The Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) Suivant la verite. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1883. PROSPECES OF OUR DISTRICT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 23, 7 September 1883, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) Suivant la verite. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1883. PROSPECES OF OUR DISTRICT.

The cry from (every part of the Colony just now is the same, vi?.',- -".Hard Times." Depression seemjs \to prevail every where/and no one appears irjle to point; w itb . confidence : to any break m the gloom that obscures the commercial horizon. We believe the "period of adversity will have its uses iand benefits, It will teach us the value .of self- reliance,' and the necessity for e^nergyand perBeverancd^n everything we .undertake. While the prospect was, unclouded, and; "times were good, M %*l : gaye jbht littiethought to the future. Labour was well-paid, money was circulating freely, . the workingrolasses were hot frugal, and] all lived extravagantly and became improvident Tpiejlayf ;. few fmonthsihas seen a wonderful change. The land mania has subsided, speculation" haF died away,ra}l^iavevbeen taught a bard[ lesson, and many have had to succumb. Sooner or later we jnustv recognize, the j fact that if our district* is to regain its prosperity, that result must be achievedby combined and,, individual exertion. Our future is not that of a deserted goldxfield. Our wealth and resources are still with us, and still for'the most part undeveloped. -.-But . we .have, been living untii lately m a kind of '* foal's paradise." " Easy got, easy gone," was our motto, and we went op our way flattering ourselves that there never _ivpjihjLbe^any ,ebh«to. the tide o£»prosperity, tben rippling merrily, to .the eliorW ( kll our commercial fabric became, disorganized. Long credit 'became the order ot the day, and when a settlement had to be exacted, it w*s frequently levied by the bailiff, and discharged m itho'f insolvency court) But we |haVe Btill the foundation on which to erect an enduring monument. ..-.The superstructure 1 Has been too hastily and flimaiiy put together, and requires reoewal on a more! substantial and lasting basis. We do nob lack the moral courage to admit that we have-not, as a people, made thje ure'bf-our 1 ' material wealth and opportunitet which we ought to have done.

A s the Bay of Plenty litres remarks, when referring; to alcnost a sin»ilar aspect of affairs : — w It is simple folly i to try and hide the position ; true map* liness and moral conrage is proved by fully admitting th« situation and meeting it. Trade without the puplic support is nothing. Every unit ija' a community is a proportionate' aapport and stay to the tradesman, so that it is essential to both that there should be no antagonism. It is their iuterest to make common cause » this is the; simple principle, and "applies' equally through" a community." Our contemporary proceeds to observe :—'* A tradesman has no right to encourage a /system of oredic— -which means indulgence— in^a 'day of ready money (wben his risk is reduced to a fraction), and tighten his reins when days arpbloudy ; the system is at fault, and it lias been in 'common practice. There has been a harvest day for Taurenga; and Tauranga reaped wh*t jOther men sowed and laboured | for. Now Tauranga has hadj to reap her own sowing,, and the yield has been exactly tier 'due/ - The greac tejrcher at .present is necessity^ In this school the first lesßon we -have to learn is the value of co-operation m aim arid pur-i pose." These remarks are equally applicable to Palmerston, ,and ao ( is the following from the same article which, occur* further ;oi:-4" Every th|n>r. baY it's level "arid "its "intrinsic valine, and everything* will infallibly find* its levels-. There has been all through toto much looking and leaning on outside help, leaving the heat sarid> burden of the day 'i 6 others, and| making no local eifforta." What has been written with reference to this colony " "will' apply to wYin its moral bearings,* ie;, the intelligence, the enterprising industry r. and the persevering exertions of its inhabitants have made this one of the most productive and. most spots on the face of ,tnejgiqbe in PJ^porportion to its size/. an4;p:mdlation,. "j We must not think thatobecatisej we are comparatiyely speaking a sumtj community/ lherefore ,; progress atidj prosperity cannot be our portipn, Let our attention ana* energy be" directed io turn our resourceg-.tq. the best), advantage. Let beginnings be made, if ever so small, and. Jet us; show v^fche • putside* world what we have and what |w« are capable of. /We make one'mbrejquotation from our Tauranga contemporary, „ which will apply 'with equal force jto this kiitnct. " We'Wjish/to ; pointy out that it is not a question of a railway* which is to make Tauranga ;; >whati is. wanted is healthy enterprise, and a jsouncr .system. of life- thav will be r au erioouragement .to men -of money: -and^men of brains to come" amongst us 'and [settle. What'is needed is 1 efierg'etic 'kii^ pacti'oal'wsolve to leave i *nlf3 * stone, unturned until ! we all hive done our.part'to cause' the tide J fori, ihere. 'is i nothing chimerical, m.^^esftnobservation^ but there, is much i cause to ■ lament over the ' , fatuous notions that have dominated . hitherto;" There is a bright and^ $oiperous future m store for Manswatu, but.-it-mayrbe^ -hastenedf retarded according as the people bestir ithemselves or are lethargic m the great work, of colonization, wh'icnteini enibraces all, the undertakings essential to true; pros- 1 perityiand real advancement. ' ; ""' ! f