The Clutha Leader. BALCLUTHA: TUESDAY, SEPT 19. THE PUBLIC DEBT.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 22, 19 September 1911, Page 4

The Clutha Leader. BALCLUTHA: TUESDAY, SEPT 19. THE PUBLIC DEBT.

Tho speech delivered by Mr Jainei Allen in the debute on the Financial Statement last week appears to huv» been a singularly able one, It is always well, independent of party political issues, to have a man who is ablts lo bring to bear on the finance* of the country a keen aiu' critical analysis. It is well that the state of the finances should be known and understood as far as possible by the body politic. We have no time for those who say that the intricacies of public finance should not be subjected to the fullest criticism, and if they will not bear that, then so, much the worse for the country. The aspect which, it appears to us, is deserving of serious consideration at present is the rate at which the public debt is mounting up. The total is now over iSLOOIMKHi, or if we deduct the accumulated sinking funds, it is true that a considerable portion of this is self supporting, but the truth of it none the less is that the whole of it is a consolidated burden upon the entire community, and that in some way or other its interest has lo be earned and provided by the million inhabitants of New Zealand. Had our indebtedness increased only proportion'* ntely to our population there would have been not so much cause for criticism. But what are the facts'.' The population and indebtedness in the decennial years since IS9I are :'—

I'opulation.'lndebtedness. Per head / £ s - d ' 1891 ... 626,658 37,343.3<>8 59 » ,0 1901 ... 772,719 48,557-751 62 16 10 1911 ... 1,007,811 79,837,388 79 4 4 The aim of nil colonial GovcwinenU should be to see that population in - ' creases as fast as the debt, but here we appear to be pursuing an exactly opposite policy. We are. piling up our debt and at the same time not only not bringing more population to our shores, but allowing many of our best men to drift to Australia and elsewhere, while we allow millions of acres of native and other lands to li« locked up and undeveloped, much 0! it practically idle. The Australian States have frequently been clung™ with reckless borrowiug, but New Zca* land excels them all. In Jl)09, according to the latest returns given in th» New Zealand Year Book, "the net indebtedness per-head of the varioW States are given as—t s. <l. New South Wales s(i 0 1 Victoria 12 « 9 Queensland 7S 0 3 South Australia 7:1 •'! W Western Australia 72 II '- Tasmania 5.'1 7 0 Commonwealth (average) 57 0 6 New Zealand 70 0 <>

This was the position two years ago. To-day the public debt of New Zealand has been inflated to £79 4/-1 per head- ; The three States in which the debt per capita ia larger than New Zealand in the abovo tabl* are huge and sparsely populated, and we have yet to see whether this country has not now out| distanced even them in borrowed money. Wo have fortunately a map"' fieent country, but making' all alio*" anco for this and for the prosperous times and the enterprise and industry of our people, the position is one that should occasion our publio men con-,' cern and apprehension as to the '«** < nre. Our million of people have »| heavy burden to carry, and the end «| not get ia tight* 1

