The Press. SATURDAY, MAY 23. 1891.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7871, 23 May 1891, Page 4

The Press. SATURDAY, MAY 23. 1891.

During the last three months it had been constantly dinned into the ears of the public that the Government have ft practical remedy for the general depression whioh prevails; On the one baud it is extension of settlement on land arid on the other a change in the incidence of taxation. Referring to the last-named remedy first of all, what is it we would ask whioh, to a large extent, has led to the present depression? Has it nob been a general feeling of insecurity with respect to the future whioh has been principally responsible ? We cannot, by a stroke of the pen, or by an Act of Parliament, remove the effects of seventeen years of publio and private reokless squandering and gambling. The borrowed money has been spent in a large number of cases most wastefully, but the burden remains and the interest must be paid. Badly, however, as it has been spent, we have obtained from the expenditure roads, bridges, railways, harbors, telegraph lines, and many other advantages of civilisation. The conveniences which we have acquired have fitted the colony to maintain in comfort and affluence not only our present population, but a largely increased one. Yet the fact remains that we are Buffering under the burden of depression. Most of us feel the pinch of diminished pay, and too many of us do not even succeed in earning enough to keep our families. ' This) state of affairs was seme time ago largely brought about by a growing distrust abroad in the intentions of tbe people of the oolony. It was seen that we were heaping up our burdens in a quite reckless fashion. Our stocks gradm_ly U}\ in the tadp-. imtfa Private investors sK__r_._a.edL __■__ as _pla.ga._s stricken- ______» flow of private mouey iowaraa _N6w Zealahd. stopped. All these causes brought about a crisis which culmiuated in 2888 with results with -which, we are only too familiar. In time, _o. ever, it cam. to Ijo realised that the people of New Zealand really had the courage tp face their difficulties, to stop borrowing, and to make a determined effort to live on. their o_n resources. People at Home were beginning to ihow confidence in us, and we were feeling Confidence in ourselves. A resolute adhesion to a sober policy was already telling. The future was brightening, and men were beginning to feel that, after all, New Zealand Was a country worth living in. Just when a newer and a better day was dawning on us, the political agitators must needs set about the task of spreading distrust. At the general election they seized the opportunity of making reckless . and even revolutionary promises with the Bimple object of winning their way to power. Having secured their personal objects they now conceive it to be to their advantage to make some show of giving effect to their shameful promises. It is not the actual ohange which will be carried out Which has principally to be feared ,it is the manner in which it will be done, and the pledge that the coming alteration id but the first step in the direction of still greater revolutions. And the lamentable fact iv connection with these proceedings is that they have been proposed entirely for political reasons. These selfish agitators think they are strengthening their own political position, aud care not a brass farthing what happens to those who have placed them iv power. What matters it to them what happens to the toiling thousands so long as they can retain their seats.. They talk glibly about revolutionary measures in taxation, and shut their eyes td the fact that the promised changes in the immediate j present, and the threatened revolution iv the distance, are shutting up the avenues for employment, and are continuing to drive hundreds every month to seek an uncertain subsistence in other countries?

Turning to the other remedy now proposed for the depression, an iv crease in the settlement on the land, all will agree that a large extension of legitimate settlement would tend materially to remove the load under -whioh the colony is weighed down. It would not only provide many with profitable employment, but would increase the productions of the country and thereby furnish the means for enabling us to discharge our heavy liabilities. All this is so obvious that it needs no argument on our part to enforce its truth. Bat what ground is there for looking forward to auy material improvement in this respect f We hear plenty of talk about it it is true, tut so far there ia little evidence of any practical steps being taken. On the contrary the ve_ry opposite state of things prevails. The Wellington Evening ±?ost, which cannot be charged with taking a hostile attitude towards Ministers, writing the other day ou the subject of the interview between the Government and the unemployed, said " The Ministers of Lands and of Public •'Works were not present yesterday. " They are the Ministers who have the "control of these two things'—land 11 settlement 4nd failwiay works, and it *' is quite impossible to reconcile their " conduct * towards the Manawatu " Special Settlements Associations and " Midland Railway Company respectively, with the profeased desires " and- policy v of - fcfiei* Colleagues " aa explained yesterday. Four " promising Spec ._ Settlement, As- " sociations are to be broken up ahd ** crashed Out of existence, because " Mr. Mo]--EN-__s obstinately refuses to " give them the tights whioh the law " contemplates their enjoying. Par- «* liament has dete__-in«.d that special "settlers shall have the right to " acquire the freeholds of their selec- " tioris. the liinister of Lands has ** a fad about the Bute Mfcaia

'*■ ""• ---"ggagah, "ing the ownership of all Wj j "and so he ignores the ' "stops, the progress of lawfui m " legitimate settlement. He gratifi!! " his own fad at the expense of 2. " would-be-settlers and of the interJ. I "of the colony. The unemployed?? " fear, need not expeot very " practical assistance from the Mfoist "of Lands." It is to be feared th!. there is only too much ground for 0 contemporary's accusation. It Wo JJ appeaf that the colony -ft affair*, a * be administered not from the pofoi Z view of the people's interests, butft_ tha promotion of certain "fads" | Ministers. It is nothing to them that nine-tenths of the works!, and the settlers of the Colony Wforward to the possession of a fejj i land of their own as a legitimate m, bition. They have no wish to bo cot verted into mere serfs of the stat& tied to it for ever as Crown tenants, h : was the laudable ambition to possess blook of land for themselves which induced the majority of those wi* emigrated to this new land to se.iyj W shores. Yet wo have at the head«_ tha Land Department a Minister whew greatest ambition is to stop all aata of land. People will be allowed to take it up if they like, hut it musfc h on Mr. MgKbnzie'3 torms-H. petual lease*-and nothing else. lH» to be feared that if Ministers their way with respect to ] am l team* the lamentable experience of tha Manawatu special settlements will be multiplied from one end of the coloi.? to the other, and people in despair d securing a footing on tho soil will take their departure in larger Umabift than ever.