The Feilding Star. SATURDAY DECEMBER 29, 1883 The New Year

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 88, 29 December 1883, Page 2

The Feilding Star. SATURDAY DECEMBER 29, 1883 The New Year

Two more short days and the year 1888 will be but as a "tale that is told." The history of the world during the dying year has been made up of war, pestilence, and famine, murder, suicide, and sudden death, with all their dismal concomitants and melancholly associations. Yet we must not forget that it is of such events history is made, and until some radical change — which under our present conditions of life seems impossible — takes place in the minds of men, we must be prepared to meet such events, which past experience ought to teach us are inevitable, and we must be prepared to accept our share of the world's sins, crimes, and misfortunes with a manly confidence in our ability to confront them. New Zealand during the year which has passed, may be considered to have had more than a fair share of good fortune. On the whole, commerce is on a much sounder footing than it was in 1881-2, and private people have learned to live within their means. That wild spirit of speculative gambling which then obtained, appears to have been quelled almost entirely. An attempt was made in Wellington to excite a gold mining fever, but the disease was confined to very few, while the designs of the promoters of the mining companies were fhibtrated, as much by the apathy of the people, as by the utter ignorance displayed bythe"oj c aters." We may justly claim credit for having led in some degree to this happy result, as from the first we raised a warning voice against the so-called Terawhiti Reefs, and pointed out the risks attending the investment of money in mining companies of such " questionable shape " as those offered to the public in Wellington. Last year at this season we wrote, " Drunkenness and passion for gambling still flourish, unchecked by legislation." We are glad to note that these vices have been considerably lessened, and the exertions of those well meaning and good men, who are advocates of the cause of temperance, have borne excellent fruit, and that the consumption of strong drink has so diminished in both England and the Colonies that the revenue from this source has been seriously decreased, and a proportionate saving made by a decreased expenditure in hospitals, poor houses, and goals, for the miserable victims of this desease of dipsomania. Public opinion is now doing far more to encourage sobriety than mere legislation could do without its assistance. In the political history of the colony there are no startling events to chronicle, and the only item of interest is the conference for the Federation of the Australian Colonies and the proposed annexation of the Pacific Islands. What will be the outcome of this we cannot forsee, but we trust that the grand object of preventing the introduction to the South Seas of European criminals, will De attained. For the coming year, 1884, in the Manchester Block and the surrounding settlements, we fortell a period of prosperity. We cannot expect much from the harvest, as the weather as been so unfavorable for farming, but from other sources, unaffected by this cause, the income ofthe district will be largely increased. The timber trade is in a sound and flourishing condition, and during next autumn wiil be better than any previous season. The , roads now in course of formation will be a means if inciucmg 'new settlers to come amongst us, and also enabling those who are already living on their farms,

o extend theii- cultivations, and bring .heir produce and stock to the market. The export of frozen meat to Europe ;.as affected the value of sheep, and will encourage the cultivation of wool and mutton by a higher class mode than has been obtained here in the past ; land that has been, comparatively speaking idle, will be fenced and utilized profitably. The .noney now available under the Roads md Bridges Construction Act is being prudently expended, and will also be a great assistance. This and other moneys to be spent in public works will greatly enhance the value of property of all kinds, and give that confidence which is so necessary to keep a settlement moving in the van of progress. In every way the outlook of 1884 is pleasant. We have a good ciass of settlers, and a splendid soil. A united determination to execute that which we have to do with all our might, is all that is needed to ensure success in anything we may undertake, and to secure to every one lin the settlement a prosperous and A Happy New Year.