SOUTHLAND.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9303, 2 January 1896, Page 6

SOUTHLAND.

" Weekly Press and Referee.** - . 1 After tho doings of the pa9t. one *» ..JI ___ think that the purse would be e„W_d. _?\\ s it is not, and yet the past year has not___ \mt4i a prosperous one in the ordinary sense term ; it's been a case of grumble all throng' _f and looking at things in this light l®* ft puzzled to know where the money &£* 1 from. There is a bazaar running and takh ft lots of money, anil festivities innume__£* I projected, I think there must be a res..!, ft fund hidden away somewhere. ft The county folks are busy, very • .W- ft > and trains out with manure and ar_ys?s^ft'.' trains in with wool, so there is money t_ ft coino anyhow. Tlie weather is warm _.«» I so is the rain for that's always with i« l-j! 1 wo mustn't grumble for everything • I growing, and fast too. I After long years of weary waiting for t_» I good times that never come, companies I mortgagees are forcing their properties jS 1 the market, and taking what's offered wW i they get the chance. This course might v 1 well have been adopted years ago, at it ft would have been better for all parties «J. ft cerned. Falling prices and a lower waft.* ft rate must bring property clown. ft In this connection tho all round fall fa ft the rate of interest facilitates matters vet- fit much; this fall is now being extended to t__» ft industrial section, as tho Southland Buildinj ft Society announce a reduction of one pjj 1 cent, to take effect from January, so tha* * the cost to borrowers won't exceed four per ]i cent. It's difficult to get private moneyi ft out on country properties, the ft being that tlie Government aro picking the ft eyes out of the securities, and it is further if stated, that under the Advance to Settlen {§ Act, loans are more easily obtained than ft formerly. 8

The prohibitionists are as active as ever but the Clutha should be an object lesson in this respect, for there has been nothing but trouble in that district since prohibition came into force, prosecutions and fines aal e along the line. Sly grog selling is the order of the day. Tho District Magistrate seems to be full up of it, for ho stated the other day that fines to the amount of £285 had been paid since tho law came in force, that the moral sense of the poople had bee. blunted, and there had been produced a total want of respect for tho law of the colony. Prohibition doesn't prohibit, but it encourages hypocrisy and lying. So much for faddists being allowed to work their own sweet will. There will be a clearance at the next election to a certainty.