North Otago Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 6537, 30 December 1887, Page 2

North Otago Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING.

FKIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1887. "Taken as a whole, the chief feature in cur proposals is to steadily reduce expenditure under loan from, in round numbers, L 1,100,000, 100,000 per annum for fchia year, to L 300,000 per annum for the third year from Maroh next, and we believe that in this way the loan expenditure may be gradually brought I to an snd, after March, 1891, without on the one band increasing our burdens over much, or on tbe other band putting too sudden a check on tbe prograss of colonial industries." These are the last and perhaps the most-note-worthy words in the statement which waa delivered on the 12th instant by tbe Minister of Public Works. They indicate tbe utmoßt which the Govern" menfc think can be done in tbft matter of tapering off tbe expenditure of borrowed money. There are many people who told that much more might and should be done in that respect, but aa Parliament bas endorsed tbe Governmeut's view there is, for the present at anyrate, no more to be said on the subject. And indeed those who, out of «beer regard for the public interest, would have liked a much more reduced expenditure of borrowed money, are by no mearjß unthankful for what has been done. At the very least a policy of moderation has been practically guaranteed for some time to come, and the oountry has been freed from the apprehension of the insane " leaps and bounds" of borrowing with which it haa ever and anon been threatened by its dominant professional politicians during tbe last three or four years. An<J yet — so miserable, bo unwholesome, so unpatriotic are our politics — there ia grave danger that this new policy with regard to borrowing will only lead to something even worse than a continuance of the old extravagance — indeed, that it will be pleaded as a change justifying the necessity or desirableness of a policy far more detrimental to the country. We refer to the ma'dneas of giving away tbe freehold of vast areas of tbe public lands in order to induce syndicates to construct railways which are not needed in the cause of true settlement, but are really demanded only by financial axegrinders, commercial coteries with a superfluity of stale goods on hand, and platform politicians whose chief delight is 10056 "cry " or " scheme" 0* which they can trade with their constitaents. There is, we say, grave danger that tbe new tapering off policy in borrowing will be worked as an excuse for the construction of railways such as these by means of the deplorable land grant system. In fact the thing has already been begun. We do not refer alone to the ultra concessions which have been so flagrantly made by the Atkinson Government to the Midland Railway syndicate, but to the further transaction s^ in tbe same line of business which are clearly stioking out ahead People will remember tbe words lately used by the Attorney-General : they were to the effect that, as the colony could not go on borrowing money for tko oonsttuobioU of "jub" i ail ways, those precious works would have to be carried on under thn land grant system. This practically means that, in the estimation of the present Government, it is not inadvisable to carry on tbe Otago Centra), the North Island trunk railway, and probably every other line clamored for by specalatora and political time-servers, through tbe process of sacrificing wholesale the lands of tbe country to foreign syndicates. The results of such a proosss could not be otherwise than disastrous to the present legitimate settlement of the country, and to tWe future freedom and progress of the people of New Zealaud. It is true we are even already hearing much to a contrary effect, and it is boldly stated that railway syndicates are in reality a leady means of efiectiag settlement which could not otherwise i be effected at the present time. That is an ancient argument. It haa been used before under other circumstances in New Zealand, and has been acted upon with results that are grievous even unto the present day. It was the argument used by the impecunious and unprincipled Provincial Governments of Canterbury and Otago when they sold to private persona and companies tbe vast areas which to-day curse the country in the shape of big estates. Our own readers have themselves bitter enough experience) of tbe effects of that kind of settlement ; and the evils brought about here and elsewhere in the colony by its instrumentality will assuredly ensue on a much larger scale wherever any Government commits the heinous political crime of paying any srndic&te for the construction of any railway with wholesale free grants of tbe lands which now belong to the people, and which should only be parted with to them, and to them alone, for tbe purposes of legitimate settlement. It is to be hoped, then, that the country will in time make up its mind to throw back, the deluge of syndicatism which now threatens it.

The settling on the Tradesmen's Racing Club r*c«a takes place this evening *k the Royal Hotel at eight o'olook. A meeting of the members of the Stir of Oamtru P.A.F.3, of Australia takes place this evening, when the officers will be iaatalled. Mr R. Wood, a well known teacher of the riolin, viola, and violiocello, will vlsliOamaru every fourteen days, beginning with January 20th, Farther particulars are advertised In another part of tbls leave. The oficera of the Railway Department,, Oamarn, tell vi, through the medium of a ueac card, that they heartily join in wishing IS a Merry Christmas and a Happy New 1 ear ; and we, on oar part, reciprocate tko with. & fire, which destroyed a cottage belong, iag to Mr Angui M 'Donald, of Kakannl, took place on Wednesday night. Mr M 'Donald was away from horns at the time, and the hoate wan left: In oharge of bis daughter, who happened to be onfc for a fborfc time. A kerosene lamp waa left burning on the table, and olose to the table stoqd a sofa. It is supposed that the lamp burst and the burning oil spread over the sofa, setting fire to tbe building. Only a sewing maohlne waa saved. The bouse was insured for L3O, and the furniture, personal •Saatt, and a sewiaf machine for L 4.0, la the National office, Mr M'Dovald estimates his loss at L9O over tbe amonit of the tiuurtaee, „ _

