The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men. Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. SATURDAY, SEPT. 29, 1888.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2531, 29 September 1888, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men. Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. SATURDAY, SEPT. 29, 1888.

Tun miscarriage of thu Great Public Works Schenii! is a painful matter of history ; that is, so far as it has fuliiili:(l tho predictions with which it was inaugurated in creating a prosperous and contented people. Tlio colony Ins become great in that it lias attained a doubt till position of being amongst tin; most heavily taxed countries of tin* world, with a national debt that fills nil strangers with amazement. In respect to these extraordinary results the colony did indeed make progress by " leaps and bounds." Tho public works expenditure carried on for so long n, period has left us a network of railways, it is true ; but with them is linked a profound sense of dissatisfaction throughout the country. It would not, perhaps be too much to say that the railways of .Now Zealand are a failure, They have failed to effect

tin; r(iijui;\'iiit'iitM for which they wi'iv origin illy clfsigne;! when the Public Works jjolicy w.-is introfliifi,.l. Tiiis is coiii.-lusiwly shown l.y Dr. Liiishli.T in his nrliclc (No. \ T —The Main Issues) in which ho roininils us th.it •' the main object of the policy inauijuriitcd liy the finini;/r<iti<»i. iiml I'llliltc Works Ait, li-70 ("nil Act to pro-%-iile for immigration and tlio Gonstruction of Railways and <iihei- publ'c woi'lis, ami In jiromoto si'itleinenl;, that is, to populate tlio colony liv immigration, and, pun jiit/wi, o/iim it u)> for si'Ulvmmit by moans of faihvays." Tlio spirit of the policy was conceived on right economic principles Tim first place was o'iven to the encouragement of immigration by which population — the material absolutely essential fur the building up of a nation — would be provided and constantly supplied. iSext came provision for a system of public works, which, if wisely carried out, was to absorb the importation of labour as the people entered tlio colony, and railways would bo built in such ft manner as would carry the influx of population into the country where, thirdly, the true aim of the policy would be reached, the permanent occupation of the waste lands of the colony by a steady stream of liona β-dn settlers. ImmeiiKO sums of money were borrowed, pledging the credit of tlio colony, having for their ostensible purpose the carrying into ed'oct these throe main objects. But, as Dv. Laishley very truly declares, these objects " have been defeated by the virtual stoppage of immigration." The spirit of the Act of 1870 w.,s very soon set aside by a Legislature completely demoralised by the " accursed love of gold " which the borrowed millions had rousfd in it; and had also hopelessly corrupted | the administration of the colony, ' driving political honesty and purity away from its doors. Immigration—the corner-stone of the whole structure —-was terminated in order to satisfy the demands of the working classes, who had in the meantime obtained the balance of political power by manhood suffrage, and who were the iirst to feel the turn in the tide produced by the nonadhesion to the third principle of the policy, the settlement of the lands. Also in obedience to the clamour of the masses, who were selfish in their desires, the process of borrowing was continued and became perennial in order to be wasted on works for which the country was not prepared, and which were far too premature, to be reproductive. "In other words," says Dv. Laishley, "the only circumstance under which the huge loan policy might have been justified a>. all, tint oil directly promoting iiumigrn.tion and settlement, and thereby fostering wealth-produc-tion, by supplying capital, labour and transit facilities, has been t'ifi very circumstance which lias for years past been persistently, and ",-vidoiitly designedly, neglected. Such an infatuation is not only an ignoring of the very basis—immigration and promotion of settlement —upon which the whole policy of the huge loan expenditure was launched in IS7O, and upon which alone it could be justilied (if it could be justilied at all), but dishonest madness." At no time has real settlement of the land been promoted ; there, have never . been liberal laws or system enacted by which people, either within the colony or coming from without, could go into the country, occupy the soil profitably, and prosper. It is very recently indeed that there has been any approach to liberality towards encouraging the growth of a yeomanry class; and that