THE NEW ZEALAND CABLE.

Evening Star, Issue 3820, 22 May 1875, Page 3

THE NEW ZEALAND CABLE.

To the Editor.

Sib,— The meeting of citizens on Monday night in reference to the Princes street widening. wan an indication of how direct taxation makes people take an interest in public matters. Were the cost widening to come upon the ratepayers indirectly—say, through the machinery of the Customs, it would have been impossible to fcet such a meeting as there was. At the present time there is another similar matter going on affecting the community, as a whole, but in which very few persons take any interest. simply because they have to pay for it by indirect t -xation—that is, the contract said to be entered into to connect Wellington with Singapore at a cost of about one million sterling. The cable has been at work for years to (lobart Town, and to connect the south-west c ast of Otago with it would only cost about one-fourth _of a cable to Singapore, besides being infinitely safer as far as can at present be judged ; whilst the cable to Singapore will have to pass through innumerable reefs and other dangers—in fact, the million sterling expended on it will bo nearly all thrown into the sea both figuratively and literally. The distance from Hobart Town to Resolution Island, on the south-west coast, and to which it',is now proposed to extend our local system, is only about one-fourth that from Wellington to Singapore.

This matter is of so much importance to the community in the shu]>e of future taxation, &c., that it is a matter of amazement to me that the public do not interest themselves in it, and I can only account for the apathy by indirect taxation.

As a of fact I do not see why we should not wait for some years yet before a cable is laid. The benefits to be derived from it are not of such great importance to the whole community, whilst other things are more needed ; besides, our financial position is such that I think we ought at once to curtail all peec less expenditure. The Colony has reached its borrowing limit for years to come, and nearly all the Provinces with the exception of Ota.ro, and, perhaps, Canterbury, are virtually bankrupt.—l am, &c., -n .T „ Colonist. Dunedin, May 22.