A BACKWARD GLAtfCg IN N.'Z

Southland Times, Issue 19499, 31 December 1904, Page 2

A BACKWARD GLAtfCg IN N.'Z

No changes or developments of a very momentous' character have taken place in the colony during the year, ond it9 condition has not been materially altered. Politics ternain in practically the same condition as they were in 12 months ago. There have been no changes of Government such as those which have taken place in the Commonwealth, where three Ministries have held office. No industrial event qi outstanding importance has been recorded, and no general disaster by fire or water has befallen the colony. A new representative of His Majesty tho King now presides over the colony's affairs. On Juna^gOth Lord Rtmfurly left Wellington, and Lord Plunket arrived and assumed office at the seat of Government. The departing Governor carried with him a wider knowledge of tho colony, its people and resources, than any of his predecessor^. In an unusually long " reign " fye had occupied a great doal of his time fn travelling iu different parts of New. Zealand, and.hp.d mado himself acquainted with -'the people from the southern islands td Raratonga. His -kindly nature 'and good fellowship, his intelligent ini terest in practical questions, and his approachableness won for him tho goodwill of the peoplo. Ho was, in a word a very popular and efficient Governor. His successor, Lord Plunket, hp£ not been long in the colony, but on his arrival he made an excellent Impression by his first speeches. He spoke but few words, but they were sensible and practical. Tnose who have come in contact with him have formed a high opinion of Lord Plunket, and thero is every indication that he will give satisfaction to the colony and to Uie Imperial Government in his high position a9 Governor.

When the year'opened Mr Soddon was in such a state of health that it seemed doubtful whether he would bo able much longer to discharge hia duties ae head of tha Government and leader of the Hbttse of Representatives. A certain amount of mystery shrouded Mr Seddon's ailment, but it was not attempted to disguise the fact that it was vory grave In character and might result fatally unless tho greatest . care was exercised. By regularity i» hqiirs, strict care in diet, and judicious indulgence in exercise Mr Seddon was able to take his placo when Parliament was opened and to'^ remain in it throughout the session, and it is a matter of satiafaction that to-day he is to ed\ outward appearances a healthy man with fliany years of j active work bef org him. That he believpg this himself his public utterances show, thpugh it ig'kqown that] the malady from which hp suffers! may assort itself at any tim,e a#(J compel him to relinquish the toil aiid excitement of active politico. With the feeling that our readers, whatever their polities may be, will join with us, wo express tho hope that continued care will.. preserve" T?I? Fro*., mlejr.'s health for many 1 :,s ears to come. J3# i^ now in his sixtieth year, but a pplitloian at 60 is not pld as things n ( ow go -.' Consider for instance,, the ."cage " of Mr Chamberlain; , -.:"■■■ : y^-y-A

When Parliament opened public in-, terest centred inainiy in the licensing and land questions. Tha decision of the Privy Council in May.rpversed the judgment of the New. Zealand courts and . upset . the local option polls in Bruce and,-' Newtown, where prohibition had been, carried -in 1902. It was realised oil all £ides ' 1 hat", owing to imperfections and orni &-: sions in .thei N.Z. licensing. A,cts, a miscarriage of justice; pf th«ig*vssost kind had been made possible. Amending legislation yto prevent a repetition pfi the .'occurrence was imperatively >*eq,uir#i, but i^ was understood that th£! ■■: Goyprgment- would go farther and introduced mea#tijp of a general;^ (AaracteV.r doveringi tl)e

whole question of the regulation of the sale -of liquor. Such u measure was introduced. but ah uHi.mitoly passed it effected littlo. ft uoutained a, number of amendments ihat will perhaps makei for the better supervision and control of the traffic, but which, as recent telegrams have shown, have perplexed tho magistrates, and opened up fresh law points of extreme difficulty. Tho vital parts of the measure aro tlroso provisions which are intended to prevent, a repetition of the scandalous, defeat of the will of lho people that occurred in the case of Bruce and Newtown. Hereafter, should the first local option poll be declared void on any ground, a second poll will be taken, and it will not be possible for tho hotels to carry on their business after a large majority of tho electors have declared themselves in favour of refusing any licenses whatsoever for the s.ile of alcoholic liquor.

The land question contained more potentialities of danger to Mr Seddon and his Ministry than any measure that had been introduced during liisa term of office. The country party in the House, .numerically, powerful, strongly favoured the freehold, and mado no secret of its determination to maintain that, system of tenure even if it should be necessary to over-ride party claims. Mr Seddon foresaw that if a clear-cut issue as between freehold -tnd leasehold were put to tho House his following would be threatened with disintegration, and ho adroitly averted the danger by carrying a motion referring the question to a Royal Commission. The work of tho Commission will cover tho whole scope of the land laws and land settlement of the colony, and it may be taken for granted that by "the time its report is ready a new Parliament will bo sitting in Wellington.

