Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. MONDAY, MARCH 17, 1879.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 652, 17 March 1879, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. MONDAY, MARCH 17, 1879.

"We think that some of our leading southern contemporaries are taking altogether too gloomy a view of the present depressed state of the colony. That trade is dull, money scarce, and credit at a low ebb must be admitted. These have been broughtabout, m part, by the high price given for land, as against the smaller returns which have come from it m comparision to former years ; also, m part, by the markets being flooded with consignments from Home countries, where, on account of the great depression m all branches of manufactures, every outlet is eagerly sought by means of which merchandise can be shipped and drawn against. When the imports of the colony are manifestly m advance of the requirements of the people, it follows, as a natural consequence, that sellers will have a difficulty m finding buyers. This is a trouble which will bring its own cure. The reckless manner m which storekeepers have given credit to the small farmers and agriculturists is another of the causes of the present depressed state of trade. A reduction m. the price given for wool, the low rates ruling for cereals, the high lutes demanded for labor, ■which prevents much land being tarried to profitable account, are all powerful elements against men paying their debts. If, then, the Banks push the merchants, the sheep farmers, and the stock holders ; these m their turn, more particularly the farmer, must push those indebted to them, where the weakest go to the wall. Honest failure is, of course, no disgrace, but everything depends upon the causes that brought it about, and the way m which the attempt at settlement is made. In too many cases, men, hoping against hope, and grasping at any straw that offers, struggle on with debt and difficulty for longer than they have any right to do. Their banker, knowing their circumstances better than others, takes, as m business matters is quite natural, advantage of the position 'to secure for himself everything available. Lanfl, shares, stock, all go into pawn m the Bank's strong-room. Their ; cheques are dishonored, bills returned, and the unfortunate debtor does what he ought probably to have done months before — namely, call a meeting of his creditors. Then it is the creditors learn for the first time, to their surprise and dismay, that the Banker has laid his hands on all assets, or that these have been covered under a bill of sale. The Banks are not to blame, but the insolvent, m such cases, certainly is. His assets should be divided among his creditors, share and share alike. A man may be poor, but being poor, there is no reason why he should not be honest. There can be no doubt, however, that if the wealthy mone-

taiy institutions of the Colony resolve to keep what is called the screw on tightly, much unnecessary misery and mischief " will to the results ; for the large amounts owing by the farmers, sheep and stockowners cannot be met just now m consequence of the difficulty of realising, excepting at a ruinous sacrifice, upon any description of estate, whether it be land, merchandise, or maru f actures. The prudence which late reverses will engender, and the fact of having a heavy score to wipe out, will stimulate industry and lead, we sincerely trust, to better results next year. If people are patient they may get their money ; but unless they are, m many cases, they will certainly lose it. As a general rule, men really do try to pay their debts, just as, we fear, it is a general rule, that men are too thoughtless m incurring liability. It is surely the height of folly to try and get blood from a stone, or breeches off a Hielandman. On the whole, things are not near so bad as croakers would have us believe. Industry and economy on the part of the trading community and the farmers ; forbearanc and good judgment on the part of the banks and moneyed classes, will end m turning the scales against depression. In 1880, we shall probably laugh at the gloomy apprehensions of 1879. We ' have little to fear compared with what we have to look forward to. The hopeful man is better than the croaker r any day; for we have it on very high authority that the man who cannot be taught to despair is better L than he who cannot be taught to hope. , . . It is with no slight interest we continue to watch over the progress which is making m England, the Australian Colonies, and mo*re particularly m New Zealand, m the matter of national education. For it .is only by the enlightenment which the rising generation is receiving from education, imparted upon a broad, liberal and t unsectarian basis, that we can look to * the future m so much that pertains to our political and social welfare. , There is, however, we think, great 3 reason to fear m the sectarian struggle which is looming ahead. Could the j issues be narrowed down to that of Secularism versus Denominationalism, there would be little to care from the ■ outcome. Those who go m for denominationalism are unceasing m their • efforts for the cause ; but happily, the intelligence of the age is not with them, , and denominationalism is now a thing of the past. The victory of the secular i candidate, says a contemporary, by a 1 majority on the pitched battle fought at Nelson recently, and the crushing defeat sustained by the champion of the Denominationalists, at Auckland, shows plainly that whatever : dissatisfaction may exist with regard to the present system, a very large majority of the people are opposed to a v return to that which preceded it. But it does not by any means follow, because a man is m favour of the Bible r being introduced as a text-book into our ' public schools, that he is m favour of I denominational education. It is imJ portant this should be clearly under- ' stood, because writers m the interests of secularism endeavour to confound the ■ two things, and make capital thereby. The State has undertaken the education j of our children. The instruction given b occupies the whole available time of the [ scholars, but is not complete because a most important text-book — the Bible, is 1 tabooed. Parents ask for its re-intro-L duction. This they have a right to do, ' because the State, m taking upon itself i the education of children, has erred m ' failing to make that education all round. The Bible has, and we trust ever will have, a humanising and civilising influence. It is because parents wish their ' children to be good as well as clever that ' they feel uneasy at the withdrawal of - the Bible from the regular School course. If there be some, as no doubt will be found to be the case, who object to their , children reading it, or if there be others who desire their children to read only one part of the Bible, they are at liberty ' to withdraw them during the exercise, and therefore no scruples are outraged ; ' no one's conscience is wounded. Where, then, can come the harm, and may not ■ good follow on it 1