PRE-SESSIONAL ADDRESSES.

Evening Star, Issue 6914, 29 May 1885, Page 4

PRE-SESSIONAL ADDRESSES.

TO THK EDITOR. Sib -I have read the Hon. Major Atkin«m?BDeech to his constituents, and to my during the present interregnum. Although f C nialist he did not forget the njqmreH nientsof local public bodies. Yes, hisroatts bridges construction measure, which he out in its integrity, was one of a dlcentraSng character that the present SffiSxanSot improve on under thecounty Astern There is a method of budding up lS government, and partly pulling down s; ■vsthS- of BTrss& 2 half of the members of the Ministry, rdnhie-tenthsofthe civil of whom could be absorbed by the local ment, I assert that, in defiance of their multibus promises and financial strokes trade is dull, and many of our people want employment. It passes my understanding that ui Country lL NewW so weTfavored in almost everything that pertains to health and comfort, such a word as "poverty should be heard. Nevertheless, I am mformed that destitution is beginning to show itself in various parts of the Colony. Now, if the New Zealand soil were as poor as m some other countries, producing m many instances but five bushels of wheat, and in places this small quantity could not be grown ia the absence of a costly mode of irrigation, whatever would we do ? But this Colony is ahead of all others growing cereals. With regard to beef and mutton, the two have been fairly tested in the English market, and in quality cannot be eclipsed by the world. So with butter and cheese—the result is the same, especially where proper attention to production has taken place. Mr Editor, there is a screw loose somewhere. There is no comparison between tho number of acres of land in New Zealand and its population. The latter numbers a few over half a-million, whereas the former tot up about forty millions, which gives to each individual about eighty acres. Sir, we are destitute of the wealth-producing element; nevertheless, we are pushing on our railways But what is the good of them in the absence of population to develop the natural resourcesof the country '! One Government after another has borrowed inoney and spent it on public works, omitting all the while to use a portion of that money to place bonajide settlers on the land. Such settlers are the very element to bring grist to the mill, to make remunerative use of roads, bridges, and railways, and so largely replenish the Exchequer and reduce taxation per head on population. Even in time of war a large population is useful, especially a settled one, both as regards personal defence and cost of war material. The Stout-Vogel Government in taking office promised great things, and, so far as I know, those promises have resulted in ml. There is one thing they have done as well as their predecessors in office—need I say to borrow money, whereat the Treasurer is an adept. Such being the fact, it is questionable whether, if Major Atkinson had been in office, things would not have been as well as they are at present.—l am, etc., Waikouaiti. Dunedin, May 27.