was made by Mr I.allance after the follies of previous years hud raised social problems in the shape of ''• unemployed " classes nnd pauperism in our over-grown cities, such as threaten the peace and well-being of the colony. The direct benefit of the lavish prosecution of the public works policy was concentrated in the chief towns of the colony, which swelled in population and attracted to themselves those whose numbers should have been diverted to the rural districts. And the fictitious valises created by the borrowing mania enriched the cities, whilst the prices of agricultural lands have reached a prohibitive stage, and impoverish the country. The prosecution of public \v>orks has now come to an end, but we are by no means assured that the borrowing and only remaining part of the policy has ceased. We have, therefore, neither immigration, promotion of settlement, or Public Works : bub we have possible further borrowing for payment of revenue deficiencies and interest, unprofitable railways, an enormous debt, intolerable taxation, and an exodus of a disheartened, disgusted, people. It would be wise, even at this late hour, to go back to the main principles of the original plan, resume immigration and run our railways solely for the purpose of promoting the settlement of the country, throwing open our waste lands free to the people in suitable areas. Wo shall then obtain what we should never have lost, unlimited increase of private capital and wealth-producing labour. It is with us now, as J.)r. Laishley says, " we are not only left with the burdens without the backs which should bo here to bear them, but in a condition unfavourable for tlm production of wealth, by lack of labour available at such a price as would, whilst paying the employer to produce, work no hardship on the employed. So that the immense interest on the terrible debt that has been incurred has to be paid without a corresponding income available from produce, which income we might, of course, have reasonably expected from wealthproduction—the result of immigration and settlement —if the 1870 policy had been persistently and faithfully pursued iu its entirety."

The Hamilton and BTgaruawahia I cteauiaiies commence operations on Monday. Members of the Hamilton Choral Society will meet f<.r practice on Monday tiifjlit 'next week insteu., , of Wednesday, at the usual time and place. Guard J- Smith and Porter C. (iilkinson of the Waikat.o Railway Service, have received notices of dismissal tor damage d<mo to a box of butter at I'ukckohe. A good demand for cattls still appears to exist, as wo are informed that Mr McXicol has disposed privately of the 1,000 head he notified a few days ago, as being on hand. Four men, including the second mate, of the s.s. Xaliu. were drowned at Cape Tuinagain, near Napier, by the capsizing of a boat iu which they were landing cargo. A boy met with a painful accident yesterday at Mr Bnyce's bi-cuit factory, 'Cambridge, by getting hin hand in the machinery, which took the end off one of his fingers. We are asked to call the attention of buihiois to the fact that the time for receiving tenders fur the building of Mr J. McNicol's house at Ohaupo closes on Wednesday next. Sir John Hall, at Leeston, said he approves «f the modilied Hare system of election, and is in favour of extending the franchise to women, against which he could find no just argument. It may be interesting to farmsrs to know that kerosene is an excellent remedy f< r cattle poisoned by eating tutu or blown from clover. Half a bottle poured down the animal's throat will give immediate relief. A private letter from a gentleman in Canterbury to a friend in Waikaio, states that a private shipment of frozen meat returned in net c.ish to the shipper in Ciiristchurch over £',) Us each for bullocks, and £1 for sheep. Tnc Governor stated before the Wellington Acclimatisation S-ciety thiit his term of ollice would expire iu a fmv months, and he would then probably leave the colonv. He said ho would regret to leave New Zealand. A meeting of the representatives of the Waikato and Waipa Cricket Clubs will be held in TllK Waikato Xi.mks buddings Hamilton, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, ments for the. forUicoming mutches. Jvich club is entitled to .send two delegates. The Tcilue of Mr Canneli's Waipa lime is making itself widely known, e.-peciilly so as a forlili.