The Wanganui Herald. (PUBLISHED DAILY) THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1888. CROAKING.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 6654, 1 November 1888, Page 2

The Wanganui Herald. (PUBLISHED DAILY) THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1888.

CROAKING.

In giving an account to an interviewer in Dunedin of his impressions received during his visit to Melbourne, Sir Robert Stout observed, in reply to the question if there was any probability of the boom extending to New Zealand: "As I have before mentioned, the same circumstances do not exist here, but no doubt with the increase in the value of our products, and ■with more hope on the part of the people— for that is an absolute necessity — we shall also in the future have our good times. There is a passage in Froude's 'The English in the West Indies,' which I read on my voyage, that every New Zealander ought to ponder over ; it is a passage »n which reference is made to the necessity, if a country is to succeed, for its people to tnke a cheerful view of things. Hero is the quotation: 'One more observation this American gentleman made to me. He was speaking of the want of spirit and of the despondency of the West Indian whites. ' I never knew, sir,' he said, ' any good come of desponding men. I If you intend to strike a mark, you ] had better believe that you can strike it. No one ever hit anything if he thought that he was most likely to miss it. You must take a cheerful view of things, or you will have no auccess in this world.' ' Tyne heart, tyne a, the Scotch proverb says. The Anglo-West Indies are tyning in heart, and that iB the worst feature about them.' Progress is impossible without this hope. With the rise in the valun of our products, and hope on the part of the people, and more enterprise, I have no doubt we may experience prosperity also, though not to tho same extent as Melbourne. I do not think we in New Zealand can expect to be able to make such rapid fortunes as are made in Melbourne ; we must be content to go slower." This is indeed most applicable to the condition of New Zealand for quite ten years now. The spiiit of croaking, which has taken possession of so many of our people began, we believe, in the despair, or affected despair of Sir Harry Atkinson, who, after encouraging Sir Julius Vogol in his policy, took up the opposite and preaohed low diet and absolute "rest." Those who had looked to borrowing as the salvation of the colony, found out that after all it left them no better, and in many respect much worse, off than it had found tbera. The reaction became violent, and when the price of land went down, those who had expected things to remain "fluid," sought safety in a kind of total abstinence from all enterprise. Sir Harry Atkinßon has no other policy than political rest, which ho is illustrating by sending a batch of his colleagues to Melbourne to see the Exhibition and attend the races, while the Minister of Lands remains to bluff the obtrusive persons who ask him to provide them with land for settlement. Leaving the Government to its own devices, what the peopta want most at the present juncture is confidence in themselves and the colony. There are many outlets for enterprise which may be seized by the enterprising. Tho croaker should 'not be even tolerated, in whatever guise he may appear. Sometimes he poses as the practical individual who shakes his head at every proposal out of the hum-drum groove, gaining a reputation for wisdom by the boorishness of his looks. The difficulty is to know how to dispose of them when they assemble together in numbers. It Is the author of " Erewhon," we think, who suggests an asylum for bores, where they could bore each other. A similar institution might be provided for croakers, where they could all croak among themselves. The harmony would be delightful to find Croaker No. 1 exclaiming that the colony was going to the dogs, to be echoed by Croaker No 2, that it was crushed by taxation, and Croaker No. 3 that nothing would save it from repudiation ! The panic seems to have deprived people of their senses and of thoir courage. We suppose most panics have the same effeot. We remember at the time of the Russian scare in the beginning of 1885, when people talked of sending away their removables to the interior or to another colony, and clamoured incessantly for the organisation of defences. The papers were all Bhouting in the same direction. This panic, however, was soon over, to be followed by a reaction, when the same brave people and their papers vehemently condemned the defences they had cried out for, as waste und extravagance. Tho misfortune is that this colony is becoming distinguished by fickleness and a tendency to rush violently from one extreme to anothor, Its eager haute to take up a paper policy of publio works in 1870 was not moro indectint nnd foolish than its haste to abandon every colonising function in 1888. It was buoyant enough certainly in tho early days of inflation; to be followed by the abandonment of all hope. The proverb has not been applicable— ln prosperity temperance ; in adversity fortitude. The two virtues the people require to cultivate most are love of country and belief in themselves. If they will only make up their minds to send the croakers to Coventry, the atmosphere will not be so heavy, and there will bo a general feeling of improvement. The first sign of a change will be the belief generally expressed that we have all the elements of a great country, and that well-regulated enterprise will place us onco more on our feet.