Our Enlightened Rulers: Our Record Government.

Otago Witness, Issue 2260, 24 June 1897, Page 7

Our Enlightened Rulers : Our Record Government.

TO THE EDITOK. Sir, — Nothing shows the littleness of an individual or of a Government ruora than interfering ia what they have nothing to do with and with what they kuow nothing about, and so'we see a country with the population of Glasgow burdened with an army of- 20,000 Government officials, mostly employed in hampering enterprise and the development of the country. They raise the price of commodities by taxation, under the name of protection, in a country entirely dependent upon its exports /or its prosperity, and <m they curtail production by increasing the Co3t of living, and byborrowing and taxation they put, a fictitious price on labor, and prevent employers from working at a profit, and so drive men into the ranks of the unemployed ; for no inaa can pay more lhi»,n he receive*. And while the Government hampers '/he producers it does nothing to find a market for produce; but foreign syndicates are encouraged to extract gold, while men with means are prevented from improving the soil, tho greatest source of wealth, as they are looked upon as pests, aud prevented from sinking their capital and lining modern appliances and producing at the cheapest rate from excessive ignorance and taxation and the want of security. Thus meu aro forced to settle up >n the waste lands before they are ready and without the means of subsistence : their only product— iv lace of paupeia. If the Government would leave off bothering with fad* and tink6ring at laws, and lay their heads together to make roads and open up the country, it would be better for every class. Let it encourage men to settle on the land with the means of improving it, arid do not act like the dog in the manger ; and let it divert the energy going to waste in our streams and develop our goldftclds by electric power. It is much easier to take a wire to the mine than to bring the mine to the source of power. Then let it be extended to the towns. Let us encourage private enterprise in every way, and we may hope to see the country prosper, even in the face of dull times and debt. — I am, etc., Glen Hurray, June 12. T. M.