-cr, through tl.c agency of Mr .1. Parr, who is anxious to push it deserving local industry. Mr Canncll has reduced the price t<. fanners to £2 per t<lll, which is n very low figure and should enhance the demand considerably. Mr run , has the lime now for sale. We are glad to hear that the natives at the Bhumose settlement, Wbatawhata, have recovered from the typhoid fever which attacked so many of them recently. A native from there was in Hamilton on Thursdny, and stated that only one death had taken place since Dr. Mureh visited the snlterers, nnd that was of a young girl named Ngaiuoii. whoso case was a severe one. Who died on Monday last of inflammation nf the lungs after an attack of fever. All the others are progressing satisfactorily. Tne traffic returns of the New Zealand railways for the four weeks oiiding lStli August, 1888, and the corresponding period of last year, cive the following results for the Auckland section :—l'.is-en-gors. 20,203 and 23,370 respectively: parcels,' drays and live stock, 7,527 and 7,oli\S ; merchandise, &c, 10,017, against 11,423 tons, and the revenue £7,5005s Sd, against tS,S7.S 2s 3d, a decrease of £1,377 Ui.-i 'Id. The total revenue for the colony during that period was £(i 2,757, against £ijS,sl,'!, n decrease of £5,73:3 : or for the year to date, £373,1152, against £39-1,-11)0 last year, a decrease of £21,208. The Calcutta correspondent of the "Pioneer," a piper published at Allahabad, in the N.W. piovinees says : — Before leaving the subject 1 may obserio that a b.itch of New Zealand Imisos has been recently landed and areuow at Garden ll'.ach. It is said "lily a certain proportion are intended for Government use, and, if so, piucinissrs who aroon the. lo:.k-ont for something 'green,' and enjoy the process known as ll mating" ahorse, should Innu a good time before them. Seriously, they area lino lot, one or two being part.ienhuly promising creatures. The new Zealand trade bids fair, indeed, from all one hears, to become a regular and established one. Mr J- McNicol's sale at Mr Clement's farm at Tauwhare on Wednesday was one of the best attended that has been held in Waikato, notwithstanding the weather. Tho prices reali.-ed were most satisfactory throughout, with tho exception of tho draught horses, which averaged be low their values. The following are amongst the lots sold with amounts obtained :-l\ i!\ ploughs, from £10 to £14 ; single V. do., up to £15; -lii cows, from 30s to £4 10s ; six steers, £3 each ; 10 heifers, 27s lid each ; three d<.., 29s each ; nine do., 27s each: 10 do., 31.s each; 10 do., 30s each. Merino ewes brought 7s 9d, and longn-ools lls 3.1. 37 draught horses fetched from £6 10s to £10, and hacks from £2 2s Ud to £14. At the half-yeariy meeting of the Colonial lj.mk, held in Dmiedin on Wednesday last, the chairman, Hon. G. Maclean, in |,resenting the report and balance sheet stated th.it a dividend of 7 per c..-nt. per annum on the paid-up capital would he declared. He spoke choeringly of the future of the colony, and .-aid tho time would not bo long before they had their departed population faster than they went away. Let them take tho rise in the price of wool, frozen mutton, and wheat, while they had the mining industry looming well, and" the coal industry being largely developed—these advances in tho value of the country pioduco meant an inflow of at least a million of money, and the result of that inflow must decidedly improve the affairs of the country and of the bank. With reference to the complaints of ill-usage of cattle by the railway authorities whilst in transit on tho lines, the District Manager forwards the following letter for publication :—" Sir, I am directed by the General Manager of New Zealand Railways to inform you that the damage in injury to cattle is mainly done, by the, owners and drovers in loading, and that it is not possible to avoid cattle getting slight bruises in transit if they are. at all uneasy. It is necessary after a railway journey to paddock fat stock to give the cattle time, to recover before slaughtering. In mi part of the world are cattle cariied in padded trucks. Will you kindly call the attention of your readers to this by means of a local.—lam, etc., C Hudson, -District Tradic Manager.

The Hamilton s.ileyards on Thursday were, well filled with stock, and horses wero also numerous. Several well-known entires wero present. There was a largo attendance of fanners, but cattle did not appear to sell up to late value. Horsebreeders spoak very assuringly of the prospects of the market for good hoiso stock, and increasing interest is manifested in the raising of a better class of animals. There eoeui;; to be a tendency, however, to confine attention principally to breeding blood animals, to the ncftlect'of heavy classes. This ii a mistake, as will be, proved in course of time, when it is found that, draught stock has become scarce, and will bo in heavy demand. Farmers should continue breeding the latter class judiciously and in iair proportions as. well as light harness and tiding horses.