The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas Et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1886. THE CURE FOR THE DEPRESSION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1366, 9 October 1886, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas Et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1886. THE CURE FOR THE DEPRESSION

In view of the depression from which the Colony has so lons been suffering it is of Interest to note the opinions of our public men as to the best means to be taken to find a remedy and to secure to New Zealand a fresh era of prosperity and progress. Mr Bracken, In the course of his speech to the electors of Danedin Central, has addressed himself to this subject, and delivers himself very soundly and sensibly there-ancnt. He is a protectionist but “claimed to be a reasonable one. Of course he would not seek to proteot things that could not be produced or manufactured here. No one but a madman would think of that ; but whatever could be manufactured here successfully he would go in o protect " He argned that the fact that Victoria although much less in ares that New South Wales, and fifty years younger than the sister colony was yet far ahead of her in population and prosperity was a proof that her policy was a sounder one Bra young country than that of New South Wales, and while admitting that the goldfields gave the first impetus to Victorian progress, said protectionists “ were able upon undoubted authority to prove that Wera It not for the support given to the mining Industry by the manufacturers in the towns of Victoria, the goldfields of Victoria would have been closed long ago.” Mr Bracken then appealed to the citizens of Danedin to study ‘heir own Interests and asked—“ What were the young people who were now growing up to do f How could they be provided with employment unless manufactories were established throughout the land? An enormous amount of money was be ng spent every year in educating the finest race if young people the colonies produced, and was it Intended that these people should be educated and pushed on in the world only to lose them ! Was all this to be done for the benefit of the other colonies I Was New Zealand to lose the flower of its manhood? It lay with the electors to say yea or nay to that question. He wonld ask them to Imagine the impetus trade and industry would receive in this City if there were no furniture, no boots and shoes, no saddlery, no cloth, and no clothing imported here. What a flood of wealth wonld be spreading amongst them If that were the case.” There Is, in oar opinion, no question that a policy of judicious protection of industries and manufactures suitable to the colony is a wise one, and that it Is so is abundantly proved by the success of our Woollen Factories and the benefits which have accrued from their establishment. And we fullv believe that It is possible to do a good deal more in the same direction and, to judge from the applause with which Mr Bracken’s remarks upon this

I subject were greeted, it would appear ' that his views commend themselves to the judgment of the electors. The candidate had also some very sensible things to say with regard to the Other great means of alleviating the depression, viz., the settlement of the land, and not 'i;s settlement only bat its settlement by suitable people, people who have a little capital to work with and who understand how to turn it to profitable account. “He held that New Zealand coaid compete with any country in the world—not only in wheat growing and in fruit-growing, bat in the production ot but'er and .cheese, and in industries of a kindred nature. This was clearly shown by the returns of exports, As to settling the land, he held that unless a man thoroughly understood the science of agriculture, and unless he had the wherewithal—a moderate amount of capital—to work the land to advantage, if he settled on the land he was in his own way and in the way of everybody else, and would do no good to the country. It was a big mistake to put men on (he land who did not know bow to work it. They bad at the present time in New Zealand 34,000,000 acres of Grown lands, 10,000,0( oof which was forest land. In Otago there was about 10,000,000 acres of laud unsold, of which 2,000,000 acres was fit for agricultural purposes. The plan he would suggest for settling the land was this : he would suggest to the Government to nominate three experts—three thoroughly practical farmers—men, for instance, like Messrs Donald Reid, James Shand, and John Reid (of Elderslie) The land shonld be surveyed into blocks, say of from 100 to 1,000 acres, and three practical farmers should report upon It, on all particulars—rainfall, quality of soil, nature of climate, and description of country. He would then have maps and plans and specifications, with all the necessary information, sent Home and the land placed on the Home market, and sold for a mere song to the right class of farmers. He believed if this information were scattered broadcast among the farmers of the United Kingdom they would get any number of young, strong, willing, and educated men—men educated in agriculture, for that was an important branch of education—to come ont and throw in their lot with them.” Thete are the words of a man who evidently has thought much on the question and the result of whose thinking has been the attainment cf sound and practical conclusions, and we feel persuaded that if such a policy as Mr Bracken recommends were vigorously proceeded with we should ere long find that the clouds had rolled by and given place to the sunshine of pros parity.