The "Capitalist's" Calumnies.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4772, 12 October 1893, Page 1

The "Capitalist's" Calumnies.

c ' ■■ ■ ••— (Lyttelton Times.) '»,. That section of the English Pres.t ' which delights ia maligning the Government of this . Colony will always, we have no doubt, find, some- i_ thing in our condition to critiqse " and "condemn. It; ia evident, however, that the enemies of the Liberal Ministry are sorely perplexed by the continued success o£ its adniinistra- ' tion. They prophesied an altogether different result, and now they are casting about in sheer desperation , to find something to justify their gloomy predictions of two ,or three years, ago. They are not t very particular about their facts, but , what they lack in accuracy they make up in audacity. Our London correspondent has "supplied this morning a very good example of their style of criticism. The Capiialist t an investors' journal published in the great metropolis, coolly toldila headers the ' other day that " some confirmatory evidence of the substantial character , of the assertion that New Zealand is getting in difficulties by reason o£ the efforts to elevate labour, may bo found in the statistical returns, which Bhow a falling-off of 51,000 acres in the area under cultivation.'.' If this were true, it would of course exactly suit tho purposes of , the gentlemen who wish to discredit the policy of the present Government ; but, fortunately for New Zealand andunfortunately jfor the reputation, of the author, it dpes not. contain tho smallest shfed of truth; The fact ia that during tho year referred to by the Capitalist— from, the autumn of 1892 to the autumn of 1893— the land under cultivation in the Colony, instead of de- , creasing by 51,000 acres, actually increased by no less than 821,879 acres. There was, it is true, ' a decrease in the area devoted to cereals and root crops ; a decrease, to be' precise, of 51,444 acres ; but this was the very -natural result of the low prices prevailing for wheat and potatoes. When wheatgrowing becomes unprofitable the farmers must perforce turn their attention to something else. The New Zealand farmers have readily adapted themselves to this necessity, and have abandoned grain in favour of sheep. This is the clear and per- ' f ectly well-understood explanation of the figures which our London critic has tried to turn into evidence against the progressive „_ policy of the Government. If it had been honest about the matter it would have stated the facts as wo have recited them, and would ' feave added that, while the area under cultivation extended with this remarkable rapidity, the cumber of holdings incrcaspd during the year r- "by reason," we may now fairly contend, "of the efforts to elevate labour " — from 41,224 to 42,768. But that would have revealed just what the . Capitalist and mauy of its contemporaries ar» auxious to conceal.