Wanganui Chronicle. AND TURAKINA AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. WANGANUI, 16TH JUNE, 1866.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 10, Issue 619, 16 June 1866, Page 2

Wanganui Chronicle. AND TURAKINA AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. WANGANUI, 16TH JUNE, 1866.

Thb ‘Lyttelton Times,’ in protesting as we have done, in the public interest, against additional taxation upon this already overweighted colony, throws out a suggestion, which is, at least, deserving of consideration. Our contemporary says :

It is somewhat difficult for us, unblest with the official sources of information, to conceive why any Government should have the hardihood to introduce a completely new system of imposts, requiring a new staff of agents, and all the various departmental appliances which imply an increased charge upon the revenue, or in other words a considerable reduction upon the sums actually drawn feom the public. We pointed out how much more natural, and at the same time more economical it would be for the General Government to enlarge its own share of the Customs, by appropriating a portion of the three-eighths at present paid over to the provinces. One great advantage of this plan would be that not one shilling would be lost to the country by any additional expenses incurred. Surely this would be a manifest gain both for the central power and for the provinces. We can imagine of' no argument against it in the interest of the former, unless on the supposition of a train of needy dependants and the ambition for an extended patronage, a supposition which we will not entertain As for the provinces, it would be theirs to study economy in their disbursements.

The Provincial Executive are making a great noise about the Manawatu and the price to be charged for it. We can well believe that the Treasury require £1 per acre for every bit of it; £2, for that matter, or much more if it could be obtained ; but the fact is not very encouraging to those who now wish to invest their savings in land, considering the prices hitherto sought and obtained for Government land in the Province. We have already and more than once spoken of the desirability of small farms, butj as matters Lave turned out, it would' appear that the Superintendent has made a mere stalkinghorse of the Manawatu Small Farm Association. It was a popular “ cry,” while the

purchase of the block was under negotiation, but now that the purchase is supposed to be completed or nearly so, small farms do not. seem to be regarded quite so favourably. To be sure the Provincial Secretary treats us to a number of high-sounding platitudes on the subject, but fine words butter no paiunips, and tlie members of the Association feel it to be so. All the more perhaps that ; while all this noise is made about tbe necessity of a high price and strict occupation of land in the Manawatu, gentlemen high in office, and their favourites about Wellington, are very quietly purchasing nice bits of land year after year in different parts of the Province at 5s and 7s 6d an acre. As the price of wool comes to hand, it is comfortably devoted to making another addition to the run, and the less said about the transaction the better. At the same •time, speaking of the Manawatu Small Farm Association,, we cannot conceal from ourselves the fact, that the committee have mismanaged or misunderstood the ‘object they ought to have set before them. It was the purchase of small farms for bona fide occu pants, which, they had alone to care for, and any one seeking to purchase for speculative purposes was clearly ineligible as a member. Yet there are such members in tbe Association—men who have no idea, of settling down upon a small farm in the Manawatu —and these may go. far to frustrate a movement which it was very desirable to help on by all prudent means. But tbe subject is too extensive for our space today. _____