Our Wellington Letter

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 127, 19 April 1890, Page 2

Our Wellington Letter

«. — _ (from our own correspondent.) Wellington, April 17. The dark cloud of depression that has for so long a time overhung our fair New Zealand seems to be giving way to one of golden hue, for, at the end of this financial year we are again made joyous by the announcement that another surplus has appeared after the close ofthe year's work, and the fact that it is no longer possible to indulge in "tricks of trade" by manipulating the accounts, or holding overdue payments until after the 31st of March, makes the news doubly welcome, for in years gone by, when a surplus was announced the inteUigence was received coldly as ,it was pretty, well known, that there was nothing in it. To-day, however, such tricks are impossible for the permanent heads of every department are expected to send in a return of all outstanding liabilities at the close of the financial year, and this statement has to be certified by the Auditor-General. May the day soon come when tbe New Zealand treasurer, like bim of America, has more of the " filthy lucre" than he khows what to do with. As "we takes our walks abroad" and sometimes drop into the Resident Magistrate's court and hear the tales of sorrow and suffering which have mainly been brought abont by an unfaithful husband, one is astonished at the heartlessness .and impudence of some of the scamps, whom we are compelled to call men, who can listen complacently and even sometimes smilingly, whilst the woman whom they swore to " loye and cherish" poitrs out her sad tale. Narrating how she has been left with six children for over seven months and has only received from the man she calls husband the surp. Of ,£2; how she has worked night and day to support the children herself, but has had to give in and ask the help of the Court in compelling the scoundrel, who has left his family to the tender mercies of a cold world, to do his duty or else suffer the penalty. Such is a case that was ventilated here this week, and who knows but there may be dozens more like it in this city alone. We are told to " judge not lest we be judged," and after the evidence of some of the witnesses before the Sweating Commission, perhaps all those who find themselves unable to support their families are not so much to blame as those who hold i)he money bags and who, instead of giving a man decent wages to allow him to support his family comfortably, prefer to to get boy or woman labour and have the work scrambled through on the chance of making a few extra shillings. "Poverty leads to crime" is a terribly true saying and perhaps many a man who is a criminal to-day would have been honest yet had he not been pushed too far by that significant little word want. . A great hue and cry has been raised against the Jubilee surplus, being squandered in the wholesale distributions oi medals and monetary rewards to every Tom, Dick and Harry who opened his mouth, .or drove a nail, or in any way helped in the Jubilee celebrations. There are, of course, some who deserve a substantial recognition, and the committee would be only doing a graceful act by presenting them with a medal; but, on the othei hand, there are others who were all talk and no work, and some of these: have been handsomely rewarded by donations of £5 5s and other sums too numerous to mention. At the last meeting the committee evidently went on the principle "You pat my back and I'll pat yours." The Free Library is certainly they best object thai the surplus could be^de voted to.. The rivalry between the cities of Wellington and Auckland is a strong as ever. The Wellington papers have been doing their level best lately to raise the ire of the Northerners by chaffing them about the picnic party that had tc remain at TiriTiri for three days at Easter owing to the heavy weather, and then had to be rescued by a Bpecial steamer. One paper adds that it should, only be necessary to. say "Tiri Tiri" (or Turituri Hush) to Aucklahders when they croak about windy Wellington. * I ought perhaps to add, that a gentleman who used to reside in your district was reading the Star a few days ago mi remarked to me on the continued improvement of your paper — a remark which I endorse.