I' A very "cold snap" was experienced yesterday. The afternoon Was very cold and stormy, while in the evening there were several sleet showers from Iho south east. /v The Citizens' Ball committee has % made arrangements with the Dunedin |S proprietors of the Garnerphone (a ft. newly invented musical) instsument ?J irhich is winning great popularity) to 'A play at intervals during the night. I'i The attendance of the public at the , Band Hall Pictures on Friday night :',! was one of the largest since these en- ; < tcrtainments have been started in Ball -> clutba, the special attraction being \\ "King Henry VI11." On Saturday an i,_ entirely new programme was put on, \ ' but the attendance was only fair. \ ' A gang of man is engaged on the '<■ telegraph lines between Milton and r Balclutha completing a metallic cir- [ cuit from Dunedin to Balclutha.. This ! vill considerably improvo telephonic communication with the city, and will 1 . prevent noises and conversations be- ■ tween other people from chipping in. Owing to the increased use of the tele- [ ■ phone in Balclutha, a few new poles '. v ill be put in on Clyde Btreet, and the present six-hole arms will be replaced by ten-hole arms. Though the season is yet early, lambs are beginning to make a good • showing in many of the paddocks. The ewes are looking well and there is —with reasonably line weather- a very prospect of a good per eentago of lambs. Some of the farmers are inquiring as to whether the South Ota- j J go freezing works will be ready for next season's output. All that can be i gaid is that that is the iutention ot the directors, and that it is a condi- • tionof the contracts, with stiff pennli tics for default. ■ As a result of the visit of Messrs i Richardson and Fleming to Tapanui on Friday last, r a forward movement is'' I to be made there in the matter of f technical education. The matter was favourably received by the members of the school committee and others who - wore present, and practical steps are : to be taken towards providing the ne- : cessary buiidings. Crs. Quin (Clutha) and Howatt (Tuapeka) spoke warmly in support of the Mr HowBtt said he had been at many public meetings, but never at any where the : case had been presented in a more practical manner. A class of 48 is already waiting for cookery, which will ■ be taken as soon as building and '' equipment is provided. The lecture which Dr Fitzgerald gave at Kaitangata in the now Anglican Hall on Wednesday evening last was greatly appreciated by all present. He showed a large number of very excellent slides, many oi the best of them being of his own making. Views were shown of Kaitangata (past and present), Port Molyneux, and the Lakes, but the charm of the evening's entertainment lay in the lecturer's happy and interesting way oi dealing with the subject ; he also gave various readings in the course of the evening, which were much enjoyed. At the conelusion, the Vicar moved a vote of thanks, which was most hearilv carried. Last week a Mr Wright, representing a syndicate in Dunedin was making active tours of inspection through the bush areas of the Tahakopa Valley. He.has secured an option over a large area at the lower end oi the district, iinal arrangements to be completed by January Ist, the rate agreed upon being Government royalty for the various classes of timber. It also transpires that Dr King has secured a milling area at the back of the land he has from time to time purchased at Tahakopa, and a surveyor is now busy estimating the per rentage oi timber contained thereon. Dr King has oo.v control of upwards of 2000 acres. A very pleasant time was spent by a party of friends at the residence of Mr i). Henderson, Awamangu, on Friday evening. Various games were indulged in, also dancing and singing : the music for the dance was supplied by Messrs Purvis and Henderson. Some really good songs were sung by • Mrs D. Henderson, Messrs Miller, Sam Purvis, Chas. A. Wrigley, Jno. Burns ; duet by Messrs Ferguson and Shin ; violin solo, Mr A. Allan : recitations, Messrs Miller, Jas. Hyslop, F. Jones, W. Craig, and H. Craig. Mr Hyslop in a neat speech proposed a hearty vote of thanks to Mrs and Mr Henderson for their kind hospitality, which was endorsed by Mr W. Craig. Mr Henderson thanked the speakers for thoir kind remarks and a very enjoyable time was brought to a close by the company singing ,Auld Lang Syne. Mr Malcolm arrived on Saturday eycninff on a short visit to his home, in Balclutha, and leaves again for Wellington this morning. Just before leaving Wellington he was allowed to see the engineer's report on the Clyde: vale-Balclutha Road. The report states that formation, metalling, and j fencing would cost over £12,000, and | that bridges would cost another £3OOO , or £4OOO, making a total of £16,000 j without counting compensation for land to be taken, which was estimated at nearly £4OOO, making a grand total' of £'20,000. We think those interested would be satisfied with a much less expensive road than this, and would not expect to have it metalled to begin with. The road would be used almost entirely for stock and light vehicle traffic, to which a metalled road would not be ,a necessity. Mr Malcolm is to mention these facts to the Minister. The Presbytery of Clutha held a special meeting at Balclutha on Friday last, when there were.present the Rev. Mr Brown, Moderator pro tem, and the Bevs. S. W. Currie and Watson, and Messrs McKee and Dunlop, Elders. Mr Brown, as interim Moderator, laid on the table a unanimous and exceptionally well signed call from Lovells Mat to-the Rev. A. Morton, of Wanganui, signed by 116 members out of a total of 122 and by 74 adherents. It was agreed, on the motion of Mr Currie, seconded by Mr McKee, to sustain the call and forward it to the Wancanui Presbytery for presentation to Mr Morton. It was also agreed to j ask the Revs. Fraser and Budd, of the Wanganui Presbytery, formerly of Lovells Flat and ffllilburn, to procecute the call before the Presbytery, and to appoint Messrs Brown and Dunlop to prepare ancTforward "reasons" for the translation to the Rev. Mr Budd. It ' agreed on the motion of Mr CurHe, seconded by Mr Watson, on account of the nearness of the General | Assembly, to hold the next ordinary ( | Meeting of the Presbytery on Wedncsl day, the 27th September, instead of tt* mh oi (Motor, i

