NEW ZEALAND'S PROSPERITY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2902, 18 February 1893, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND'S PROSPERITY

The Government Gazette is never lively reading, and the columns of figures in a tabulated statement are reading the opposite of lively, unless they happen to be, perhaps, the figures showing a substantial profit coming to the reader. In the, latter case it would be easy to conceive some pleasure he would have in running his eye down the columns, The columns of figures published by the Gazette from time are not lively reading, but they are sometimes interesting, especially so when they indicate increased prosperity of the Colony. A recent Gazette gives the returns of railway revenue, and these returns are of a very satisfactory character, all the more so is such the case while most |of the sister colonies are wrestling with eoinwierijial depression, and in the toils of financial trouble.. While thesfl untoward conditions obtain across the water, our Colony is steadily forging ahead, and is the soundest of the whole. While population is streaming into the Colony, and work is fairly plentiful and business sound, it is satisfactory to glean the additional good news of a substantial increase in the railway traffic of the Colony, and a consequent addition fco the earnings of the lines. The returns show that the expectations of the Commissioners as to revenue have been more than fulfilled, and that for the nine months ending January 7, there has been a substantial incrfls*«a under all the heads of traffic. An increas^ ia passenger traffic to the extent of eight • per cent has taken place pn the tr&ftw

i of the corresponding previous period, | and in goods traffic the increase for the' same term has been very marked. The | improvement all round has brought an extra £60,000 to the coffers of the' I railways, aud the Commissioners feel I certain that their estimate will be very largely increased. The sea going trade of the colony is also healthy, although the increase is only in imports, which are £400,000 better than the twelve months before. There is a slight decrease in exports, but not a notable one, while the fact is gratifying that in twelve months the purchasing power of the colony should havf stretched out by so large an extra as £400,000. The figures certainly mdi cate a pleasing condition of prosperity, and rapid progress bfing made Give i an absence of the unexpected accidents which occur some times, as in the case of Queensland for instance, and arc beyond human control, there should be a bright future before New Zealand.