THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY JANUARY 25, 1896.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10037, 25 January 1896, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY JANUARY 25, 1896.

The speech of Mr. Cadman, at the Thames, oil Wednesday evening, was, as might naturally be expected, chiefly devoted to mining affairs. He is to address a portion of his constituency at Huntly oil Wednesday next, and may be expected there to enter more particularly into the details of the measures of last session. We are glad to be able to join in congratulating Mr. Cadman oil the way in which the goldlields administration of th<3 colony has been conducted. Ho is well acquainted with goldlields affairs, especially with the wants of the Hauraki district, extending from Cape Colville to Te Arolia. He has shown himself desirous of aiding all well-considered enterprises for the development of the field. There has been for some time an Act on the Statute-book authorising a scheme of Government aid for tho development of the deep levels, and to all appoaranoe Mr, Cadman will have the gratification of seeing this matter well in hand during his term of office. The general policy pursued in the goldlields administration has been of a judicious and conservative character, and where there was a fair claim to protection in order that capital might be obtained, time has been granted. For much of this, we are 110 doubt indebted to the prudence of tho Warden, Mr. Kenny, still tho Minister of Mines, who has large power and discretion in the working of goldfields law, mi|st get the credit for the lines of policy laid down, To some extent, the reward for judicious administration has already come. A statementhas indeed been made from London that the vagaries of the Government in labour and land legislation was causing some capitalists to hold back from investment in our goldfields, We do not think, however, that that has operated to any serious extent, and we believe that general confidence is folt that good titles will not be interfered with. To all investors, indeed, a great warning lias been given of late of the danger of trusting their money outside of the stability of British law. There must have been enormous loss in the Transvaal mines, and the end is not yet.

Mr. Cadman to some extent followed the examplo of his colleagues in much of what he said. It is quite natural, when a Minister visits a place with reference to some particular local concern or work, that the residents should give him a banquet, and the rule has been with Ministers not to make a merely party speech, not to turn the occasion into a party opportunity, but to deal with general topics, Our present Ministers, however, led by the Premier, always take advantage of the situation to thunder at their enemies, while of course, they being present as guests, their statements cannot be replied to. For instance, the opening of the Rotorua Railway was celebrated by a dinner, to which the Premier, as having performed the ceremony, was invited. He made a long and party speech, although many of his hosts were opposed to his Government. The dinner to Mr. Cadman at the Thames was especially stated to be" in recognition of the deep interest he has ever taken in the welfare of the mining industry," but he took occasion to defend the labour legislation and other measures of the Government. His most notable reflection on this subject is, that the Conciliation and Arbitration Act "had practically put an end to strikes in New Zealand." We have had no strikes lately for the reason principally that those who had the chief concern in the strikes of a few years ago, have had quite enough of the article for some time. Mr. Cadman would have been able to prove some-, thing if he could have shown that the Arbitration Court had settled even one strike.

Mr. Cadman spoke on one subject on which the Government are evidently endeavouring to elicit opinion, and that is, borrowing- Ministers have been putting forward foolers in various directions on that topic, and it would appear as if they were somewhat uneasy in their minds about it. Some of their critics say that from the condition pf their finance they will be - compelled to borrow at 110 distant date. Mr. Cadman said that ''thecountry would have to decide whether there should be any further borrowing," and lie made it appear that "the country members would be in favour of a loan, while the town members would lw opposed to it." There is apparently (in effort being made by Ministers to divide the colony in that way to get the country members to go in for borrowing under the impression that the country districts would get all the benefits of new railways and other public works, while the large cities would have nothing directly. When the borrowing question \yas formerly before the colony we were not divided in that way, for most of the opposition to . borrowing J came from, members representing country discriots. 'As for the relative advantages, we are not sure if such a division could be

made. The large cities 'would inevitably obtain an advantage from the construction of roads and railways in any districts attached •to them, and the country districts might or might not be favoured by the construction of a railway. Those country districts in which no public works were carried out would not derive the advantages which would inevitably come to the cities, while the settlers would have to. pay the additional taxation which would be inevitable, although where that taxation would bo placed we can scarcely imagine, In good policy and fairness three-fourths of any new loan would have to be spent in the North Island. The South Island has been opened up by railways as far as it profitably can be for many years to come, while in the North much important work still remains, to be done. And it is only in the North Island that there could be any pretence of opening up blocks of land for settlement. Yet we are quite sure that if a new loan were proposed there would be a claim put in by Southern representatives,so strongly backed up that it could not be resisted, that a large amount should be spent in the South because a large number of unemployed were in these districts. Mr. Cadman is now making a tour of the Upper Thames goldfield, and lie must see what a needful work is a branch line to Waihi. He might announce that the Government were determined to carry out that work at an early date, independently of any consideration about a loan.