Better Times.

Bush Advocate, Volume V, Issue 354, 16 August 1890, Page 2

Better Times.

_.', :■ . , - 1 i~*> n In referring to the improved prospects of the colony, which were clearly shown; in the presidential addiesa of Mr Ritchie to the Dunedin Chamber .of Commerce, the Qtago- Daily, Times discourses thuV: We cannot remember an occasion wh.enMSo' many favourable indications of progress and prosperity met . at. one time in the history of the colony. If the recent disposition to excess on the part of, the labour agitation does not darken our prospects, we may fairly conclude that we have at last turned the corner and entered on a new career of . success after much disaster, and, disappointment. With banking deposits and Savings Bank deposits largely increased, a great improvement in the returns from our goldfields, a quite reinarkablo ine'reaso in exports of frozen meats, and.. considerable increases in other 'items; w.hilst our chief banking institution is placed once more in a, ''strong position, with a heavy load taken off its back, which at one time threatened to cripple its operations, —wo may fairly congratulate bui'selves on the approach of bettdr times. Our imports have at la=b begun to respond to our exports', and show tho satisfactory increase of £241,293 on the quarter and our Customs revenue an increase of £31,776 for the same period. We know that locally business is' dull, but we confidently look forward to an improvement when spring sets in, and the various gold mining enterprises which have jbecn initiated are in full swing ; jind it is satisfactory that the cry of tho unemplpyod has hardly been heard this winter. If the cloud which has arisan iri connection with ihe labour contrpversy passos happily over, as 'we havo overy hope it ma) r , there can bo little doubt that many fresh enterprises will bo started in the next 12 months which it only needs public qonfidence to successfully inaugurate and sustain. And it is .specially desirable^ now that we obviously nave the means of entering on such enterprises, that nothing should . arise to shake the confidence which is so . essential an , element in ..commercial affairs. Wo liave still much hard .work before us to get rid of a still heavy load of private indebtedness, and o.uv farmers have <tp contend ! against low prices,

though with some slight prospect of improvement. We do not desire to see progress by leaps and bound but rather a steady advance in the productiveness of our chief industries, and it is quite possible to ietard that advance by our own folly. Yet, taking a full review of the position, New Zealand never had so fair a prospect before her.