South Canterbury Times, THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 1884.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3502, 26 June 1884, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 1884.

Whoever Major Atkinson’s successor may be, we predict that he will find his office a very difficult one. The difficulty to be encountered is of course the financial one, the real extent of which is very serious indeed. It is patent to all that our income just now is diminishing, and our expenditure uncurtailed, and before we can again go on out way rejoicing something like a balance must be restored. We cannot- say that we have gathered much from the Financial Statement just delivered by the Colonial Treasurer. It abounds with figures and with absurdities, but it throws out no hint for the future. The usual moralising was there in abundance, the stereotyped phrases about the depression being temporary, and other salve. But we have heard all this before, and besides we have known it all along ourselves. No one who knows New Zealand doubts for a moment that there is a grand future before her. But the advance of the grand future may be retarded by misgovernment and mismanagement—and now if ever in our constitutional history we want a financial statement that is worth calling one. To toss figures cleverly about while padding one’s speech with sanguine generalities is to give the colony a stone when it cries for bread. The trick is done so smartly that it is only on a careful review of the statetbat one sees the absurdities with which it abounds. Take one instance

—the Act under which the money for our Public Works was borrowed, it is provided that there shall yearly be set aside a sinking found towards the extinction of the debt of the colony—yet in his statement the Treasurer points out—as an answer to the gloomy predictions of some members —that things cannot be so bad considering that £250,000 had this year been placed into the sinking fund. In other words, the Major would gull us into the belief that this, which is as much a charge on the revenue as anything else is, is a sort of investment of superfluous cash. So much for Major Atkinson’s financing! The first duty of the new Parliament will be to scrutinise the items of expenditure, and one of the most prominent of the objectionable items will be found to be the maintenance of the Armed Constabulary. Major Atkinson has just bad a little too much leaning towards that excellent but costly corps, but we trust the coming Pbaroah will “ know not Joseph” and will strongly advocate the disbandment or lessening of the force. To this business of retrenchment we must most seriously and earnestly set ourselves.

Is any protege of the “ Tiraaru Herald” on the look-out for the Agent-General ship, which is soon to become vacant ? Only on that supposition can we account for the attempt to damn Sir Francis Dillon Bell with faint praise, and even to sheet home charges against him. The Hew Zealand Shipping Company will doubtless appreciate our contemporary’s leader on the subject of the direct steam service; but speaking on behalf of the general public whom (instead of rings) a newspaper ought to represent—we have no hesitation in saying that the remarks made about Sir Dillon Bell in connection with the Shaw, Savill and Albion service are unwarrantable and unjust. The New Zealand Shipping Company have enjoyed a virtual monopoly and a high prestige. Is there any reason why they, should be granted absolute protection? Is there any reason why the comfort and wellbeing of the travelling public should not be taken into consideration, and a spirited competition permitted. It is always the public who benefit by

competition between proprietors of public conveyances. They therefore thank Sir Dillon Bell, and that may assist the best Agent-General the colony has ever had, to hear np under the strictures of the “Timarn Herald.”