Marlborough Express, Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1887. AN IMPORTANT BUDGET.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXIII, Issue 227, 27 October 1887, Page 2

Marlborough Express, Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1887. AN IMPORTANT BUDGET.

» Whetheu Major Atkinson delivers his Budget Speech on Friday or the following Tuesday, does not much matter to those who are able to exercise the gift of patience. It is certain that never before m the history of t o Colony was the Budget Speech of the Treasurer more anxiously looked for, more nervously awaited, or likely to be fraught with proposals which may not improbably exeri an influence for good on the Colony for decades to to come. When the great issues now pending m the Colony by reason of the administration of a necessary check and the promulgation of new schemes of administration for ths future are considered, a fortnight was only a very reasonable period tor the old helmsman to ask for m which to study hi a charts, and cast off for a voyage into an almost unknown sea, a very reasonable period m which to acquire the necessary knowledge to enable him to steer the Ship of State past rocks and shoals into a haven of prosperity. The proposals of the Government on Taesday nest will be the A aso3t moment-

ous to tbe prosperity of the colony and its neople that have been made *or many . long day, and the time ib one of great anxiety, not only to the Ministry, but to every thinking man of the community. It is a time m whiob the country is to deoide for weal or woe, a time m which we are to say whether tha oolony is to pursue an almost heedleaß course of waste and luxury and extravagance, or, whether by careful and economical and at_ the same time propiiient and enterprising management, we are to make a bid for the favors wbioh the gods dispense, and hope for another Satnrnian " golden age " of Roman faWe m these more matter of faot days. It is a time big with fate, and it is not sarprisina that the Budget Speech of Ootober, 1887, should be awaited with more than ordinary aDxiety. The Government have a most unthankful task before thrtn, and many of the proposals will al- ; mrst certainly be most distastefnl to the cruntry. But so long as those proposale are prudent they should be confidently aocepted, and we should pay no hed to the designing ajitator who is bound to rn^ke the moit of a good opportunity. On the other hand, the Government; will make a great nvstake if «hey limn >\w oanvas with the picture of onr condition m very Bt >tling colors. We have no fear that the Oniony ie m such financial straits as to make it necessary to publish a statempnt of onr apspts and li>b Jities to tbe world, and the Major will, we frost, have profited by the m'»t»ke of 1881, and will not again, from his B : njular— politioally sinunlar.wernean —habit "f telling the p ain, unvarnished tru h orea c a panic m tne o nntry and m London, by takir g too despondent &ai ploon.y a vifw of things. We trust tt c Budent, Speech shortly to be delivered wi-1 be a plain, thuugh hopeful, exposition of our financ al endii'n ; that it will propose all poHt-ib'e cutting do > n of exp-ndi tore, without ctnsingi:»dividua' coffering; that it will dtal fairly wi h every part of tbe Colony ; aiding to benefit New Ze--'and as a whole ; and that having shown how tbe weeds are to be oleared away, it will i ropose such mean* a<n wi 1 seanre the stpady growth of our native industries, and tbe d velopment of our latent resour os. Wiih watchful Prudence striding beside Hope and Enterprisi on th ■ Colony'rf path, our future iB assured, and our destiny is P' oaperity.