CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XII, Issue 2374, 2 June 1906, Page 2

CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME.

We have just presented £SOOO to Sail Francisco, against the wish of the President of the United States, and £‘2'KX) to Japan, Sir Joseph Ward is holding banquets in Koine and giving cheques to the -Mount Vesuvius fund, and the Premier is picnicing in Australia. Also, we propose to present about £130,000 per annum to tobacco smokers, because we have got such a lot of money just now. And in the middle ot this ill-bred display ot extravagance comes a telegram from a sincere and earnest M.H.lt., who is a supporter of the Government, to a Government newspaper about the terrible state of the bacK-blocks roads and the sufferings of the settlers in consequence. The mails are already being conveyed by pack-horse to Ohakune, and all the settlements lying in the circle of Tailiap?, -Moawhanga, l'okaano, Taumaranui Pipiriki, and Karioi, a great stretch of country including thousands of settlers, is sealed and isolated by the failure of its roads. This is a district where it is the duty ot the Government to come to the assistance of the settlers. The roads are very largely used by the Government for its own purposes in connection with its public works, and they carry the Government's tourists when these are fit to carry anything. The difficulty of making them passable in winter we know to be great. -Metal is practically unavailable in the district. But while this difficulty is an unsurmountable one tor the settlers, it is not so for the Government. Its ballast trains could put supplies lot shingle within carting distance of some ot the worst ot the roads. But the Government's generosity does not apply to the struggling half-starved settler marooned six months in the year in the back-blocks. Although it planted him there and led him to suppose that it wruld give him roads. the Government has no word of encouragement to offer him. Christchurch “Truth.” .Mr Seddon in Australia muiq ona •ojj.wjjApqso (B' K Jf:GP A . d Under the heading of “Going Strong.” Christchurch “Truth" has the following anent the Premier s doings over ill Australia :- If the number of dinners lie has had to consume is any indication ot the height of tlnPremier’s enjoyment of his holiday in Sydney, he must be having a high enough time to satisfy anybody. Latest cable advices are that Deafcin has retired long ago, badly damaged, tor medical repairs, that Carruthers and Lyne and Keid have all caved in. and and are awaiting digestive replacements, and that the G.O.M. ot New Zealand is still going strong and hearty without having turner! a hail. He has done Sydney from “our harbor" to Government House, and nowlie is off to Melbourne to repeat the dose and give Bent such a shaking up as the Brighton cabbage grower basil t had lor years. R. J. Seddon s exuberant energy is a -onree ot wondci to this community. M hat must it oe to the average Australian? It appears to have taken the Continent by storm. The Australian press hauled up the white flag at the first assault and arranged to give more New Zealand news; the Australian Goyvernments have become bis humble bodyguard, and Australian commercialism is offering him shipping contracts, trade suggestions, and bargains of all sorts and conditions at the lowest possible rates.