On Friday next, September 22ntf, a farewell '■ social will be given in the Awamangu school: to Mr Sparks. llie montldy meeting of the Balclutha Borough Council will bo held tomorrow night. As the citizen's ball will also be held to-morrow night the Council will meet at 7 o'clock sharp. -The members of the Stirling Football Club will hold their annual social in Mr Harvey's barn, Stirling, on Friday night, September 22. The Club's function is of special interest this year as it will commemorate the bringing to Stirling of the Junior Banner. On Wednesday afternoon last, Dr Stenhouse examined the pupils of the Ladies' Ambulance class which has been conducted during the past few weeks by Dr Brugh in Balclutha There were five first-aid candidates andj five for the advanced course. The Citizen's Coronation Ball to be held to-morrow evening gives promise of being a most successful affair. The tickets have been well disposed os,and arrangements have been mado in such a manner as is likely to ensure a maximum of enjoyment and success. The Minister for Railways has advised Mr Malcolm that he cannot see his way to make the Kuriwao siding available for passenger traffic, as requested by a number of settlers. He states that there are only iivo settlers within a mile of Kuriwao and that they would use the station for travelling only on very rare occasians. There are now no fewer than 384 students receiving instruction in technical subjects in South Otago. They embrace classes in various subjects, and are in various districts asi follows —Milton ISO, Balclutha SO, Lawrence 40, Owaka 23, Waiwcra 25, Clinton 20, Stirling ]6. These are in addition to school classes. At Owaka a second class is to be started in dressmaking. Inspector Robertson in a humorous mood recalled a little incident of bygone days at the presentation at the Balclutha School last Tuesday afternoon. It happened, he said, about 30 years ago when he was a pupil of the school, and had to do with the disappearance of some apples from an orchard not many miles from the school. Fortunately for him he was able to prove his innocence ; from memory he could not say whether the present worthy secretary of the Balclutha school committee was quite so fortunate, whereat there was a hearty laugh. As a result of the increase in subscribers to the Balclutha telephone exchange, the local telephone office hours will from this morning be from 8 a.m. till S p.m. This .will be a great boon to numbers of business people in the town, and, when conjoined with the second metallic circuit to Dunedin to be completed in the course of a week or two, will enable connections with Dunedin to be made with greater facility than heretofore. Mr Kicrnan, the local postmaster, is to be congratulated upon achieving so much advancement for his office in the short time he has been in charge. Mr McKinlay had an attendance of 25 at his meeting at Stouey Creek on Friday night. Mr A. King acted as chairman. On the following evening the candidate spoke at Hillend where 30 electors, including about half-a-doz-en ladies, listened to his address. Mr T. Bishop occupied the chair. At both meetings Mr MeKinlay had a sympathetic hearing and votes of thanks and confidence were carried. Several questions were asked and replied to in a satisfactory manner. At Clydevale on Thursday there was a fair attendance. Mr Tout presided and moved the vote of thanks and confidence. The Kaitangata Association Football team beat Roslyn-Wakari at the Gardens, Dunedin, on Saturday, by live goals to two. The scorers for the winners were Johnston (2) J. Thomson, 1. 'Thomson, and Neil. Kaitangata had the best oi the game all through, and scored three goals in three minutes' time. After the country team's plucky up-hill fight all through the season, their win was a popular one in Dunedin. Next Saturday they will play off with Mornington in Dunedin for the challenge cup. and in all probability the iinal for the charity banner will be played at Kaitangata on the following Saturday. The Balclutha Literary Society had '•a nicht wi' Burns" on Monday, Hth inst-, when there was a very good attendance of members. The principal , contributor was Mr Dennislon, who gave a very interesting sketch of the Scot's favourite poet from his birth to his death, and quoted several of his pieces as evidence of his genius. I Mr Denniston was assisted by Mrs I Harrison, Miss Clark, Miss Rcid and the Misses firigor, who sang Burns' sonsjs. the Misses Clark accompanying. Mrs" Sheddan, and Messrs McElrea, A. McDonald, and J. Ramsay gave readings. At the conclusion of the programme a vote of thanks was to Mr Denniston and to the performers, on the motion of the Rev. S. W. Currie . Speaking on the Financial Debate in the House of Representatives on Friday afternoon Mr James Allen (Bruce) said: "I don't call our party Conservative, except that it conserves what is worth while in our legislation. "We call ourselves the Reform Party. There are a certain number of reforms that we want to see carried out, and we are going to say to the country that we believe that these should be carried out." One of the reforms they would fight for was insurance against unemployment. If the Reform Party were accorded the opportunity it would deal with the question. He had oome across the promise made by the Government in 1894 that a local government Bill would be brought down, and he wanted to know where that Bill was to-day. Mr Allen went on to say that the cost of the construction of railways had gone up by three to four thousand pounds per mile during the last eight or ten years. The cost at present was put down at about £II,OOO per mile. That was very largely owing to the wasteful system of construction. He contended that instead of building heavy railways into new country districts it jwould be far fairer to construct lighter railways and so enable the country to be opened up. What, he asked, was the present policy of the Government? It said that it had not the money to construct railways and it would not allow the people to construct the railways and hand them over to the Government.

I The Clutha river had risen on Sunday to a height of about two feet above what she was a fortnight ago, i but yesterday she had fallen 2" inches.. Sir J. G. Findlay, who is to seek election to the Lower House, has livo seats in his mind's eye, and promises to make his intentions known in a week or so. Though no definite decision has vet been come to, Mr Malcolm states tliat he has reason to believe that the siding at Finegand will be thrown open for passenger traffic. Very sincere sympathy will be felt for Mr John McLaren, and family, in the death of his daughter, Margaret, which took place with painful suddenness in Balclutha yesterday. Less than a week ago she was in robust health but towards the end of the week she developed serious symptoms. On Saturday Dr. Brugli, advised an pgf eration and on Sunday he and Drs. Stenhouse and Fitzgerald operated for appendicitis. iShe appeared to make a good rally but after 24 hours she collapsed and sank rapidly, dying last evening about 8 o'clock.