A REPLY TO "CANNIE CHIEL."

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12414, 25 July 1902, Page 6

A REPLY TO "CANNIE CHIEL."

TO THE EDITOK. Sir,—ln tho Daily Times of July 19 a letter appears signed "Cannie Chiel." " Cannio Chiel " simply repeats the ignorant assertions of croakers years ago, when Sir Julius Vogol started by borrowing money to .mako railways. I should likoto ask the intelligent working man, especially thoso employed on railway and other works, "If borrowing was stopped, what state would tho country be in?" We mast taper off and get our surplus labour settled to other occupations or put on tho land.

Regarding "Cannie duel's" remarks about the coat of management of tho country —in this be is right. Many of the members returned to Parliament aro of no use, and the work of managing such a email population as New Zealand's could he done for very much lesp. All those who stand for Parliament should do so prepared to help tho country and pledged to reduce tho number of both Ileuses. New Zealand has not the population of an ordinary sized city in Britain or the American States. If honest, capable men wero elected to run this country the number of members would bo reduced, undoubtedly, to something liko a fair thing. The country has been fairly prosperous under the present Government. Borrowed capital has acted like a stimulant. New Zealand requires no stimulant, sho is an. honest, sound little country, and will, with anything like a fair chance, come "out all right. Everj' mile of railway made will holp to incrcaso the settlement of land hitherto either in its natural state or used only to rtin a few sheen ou. The Otago Central will open farming lands that produce good wheat. This railway line is supposed to be a white elepliant, but thero are several farming places on its rout that, before the railway was made, wero r .oo far from the market to grow grain profitably In the North Island wo have splendid tractj of land capable of growing anything iron, grapes to potatoes. These lands require roads and the Main line'compictcd. Are wt> to plop all borrowing and settlement to pander to the ancient ideas of a tew iossilized mummies? If we intend to keep paco with other parts of the world, let us put; iron into Parliament who will look to the future, not carping, incompetent fossils; who look back to the past natura'iy, having burned their candle, near tho socket. We must advance: we have tho walis and floor on our house, and must now nut on tho wlu'ch we lose our past labom. As "Cannie Chiel" says, we may reduce tho number of our members, but go anead and finish tho good work ot oooning up and settling this the best of Britain's colonies wo murt. Let those carping ■ fossils go through America, and they will learn something oi building railways and opening up new com,, try The public debt of Now Zealand iA nothing, and in the future, when tho Mam trunk lines, with suitable feeding branches are finished, our population and trade willbl doublo what .it is now.

I don't consider -Cannie Chiol : "' knows anything about the resource? of this colony Let him spand- a few pounds having a W round the unsettled lands: ho will then cbmo to think rationally. Anvbow, before a "enera! election wo have sheaves of prophesies against the unsuitabflity of the Government then in power. When the main trunk lines aro finished these ignoramuses will be ablo to travel more and learn what the country requires; and until they do this they can't expect sonsibh men to lake them seriously.—l airi) c t ei EXLIGIITEN-ED EIECTO?,