The Gisborne Times PUBLISHKD EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, MAR. 10, 1906.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1694, 10 March 1906, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHKD EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, MAR. 10, 1906.

« . THE PREMIER’S SPEECH. - * .The Premier’s spe.eoh at- Te Aroha ,oon .veys in pretj#’plain language the iuSsntipn of the Government in regard to fi narioial , matters.- There-is to bo a remission qf Customs duties .end the amount is to be, . raa do good by/ increasing the graduated land tax., . No one:objacts to the deorense of taxation*'but it-is of considerable con* oern to a-pastoral district like this that j Government should .hold over it the threat of increased taxation, as if the amouftt paid to local bodies for roading faoili.tiep, etc., were not netriy enough. All kinds of,privileges are being given ,'to th° qeptrea, suob/as the reduction in railway , chargee, but'the benefit derived .therefrom by the Wardpu electors, tto ,"Bre'not. great. It may be that the increase .of the land-tax is only meant os a threat, but in aby case.it is apt to causo misgiving and .uncertainty. It-is not a new propos'd l , for the Promfer bati harped on it for somo timp,-evidently throwing out “ feelers ” as ; tq {ho support that, would'be given, the propqsaV, .and bo need speculate little upon t^gt^for.tbq,city resident is always iiqdy. to transfer Jhis own sfiiro of tax*,tion to the niao -tolHog on the. lend. On tfie New Hebrides question : lhe Premier [ will have pe satisfoctory t ;io view'of:changes of Go-fyer(Dme.nCin,-;the Old Country, to have joint arrangements regarding the ad mjnistralion of any area within the ooloniee. ,Tho one advantage about the New Hebrides settlement is that it puts thing on a basis that is olear to both nations.