Ti>e r «!»Wn? of the Warden's Te«rt bb» nonnosd to take phoe to-day has beea pott* poned tili Ihe 3rd February* The Mount Ida Chronicle report* thai one or two good wasbjogi are rep »rted from Spec Gnlly. one party of Chnam.D In paiMonlar obtaining 1 300 worth of fo'd for an outlay of L3O In water. The Perseverance claim, tlamtltans, hu bees cJapoeed of by the executors of tbe late Mra Barber to Meaar* Cambridge, Ooram and Co, for ab-ut LISCO — » price which praotloal diggers regard aa being remarkably cheap, At the Addlngton yards oa Wednesday very few pane of good theep were In the market, the bulk of the supply oon«lsting of oroubred ewes of various ages. In ■eoond class mutton there was a fall of 64 to la per head, good fat ewes selling at 4* 6d to 5i 61 etoh : raized lines at 6* to 7a. There was an aotive demand for export, and, tho inpply of *nit»bl» sheep being vary snail, a rise of 6i to la per haad was got for them, up to 11s 9d being realised. Yesterday, at 2 p.m., the New Zealand Shlppiog Company's ship Or*rl «alled oat of the harbor without the assistance of a tng. The Orari had a fall oargo of wool, akinn, «nd tallow veined at 1>70,000, and Is bound for Lnnden, There waa a tair wind at th« tlTie, and the vessel was coon out of sight, The Orari will be followed by the Company's chartered barque Lair*, whioh Is expecled ho. 0 from the Bluff at an early date. Arrangements have been made for holding united prayer mee'ings In ihe town for thrflo days, the first week of the year, \a. the f Mowing plaoos of worship : St, Paul 1 * Preftbyterian Charoh oa Wednesday, tho 4th January ; Weileyan Church, on the sth January ; and Congregational Church , on Frtdiy, the 6th January. The meetings will commence at 730 pm, San key's hymns will be naed. addresses will be delivered, and all are cordially Invited. Tn order to prevent a crush at the gates on the night of the Oamara Caledonian Society's carnival similar to that of last year, arrangements hava be*n made whereby tickets c»n be obtafnad up to nine o'olook on Saturday evening from Meuen A. Frasar, W. FT. Cottrell, J. Wilklo and Co, Rice It -others, J. E. Hood, L. P. Chriateson, J. R. Sewell, and »t the Rteran'lG-'' • tha Roynl, and tho Qaeen'a Hotels. The of ttoketfl Will be admitted at tbe members' gfcte on the night of tho o*r nival from seven o'olook, Professor Brookes, an ivory-type painter of repute, is now In Oamaru canvassing for subscriptions to his art union of ivory-type palatmga and Poonah paintings. Tke ttaketc are 2* 6d naoh, and tbe prizsa. 26 la namber, are valued at over LIOO The art utmn will comprise both ivory. type and Poooah paintings, and those who draw prizes for tke for jier will receive Ivory-type ploturo: of themselves or of any one else , whom they m»y prefer to have painted, Profaasar Brookes handing «v«r tha elegant and completely finished work to each priz^* 1 winner. The beanty of the Ivory-type painting done by this artist in unquaation- , ftbly greab, as tbe speolmona which he omies with him testify. Yartoas p»rtioularj» are ' given in tbe advertisement inserted by Mr ■ Brookes ia another part of tbh iisa . 1 On Thursday, the 22nd la t»nt, the Rod- > oliffe Sohool broke up for the Christmas holidays, when prizes were distributed. ( The Rev Mr M'Kee, with Mt George Olive-, condnoted the proceedings. Mr M'Kee addressed the children, and Bald he hoped ' that their respite fretn school work would enab c them to return tn their tasks wich ino^aued vigenr, and th»t they wuld still continaa to maintain tbe reputation tbe school h*d made for i'self under the teaoh1 ing of Mr Barclay. The fol'ovrlni? were the prizi winnera : Standard Vl— John Sm*rt, 1. Standard V— A. Geddea, 1. Standard IV— Je«»ie Gordon, 1 ; Joanna Olhrer, 2; Annie Gaddea, 3. Standard I T I — Joseph ' obson, 1 ; Wm Oliver, 2 ; Louisa Henderson, 3, standard ll— Alica Smart, 1 ; Sarah Dtvip, 2 ; George Geddea, 3. Standard I - Joseph Bites, 1 ; Maggie Hendertoa. 2 Wm. Menziea and Co. are offering 20 dor. ladies" and children's white »nd onbred picnic 3traw hats, 3d eaoh ; 170 children a sun hats and bonnets, at 91, 1% la 3d, Is 6d, «nd la 9.1. Exaellea' hargninn fa sunshades and umbrellas. A splendid assortment of pionio hamper*. b««k«»r«. *n<\ h«ffa-[ADvr.]