DAILY NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8062, 14 July 1904, Page 2

DAILY NOTES.

The reference to. old! age penoid -4GE sions contained in the Budpbksions. get shows that the system of granting and paying pensions in this colony is "working most satisfactorily. As a. result of "the introduction of a. new method of investigating, there has "been a decided drop in the number 'of new pensions granted, and a decrease in the tota] number of pensioners on the roll. As a -result, the pension list decreased by £6976 'on'' ,the .amount .distributed during the previous year. Moreover, the cost of working the department was reduced, and in all a saving of nearly £10,000 was ef- ; fected. A comparison with the New South Wales' old age pension scheme exhibits the New Zealand system, is a most favourable light. The latter is less costly, and certainly not less effective than the other. Furthermore, the comparison shows that in'

proportion to population the proportion of pensioners is much smaller in New Zealand than it is in the older colony. This may be taken as further proof of the absence of poverty in this country. The growth of the colstamps. ony's stamp revenue affords ample justification for the present Government's , action in reducing the postage rates both for domestic and foreign correspondence. Last year, for the first time in the history of New Zealand, the receipts from this source exceeded one million pounds. They were over £100,000 larger than the receipts for the previous year, and every item except one showed an increase. This growth is particularly, gratifying in view of the fact that New Zealand is now a participator in the universal penny post system. The nature of the impetus given to correspondence by this step may ba gathered from the fact that during the year previous to its being taken fche number of stamps of den&minawons up to 2d issued was 60,257,760, while last vear the number had 1 grown to 69,782,368. But perhaps the most striking tribute to the operations of the Stamp Department lies in the fact that despite the enormous increase of its revenue, the expenditure on it is less by' some £2600 than it was twenty years ago. The committee of the Canthe A. and P. terbury Agricultural afld association- Pastoral Association is still ■' disinclined to undertake a second annual show. At its meeting yesterday it rejected, by ten votes, to eight, ai resolution- in favour of holding an autumn show. Moreover, judging from the tone of certain remarks let fall at the meeting, any proposal to hold; a winter show would find still less support. In view of past events some of these remarks were nob a little amusing. While the Association has been hesitating to hold a winter show the Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association has stepped in and held one. Now we are told that the Canterbury Association must not start a winter show 'because such a course would be unfair to the Ashburtpn people. This objection is about as good as any of the < others that have been raised to the proposal, but, if the committee admits it, ib will ibs laying down ,a rather curious policy for the Association. The tendency of the Association to embark in fresli enterprise's will be still further diminished. ( The entire absence of any forestry, attempt to celebrate Arbor Day in Canterbury is a striking commentary on the efforts which the State is making to restore the fast disappearing forests of the- country. How great these efforts a.re may be gathered from the reference to the subject in the Colonial Treasurer's Budget speech. During the past twelve months no less than 6,644.000 trees have been grown in the State nurseries, which up to date, have produced altogether 18,295,000 trees. Of the former number, 2,451,000 have been planted out, the area which they cover being 1040 acres, while the total number planted out to date is '5,359,000, covering 2489 a.cres. At the present moment there are nearly 10,000,000 trees, in the nurseries, and this number is to be augmented by the- planting of an additional 5,000,000. These are huge figures, and show that, however apathetic fhe public may be, the Government is keenly alive to the necessity of arboriculture on a large scale. /