THE PREMIER AND TREASURER'S FINANCIAL POLICY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 6495, 25 April 1888, Page 2

THE PREMIER AND TREASURER'S FINANCIAL POLICY.

(By Liebt.-Col. Rookes.)

As a taxpayer I am anxious to find out what the financial policy of our esteemed Premier is to be. I remember in 1865 he dabbled in two things, field fortification and finance, and made a mess of both. As Defence Minister he insisted on a redoubt being built at Parakino, commanded on all sides by heights from which a couple of fair shots would speedily have emptied it of every living Volunteer. His finance, from the time he first foisted himself into notice as a caretaker of public money, cannot be better summed up than in the common saying of "penny wise, pound foolish." He is great in retrenching small fry, but the office and emoluments of General Government Agent is untouched.

There was a grand expression of public opinion at a meeting in Auckland last night on that absurdity the Property Tax,of which he claims to be the apostle and initiator. Wait the denouement, when the avenging Nemesis, the House, meets. I can pretty well guesa what evil it has caused in the other provinces from its effects in this,

First, it haa driven the New Zeae land " Meejenas " in his " Tusculum " at Kawau from the House, home, and colony. The great Pro-Consul has been heard to express his opinion on the absurdity of being taxed at Kawau for improvements to the amount of £300 per annum, and it would appear his sale of the place is in consequence. Secondly, there are at present in the Mayoralty of Auckland one thousand vacant houses, which represents a loss of $500 a week, and at the same,"ratio throughout New Zealand there must be at this moment twelve thousand, equal to J/60Q0 per week, which, multiplied, tots up to over £300,000 per annum. This is finance with a rangeance. Thirdly, tho bone and sine* of the colonly (not the loafers who are aiway# beach,ed from want of funds) are Jeayiog /n hundreds. They don't care about having their little homesteads, gardens, and paddocks, which they have probably improved in their spare time, taxed by this political charlatan to pay his expenses when he is doing General Government Agent amongst the Juntt-tun of London.

Let the House shurit 'tis modern ,',' Ltfv pf South Sea notoriety," SH' 1 ,(rather than tjjat ho should have it in his power to continue the evil by " recom mending " aa his successor anyone who would probably run on the some political rail under another name") put the office of Treasurer in ■Commission, and find three honest jaen with their wits about them to face

our difficulties at once, and get us out of them, if they can 1

Let us remember that the war cloud that has solonghovered overtho heads of the peoples of Europe muatere many weeks burst, and who can tell to what extent New Zealand may suffer from being caught unprepared, through tho folly and conceit' of this political empiric. I don't think the Premier can bait his hook with, anything that will catch such a wary fish as Sir Robert Stout, who evidently bides his time, and though not " in the swim " at prpsent, could saddle up in a moment, and lead past tbe post at distance length from what we used to call in derision in Wanganui twenty-five years since, after the Parakino mess, our " Heaven-born Warrior."