NO POVERTY IN NEW ZEALAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVII, Issue 12850, 24 June 1902, Page 6

NO POVERTY IN NEW ZEALAND.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—According to Mr Seddon, vide his speech, by cable, in the " Times" of June 19, New Zealand is absolutely a scene of comfort and prosperity, and "the mass of the people comfortable and well to do. According to the'"Lyttelton Times" of the same date, and his Worship 'the Maj'or, Christchurch, at any rate, has an extremely large number of poor people in its midst, so much so that appeals are being made by you, sir, in, a leaderette, and also by the Mayor, for fresh supplies of coals and blankets for the poor and needy. Now, which statement is true, your own, the Mayor's, or the Premier's? Why, it is "mird to talk of progress and prosperity, while all the evils of the Old Land are ever increasing amongst us. Drunkenness, burglaries, crime of all sorts, and the good old Tory institutions, such as Coal and Blanket Funds, Destitute Men's-Homes, Mission Homes, Rescue Homes, Prison Gate Brigade Homes, and all the pauper paraphernalia of England are being well established in this fair country of ours, where,l if we had had true representation, pharitable aid ought never to be required. It is a problem hard to unravel, and I am afraid Mr Seddon has grossly ■ exaggerated the prosperity of the country. And, according to your article, there as many poor, per head of the population, as obtains in pauper England,—l am,'etc.,' ■ ■ , "■ RADICAL.