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Star (Christchurch), Issue 3800, 19 June 1880, Page 2

The speech of the Premier in reply to Sir George Grey on Thursday evening mast be regarded as one of the most remarkable — if not the most extraordinary — in the Parliamentary annals of New Zealand. The Honorable John Hall, the present leader of our Government, and a gentleman who aspires to be considered a statesman, positively confesses that he does not comprehend the difference of the incidence between a Property and an Income Tax. As reported the Premier confidently says — "Now, I should like to know what difference it made whether the money was taken in the namo of a Property Tax or an Income Tax ?" We were of course aware that tbc statesman from the wildernesses of the Hororata bad a great deal to learn, but certainly we never dreamed that his lessons in political economy would have to start at the ABO. Wo recommend the Honorable the Premier to turn up the subject of Taxation in any ordinary Encyclopaedia, and he will find the difference in the incidence of the two taxes very shortly stated indeed. If he has little regard for his own reputation as a public man, he should at least remember that the Colony in not likely to be raised in the estimation of people abroad when they find its chief Minister acknowledging such culpable ignorance. The Premier goes on to aßserfc that a Property tax as against the Land tax was an issue at the last general election — " Within the last nine months they had been to the country and the Property tax was discussed as against the Land tax. TMb iB something new from the Honorable John Hall and bis friends. Hitherto they have always asserted that the issue at the last general election was one of confidence or no c 'iifidenco in iSir Gkorge Grey and his Government.

Certainly those brilliant financiers — Meserß E. 0. J. Stevens and E. Richardson were found in this city advocating the imposition of a Property tax, bat to say that euoh a measnre was an issue at the general election throughout the Colony is a deliberate — well, misrepresentation. The country never assented to the Property tax, and is most emphatic in its repudiation of the obnoxious measure now. Another remarkable statement in this most remarkable utterance is that in which the Premier asserted that the "Local Bodies —the £50,000— Public Works Board," which his Ministry proposes to call into existence, would be — " A Board outside the Government, and altogether free from Government influence." and this in spite of the fact that it is to be presided over by a responsible Minister of the Crown — the Minister of Public Works — the other members being heads of departments who wonld practically be entirely subjunctive to the Minister for the time being. In fact, their position upon the Board would simply be that of a convenience to the Minister in affording him whatever information he might desire. Then wo have the reference again to the " pauper " immigrants, about which we may have something to say next week. In short, the reply of our first Minister may fittingly be characterised as confessions of ignorance and reckless misstatement, equally disgraceful to the public man who utters them and the Colony that tolerates him in power.