A RETURNED COLONIST.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 296, 13 December 1892, Page 2

A RETURNED COLONIST.

MR \V. H. LEVIN INTERVIEWED.

(BY TELEQBAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Wellington, this day. Me W. H. Levin, the well-known merchant, who returned by the Doric, wa9 accorded a flattering reception, many of the loading business houses making a liberal display of bunting, and all the vessels in harbour were gay with flags. A party of leading citizens went out in the Mana and gave Mr Levin a hearty welcome back to Wellington. Mr Levin, who haa been eighteen months away from the colony, is looking remarkably well. In an interview with a "New Zealand Times" reporter Mr Levin gave some interesting information as to the present standing of the colony with the good folks at Home. According to him, our credit has nob been so high for years in the money market. It appears, says the interviewer, that this favourable state of things has not been established for very long. There was a time, immediately after the Financial Statement of the new Government, when matters were somewhat different. "You see," Mr Levin explains, "the people at Home don'b know very much about details of Governments and parties, and they care less. They judge broadly. It is only when they think an injustice ia being done, or attempted, that they make an outcry. For instance, there was an outcry about the taxation of the debentures of foreign companies; that, the financial people at once denounced as unjust. They don't care about the degree; it was useless to point oub that, whereas under the old system a man who advanced £5 got his 'fiver' always, and that under the new he would only get his £4 19a ll§d. It wasn't the they cared for, it was the principle. If a man can lose halfpence to-day, how soon will it be when he lose 3 pounds ?" Then yon think this taxation of debentures was really the crux of the whole business 1 That is exactly what I do think. It was, and when the tax was taken off the whole of the criticism dropped, and, as I have told you, the credit of New Zealand has never been so good as ib is to-day. DAIRY PRODUCE. Mr Levin has little new to say on this subjecb. A perishable article, he says, of course, is a perishable article, and you can't make sure in every instance, bub Bpeaking generally the condition on arrival is perfect). The thing pans oub in this way. The reputation of New Zealand butter and cheese are thoroughly established, bub there is one thing wanting viz eveneas of quality. SIR J. VOGBL. Mr Levin confirms the news of Sir Julius appointment to the agency of the New York Life Insurance Company. Ib is the West end branch thab he has charge of. It is a very lucrative appointment, but Mr t Levin gives no details.