Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price 1d. MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 1886. The Intentions of the Government.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1786, 25 January 1886, Page 2

Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price Id. MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 1886. The Intentions of the Government.

Sib Julius Vogel has been interviewed at Waiwera by a reporter of the New Zealand Herald, and in reply to questions gave some information as to the intentions of the Government with respect to public affairs generally. From these statements it can be gathered that the Ministry have not yet decided to advise the Governor to dissolve Parliament before next session. We are, however, inclined to think that the Ministry will ask for a dissolution within the next few weeks. Sir Julius gave very little information about the contemplated new loan. He did not say anything about the amount of the loan, but we should not be surprised to learn that the Government desire to borrow another ten millions. On the general question of the expenditure of leans on railways and other public works Sir Julius said that the Government would bo guided by the following general principles .- (a) That railways when once commenced should, for economy's sake, be promptly constructed, (6) That it is most undesirable that there should be doubt and uncertainty from year to year as to the works to be proceeded with, (c) That the time of depression, when material is cheap, is a desirable period for proceeding with railwaye. (d) That railways should be fixed, and ibat amounts authorised to be borrowed for them should not be alienable for other purposes. ( e) That the proportion of the borrowed money used for purposes other than railways and directly reproductive works, should be much less than hitherto has been the case. Sir Julius has made pretty much the same statements iu previous speeches and letters, so that there is very little that is new in this latest deliverance. Then the old idea of the Government buying up big estates and dividing them into moderate sized farms for sale, is again revived. The proposal is a sound one, but hitherto the Government have only talked about it. On the question of Protection Sir Julius Vogel said ;—" The Customs Revenue was falling off owing to causes uotunsatisfactory, such as the reduced consumption of alcohol an less yield of ad valorem duties consequent upon reduced prices. In selecting items to maintain the revenue, Government thought they should not be unmindful of the interests of local producers. Government did not desire to introduce a distinctly Protective policy. The tariff is already formed on lines intended to give local producers encouragement, and there was no reason for disturbing this policy which bad so long prevailed.” In speaking iu tUis way Sir Julius Vogel vainly tries to throw dust into the eyes ol the colonists His real intention is to try once mote to get the rejected ultra-protection tariff of last session adopted by Parliament. M;Stout, the Premier, in a recent speech, plainly slated that the Government would bring for ward their former Tariff Bill again, and that sooner or later Parliament would require to pass it. Mr Ballance, at Wanganui, declared distinctly in favor of Protection, and Mr Larnach, in a more recent speech down South, has followed his example. It is quite clear that the present Ministry will try to carry out a policy of Protection, if they get the chance. We, however, hope to have a dissolution and a general election before Parliament again meets, and that at the '-nrtnnity thus afforded the electors will op, * • osinst the present Ministry and dt clare dcau their policy of Protectiou.