POVERTY IN NEW ZEALAND.

Evening Star, Issue 4141, 5 June 1876, Page 3

POVERTY IN NEW ZEALAND.

- To the Editor. Sih,—Professor Macgregor has beenlaborvag through two long articles in the ‘New Zeaiand Magazine ’ to solve “ the problem of poverty in New Zealand,” and so far as I can see, is not much nearer his desired goal than Whence started. If the statement made in JThe Temperance Advocate ’ for this month is correct, the Professor might have made a much shorter cut to his object, and found a solution to his problem by an easier process than that which he has adopted. If it is true, as it appears lo be, that this community, numbering at the end of 1874 342,000 Europeans So/Jr"’ . or , with Maoris added, 388,000, spent during that year more than two and a. quarter millions sterling on liquor and tobacco, no one need further ask the whyor the whence of "poverty in New Zealand; If the above statement be true, and after ah examination for myself of the statistics for 1874, I see no reason to question us aocnracy, it presents a condition of things -truly startling, if not positively . A Oi Wonder .jyee, t hear rumors of that yte are burdened with taxation,anq; h^ye-difficulties iin paying onr » •***s> W the ‘ limesv told ns the other day, onr charitable institutions are toll to the doors with the victims of drink. It appears fx6m the estimate made that we

are drinking or smoking all our gold and our gum and our flax, and nearly all the value of the timber, wheat, proviaiona, and tallow we export. The total value of these exports was set down at L 2,317,448, and the cost of our liquor and tobacco is estimated at L 2,288,438,' leaving a balance to our credit after the labor of a year of L 29,010; and all the money so spent was, according to the best authorities on these questions, worse than thrown away. It would have being bad enough if the money * instead of been spent as it was, had been flung into the sea; but the loss would net have been so great then as it has been, for, as the • ‘ Times’ shows, it , has. now been expended in making criminals and paupers. When will men be wise that they will perceive this, and “consider the latter end.” Surely the time is come when society should call a halt and seriously consider what is to be done with this great social evil. Liquor and tobacco are two great vampires, lulling society to sleep while they draw its breath and suck its life-blood. Whatever- defence may be set up'for the occasional and moderate use of either alcohol or tobacco, no one will dispute that the expenditure by this Colony of over two and .a quarter millions sterling on these two articles is reckless improvidence and culpable extravagance. Yet almost every member of the community seems to vie with every other member in affording facilities and offering inducements not only for a continuance of the expenditure at its present figure but for its unlimited extension. To-morrow the licensing courts will commence their sittings, and there is almost a certainty of an increase in the number of licensed bouses, which will necessarily lead to a further waste of our national resources. I wonder will this country stop in this career of extravagance and folly before every district has its poor - house and the people everywhere are blessed with a poor’s rate.—l am, &c., Observer. Dunedin, June 5.