The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1872.

Evening Star, Issue 2978, 4 September 1872, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1872.

The no confidence motion is still unsettled, and our advices from Wellington do not give any certain indication when it is to be brought to a close. The struggle has been much more protracted and severe than any one at first expected. Whether the result will be worth the waste of time and money it has cost the future only can show. Pretty much the same feelings seem to actuate men outside the House in the formation of their opinions as are expressed by honorable members. Notwithstanding the evidence that the public works in course of construction have conferred immense benefit on the country, hundreds of persons are to be found who raise up to themselves goblins of future evil consequent upon them, and frighten themselves with visions raised by their own imaginations. Point to them the fact that during one of the most severe winters on record not a man who would accept work has been idle, that industries in various forms arc springing up around us, and that trade is sound, they immediately shrug their shoulders, and, with horrified look, ask where all this is to end ? What is to be done when all these public works are completed ? And how are the heavy liabilities to be met ? These, undoubtedly, are somewhat puzzling questions to answer. As the end is in the far future, to which the present is only a tiny step, he would be a bold man who attempted to answer in any other than general terms. Precisely the same questions are put whenever progress is spoken about, although, on broad principles, they are capable of being satisfactorily replied to. We should think the same uncertainty must have perplexed the men who witnessed the first iron shoe put on to a horse’s foot. The venturous shoeing smith would have to endure the ridicule of the scoffers, the anathemas of the hu-

mane, and the scorn of the ignorant and sceptical. Yet the experience of centuries has shewn the idea then ingeniously conceived and daringly executed was not only farsighted, hut humane and economical. It was the adaptation of means to an end. Just so with our public works and immigration scheme. The Ministry found the country heavily burdened with taxation, and they undertook to lighten the load to each taxpayer. There was but one way of doing it, and that was by increasing the number of taxpayers and their ability to pay. But this would have been an impossibility, unless with the introduction of population the means of employment were increased. We suppose the ignorant and sceptical will be ready to say, “ Well, that is goodyon say they propose to lighten the burden of taxation, and instead of that they borrow more money : surely that must lead to heavier taxation.” Now therein is the mistake. The money borrowed for the construction of railways, so far from leading to increase of taxes, will, almost to mathematical certainty, relieve from taxation. The cost of the lines will be so trifling compared with the probable return, that so far from subtracting from the Colonial revenue, in a very few years they will materially aid it. This is as certain as anything can be that is future. It is consonant i with the experience of every country, i young and old ; and unless it can be proved that New Zealand is an exceptional land not subject to the same social and material laws that prevail in other parts of the world, there ' is every right to presume that such will be the case here. Nor would it have been posssible to have insured employment to a large population without them. The best means of communication betsveen the interior of a country and its ports are found to be necessary to insure the largest area for profitable occupation of its inhabitants. Just as machinery multiplies powers of production, do rapid and cheap means of transit facilitate the development of every industry, and the employment of large populations. The limit of profitable occupation is the cost of taking products to a market, and that is very soon reached where there are only metalled roads and eight-horse waggons. And so far as future employment of the people is concerned, when the public works are completed, croakers need not trouble themselves until they can say when and where public works are to stop. W e have begun a railroad system, but no one can say where it will end. Make railways cheaply enough, and the numberless radiations and the variety of industries that must follow in their wake will give employment to tens of thousands of taxpayers, so that in the end our war taxes will almost be forgotten or unfelt. We have heard so much croaking lately from those who should know better, that we commend these considerations to their examination—not their cavil. One word more :we have merely stated the principles on which the Public Works and Immigration scheme is founded. We are not canvassing the question whether they have or have not been carried out in the best possible way; although we are quite persuaded that quite as much care has been taken, and probably much more, than if their construction had been remitted to other hands.