One of the most, interesting political events of tho year was the creation of a High Commissioner-ship in London. This was supposed to he nn improvement on the Agency-General. Speculation ran high as; to who the first High Commissioner would be, and the belief was widely held, and not without reason, that the position was intended for Mr Seddon himself. We have not tho slightest doubt that had Mr Seddon's illness run the course it was expected to take he would have .been High Commissioner in London at the present time. But knowing his love of power and tho enjoyment he < derives from " the sweets of office," we are not surprised that he should ftill be in the colony. So long as health permits he will hold the Premiership and enjoy the publicity, the patronage and the power that attaches to the foremost position in Lhe colony. But- should he be compelled to spend his latter years in comparative ease and retirement, we shall bo very much surprised if he does not vetire to tho well-paid and attractive,position of the colony's representative in London. These things, however, to borrow a phrase from ono of the Premier's recent statements, nro still in the womb of the future.

Commercially. New Zealand has perhaps enjoyed less prosperity than in 1903. At any rate, the spending power of the people has been seriously restricted by the marked scarcity of ready money. As the year closes the money market iB distinctly " tight," thanks to the heavy . borrowing within ' the colony by ' the Government, by municipal corporations, and other local bodies. Government loans for one purpose or another and the loans <of local bodies for tramways, harbour improvements and municipal undertakings of various kinds have undoubtedly diverted immense sums of money from the ordinary channels of trade. Indeed, the absorption of .money by local borrowing- was becoming so serious a matter that the Government felt it incumbent upon t hem to try the London market. During 1903 this market had been practically closed to the colonies, the financial recklessness and commercial insecurity of the Commonwealth having caused a general fall in colonial credit. The extravagant borrowing of the colonies was severely criticised at Home, and New Zealand, being a chief sinner. necessarily suffered with the others, though her resources had not been crippled to the samo extent by a disastrous drought. However, tho Government realised that it would bo well for them to appear just as seldom as possible in tiie character of borrowers on the London market, and, when they had to appear, to ask just- as small a sum as they could carry on with. It followed naturally that, in his last Budget, the Colonial Treasurer talked vehemently and volubly about the necessity for " going slow " ond the virtues of economy, and declared righteously that so long as ho was Premier the colony would never borrow again so extravagantly as it had borrowed in the past. Consequently, the Public Works cxppnditure was reduced, but, unfortunately, so far as the expenses of Government were concerned, the Cabinet seemed incapable of applying the principles of economy it professed to admire so ,:gre&]tly. The retrenchment in the 'Public Works expenditure caused widespread dissatisfaction, and in not a few cases genuine hardship, and contrasted In an ugly light with the Departmental expenditure. The tightness of money necessitated a recourse to the London market for the moneys required for the year, and as the result <of careful enquiry, the agents of the colony placed£l,ooo,ooo on the market early in December. Tho terms wore 4 per cent, interest, with a seven years' currency and the option of converting at the end of that time* into 3^ per cents, at 108, and after two years into the samo stock at 101. The loan was taken up at par, and though it still remains to be ascertained how much tho colony will receive for each £100 bond, there is much in tho notation on which tho Government may be congratulated. The monoy market is distinctly unfavourable and so much success as has been gained could hardly have been expected. Tho terms, though very different from what this colony would have commanded a few short years ago, compare more than favourably with thosei accorded to other colonies, and by removing the pressuro upon local resources tho dotation should have the effect of easing the tightness of vhich business people have recently had reasen to complain. Taking the eondition of the colony generally, there is no reason to feel disquietude as to the future. In some branches, the rural industries have received a sot back, and their exports Jvave diminished. But the market for wool is uow inoro favourable than it has heen for' many years, and whatever shrinkage there may be jja, t\\e returns to the <?olppy from dairy produce and frozen mutton wil} be ipore than compensated by the increase from wool, The industries and mercantile enterprises of the colony are on a sound' footing and while a temporary dullness may necosjjltato the exercise of caro and ecouOl^' -..Wl tvro justified In saying that no serious rjdwprea.d depres- j sion need be. anticipated, . I

On page four; of this issue 1 , under various headings, will be found th© other chapters" in the stor7 of 300+. The year, which has now only a f«\v hours to run, has beea darkened by i the. war cloud in 1 the Par East. Tho tragedy of tfiat terrible conflict;- has crimsoned the pages of the. year's record, and saddened the story thtt we have so briefly told, Our orn Empire, too, has been brought perilously close to war* and lias only avoided that calamity by tho eJtiTcise of humane forbearance and consummate, tact. At the same time, Britain has mivihtalned her dignity, honour 7 and prestige, and she still holds her position in the front of the world. As jiart of a great' nation, | then,: we have much to be thankful | for, and as a colony .we have to ] poK ! back unon a year Qf steady progi ess, |

while the year on whose threshliold we now stand promises an even fuller measure of prosperity. At this time wo can only hope tliat btforo 1905 has been added to h' si ory | Peace will again be seated on the j Throne, and it is in this spirit that, j iwe wish our rea.ders, in the best' sense of the phrase, A HAPPY NEW YEAR.