CHRISTCHURCH NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 254, 20 July 1908, Page 8

CHRISTCHURCH NEWS.

-a (BY'TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL COBESSFONDENT.) . ; . July 18, '. The'continuous' wet is having, a marked influence on. the flow of the artesian, wells.In some cases 'wells, .which Iliad fallen much/ too low for the ftwnefs' comfort and'supply, are-now flowing as freely as when first set down, v Ono well has risen 22 1 inches; during the last fortnight. .'A first " stratum well in !Addirigton, which has ceased flowing for some' years, is again ;: giving forth a plentiful • sup-, ply.;. ■ , ;■ ■ . - v - :J: .. Small Salaried Worker's Cry.'/ / •A representative of ■ the class of workers' who earn a small fixed;salary, and'who have no appeal to tho Arbitration Court, liffcs;up his voice in to-day's "Press," ■ complaining that during all the'fat years wo hear so much.about not even a ripple of the prosperity has reached'him or his fellow?, in fact, ho says, "it's quite the reverse. New Zealand produce has been realising high prices here and abroad, ■ and wo are paying ■ nigh • prices for all producer l we- use,. while our salaries have not increased: ■ Look at' the price we pay for'meat. Then there's bread, the price' of wheat is high, and the farmer rejoices •naturally, but just as naturally: I . don't rejoice, for my household bread bill is 25 ,or 30 per cent, mqre than it used to be. But my . salary is stillat. the • same , old • lovel.. Then ■ that absolute necessity, butter, is -50 per cent, more than the old average cost. Milk is up, too. • Bacon—but I'needn't go through : the whole, list of 1 food articles, that have become .deafer. "But the salaries of many of; lis • remain; the' same. "I'm not' selfish enough t6 begrudge : the .farmer, the dairyman,. or any of the producers the high prices ' they obtain (and I pay): for their produce. What.-L nkist .emphatically • protest .against is •• tli.at the sorcalied' prosperity -said- to. l .be. ■evidenced;. b£'the high prices should be the' excuse for unnecessary ,wasteful extravagance of the ; Goyernment, iii.. mattes. .large- and small;'""Ffora the easy nonchalance with which -our professional politicians talk "of of thousands, and of- millions, one would think we were all millionaires. -Yet. we will, all : have to help .to foot' the bill when the vday of reckoning, comes,'and our .full share at that. Sir . Joseph Ward. tells us ,-big -surplus on the' credit' side of the ( Dominion's accounts,, and every conceivable extravagance is to be indulged-in. Hat surplus, as well as the legitimate -revenue, will-soon ;go "in - wicked, wilful 'waste, and theii there|l! be -another-million; or two'borrowed.for, necessary, works, : and, our national debt, will get-its'annual addition,, the interest on iwkich .means increased taxation, of-which r. shall' have. to-;pa'y my. share.; That's- the -'high finance', of : the .present .Governments If private ,!individuals lived '.like that they'd soon come.'to the.end of their tether,.and the Stipendiary:. Magistrate or the Official Assignee might say ' some . nasty- things , to them." • . '