awkward position. Since the Ministry have been in office, several of the members have made a very favourable impression with the public, at le st with that section not connected with those who have been retrenched. We have heard of no disaffection amongct the party which put them in power, nod, theroforo, if tho Mmistorial propolis are wotato ml WOll OOBsidoi'ijd,

theprospects of the Government carrying their measures are very, hopeful. The Opposition, we are inclined to think, will not provaan irritating one ; they will deal fairly with the Ministry and not try to oust the Government merely for aggrandisement. If the Ministerial schemes are at all practicable, .we think the Opposition will be inclined to allow them to be tried. We hope, how ever, the Ministers will be firm, and not weaken themselves by truckling for support or by pandering to the fads and prejudices of any extreme section of the House. Wo believe the Ministry are united and -harmonious, and any policy they may introduce -we hope will have been well considered; and if the Ministerial proposals are deserving of the support of tho country the Government will be backed up, for there'is a strong feeling on every Bidetogive'the present holders of office a fair trial.