OUR LONDON LETTER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7213, 26 September 1901, Page 1

OUR LONDON LETTER.

♦ ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. THE "BUST AND BORROW" CABLE. JtfEW ZEALAND TOURISTS STRANGELY SILENT. COMMENTS OF THE SCOTTISH CASSANDRAS. [From Our Correspondent.] LONDON, August 16: There are an exceptional number of New Zealand business men, of every shade of political colour, in Great Britain at the. present time. If they have the welfare of their colony at heart they ought to be prompt- to refute any baseless reports as to the credit or condition of their -native land. The Agent-General is the mc-uth-piece of the Government-, and his reply made to charges made against the Government or its policy is considered to some extent to be the statement of the accused persop or of his advocate. It is part of an Agent-General's duty to put the best face en the conditions of his colony, that is consistent with veracity. The "Bust and Borrow" cablegram of the "Times" Wellington correspondent has been* copied by all the provincial papers, and commented on as if it were *-gospe-l truth. The •statements that the Treasury is depleted and business paralysed, appearing as they did in tihe "Times," are accepted by the man in the street with the same confidence as he would take a Bank of England note. These statements, appearing with the "Times" imprimatur on them in almost every journal in the kingdom, cannot fail to do the colony considerable damage. Yet, with the exception of the Agent-General's official statement, which I sent you last week, no New Zealander has put pen to paper to contradict the canard. A wellknown merchant, just arrived, described to me business as "humming" when he left, so the Report, like that of Mark Twain's death, must at least 'be "grossly exag- j gerated." „ - i New Zealanders have shown that they are ready to die for their country; surely, even when- on pleasure bent, they might show themselves willing to write a plain, unvarnished tale in defence of it. The very fact -that^s© many New. Zealander**?; cf all cluSsfes : of society are ' able to .take a tour to Europe shows that the colony cannot be in such a bad way. But all the travellers; so far, have allowed the report of the bankruptcy of their country to go uncontradicted. . Here are some samples of Scottish comments-: — The "Scotsman" is not surprised, for it says: — "Years ago it was foreseen by cool-headed men in New Zealand that the policy adopted! by the Government of Mr Seddon, and represented in London by the Agent-General, Air Reeves, must bring the colony to a standstill in a financial' sense. Mr J&ddon's Government has boasted* itself to be in advance of ail other Governments of British nationality in tho world. This assertion has been made on the ground of many Socialistic experiments which the Government has instituted." The conciliation law " virtually hands over the industries of New Zealand to the tender mercies of the trade union leaders." The loans have been extravagantly expended om public works, which, by -the employment ' of the unemployed,, cost double what they •ought to have cost. Ministers bought the Labour vote by the lavish distribution of the loans. Such a system could have but one ending," and if the telegram 1 in. the "Times " is correct that ending is. net- far faway.^.The legislation . and.. -policy of -the New Zealand Government have been of the most undesirable character. It has been Mr Seddon's policy to let every faddist carry his mea-sure. Thus; in one session a Bill would be carried to effect a particular, purpose, and in the next session another Bill' would be passed repealing or amending the first Bill. .. Tbe Government of - New Zealand has for gome years past been of the character that the Socialists of tbis country admire, and it is inflicting injury upon tbe country. It may be hoped that means will be found for bringing about a change in the government of New Zealand. Instead cf seeking to develop the mineral resources and aid agriculture, the great idea of the Governmentrhas been to punish those who are called and to penalise all the landowners. The effect has -been, and is, most mischievous." The "Glasgow Herald" says that the triumphant Democracy has gone too fast and too. far. The Government, in its old age pension scheme, has bitten off more than it can chew. But probably more serious harm lias been done by th-e labour Act, in reality an Act for the enforcement of trade unionism by the arm of -the State, which has multiplied, not lessened, the number of trade disputes in the colony. New Zealand has, in short, -> shown the world not what to imitate, but what to avoid. The "Aberdeen Free Press" says that tho Premier's misgivings will be borne in upon increasing numbers of those who havebeen led. astray by the plausible demagogue of the popular politician. He and the Labourist Legislature of New Zealand have gone too far, and Mother Carey's chickens are coming home to roost. No Conciliation Board and no legislative enactment can put employers in funds with which to pay the wages. The colonies and their Legislatures have been laid hold of by the Labourists, with results highly prejudicial to. th© public prosperity and the progress of the seve-. rai States of the Commonwealth, as well as of New Zealand. CONSUMPTION ON SHIPBOARD. Since the Tuberculosis Conference, and Dr Koch's remarks on spitting, there has been much discussion as to the prevention of this dangerous practice. "D.0." calls attention in the "Times'* to the danger that results from the freedom of travel allowed to consumptives. At Auckland there boarded the steamer, bound for San Francisco, on which "D.0." was a traveller, a man to all appearance in the very last stage of consumption. Until he left the ship at Samoa he either, sat in the social •hall, or lay huddled up on one of the saloon settees, clearing his throat and expectorating on tlie floor, appallingly and unrestrained. "Who shared bis room with him (the ship was full) I forget," says " D.0." ; " who may have contracted his fatal disease I do not know. Bufc this I do know :. that df such cases cannot be excluded from passenger ships, the ship's surgeon and the captain should isolate them from the other passengers, and from the general passenger, space, immediately on identification. And this should be publicly known to be their duty. I remember reading 'in New Zealand some proposed legislation for the exclusion of consumptives, who may frequently be met travelling in search of recovery in that part of the world. It is the freedom of travel accorded to such unfortunate people which calls for such proposals at all." "D.0." has called attention 'to a necessary reform in shipboard life. PERSONAL AND GENERAL. Mr and Mrs James Baker (of Baker Bros., Auckland and Curistchurch), who were passengers by the White Star Line, have, since their arrival, been seeing the sights of London, and have spent a couple of days at CHiiterbur-y, and another at Margate. Mr Baker is considerably improved in health by the voyage. The Glasgow Exhibition and Edinburgh will soon be visited, and then Paris and Rome, and some of the intervening beauty spots. Pos-