BRIGHTER TIMES AHEAD.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 142, 15 December 1908, Page 2

BRIGHTER TIMES AHEAD.

AN EX-MINISTER'S OPINION. The Hon. C. H. Mills, in presiding over the annual meeting of the Miramar Tramway Junction Land Company last I night, expressed 1 a cheerful and confident opinion about the prospects for the coming year. He said that so far from feeling pessimistic because a temporary stringency in the money market had caused a certain dulness in' trade and checked the investment of funds, he held the strong and hopeful belief that there would be a speedy revival. In fact, he felt warranted in predicting that there would be a considerable improvement within the next two or three months. This was no mere empty assertion, but an built upon certain solid facts. These facts were that within the next few months seven millions sterling would be realised in New Zealand for the season's wool-clip. In addition, two millions sterling would be paid over for frozen mutton and lamb, abont two millions more for butter, cheese, and other produce, and finally^ there were the 2^ millions which Parliament last session gave the Government authority to raise for the Advances to Settlers' Department and for public jtforks. All this meant that a sum of 13^ millions would be available for expenditure on investment, or at the rate of £13 10s a head for every man, woman, and child in the whole Dominion. In pointing to these factors making for progress and renewed activity in the new year, he bad not taken into account the „ City Council and Harbour Board were contemplating a large outlay on local public .work. 1 Over and above all, New Zealand was in a thoroughly sound condition, the recent dulness was attributable to causes operating beyond our borders, and was already passing away, and after the holidays, for the reasons he had given, the community was justified in looking for a return of good times, briskness of trade, and a steady advance in the giowth of city and suburbs.