The Fielding Star. THURSDAY, DECEMBER, 17, 1891.

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 73, 17 December 1891, Page 2

The Fielding Star. THURSDAY, DECEMBER, 17, 1891.

The London correspondent of the Dunedin Star doea not write too cheerfully of the estimation in which our present Ministry is held in London. He says that Mr Ballance's taxation measures are viewed as far too strong aud extreme, in very influential quarters in London. The " Economist, " which carries more : weight in the money market than all '■ the other financial papers put together, is doad against Mr Ballnnce, and considers the situation uerious. Tho " Financial News " has raised a similar cry, and declares that the new brooms are sweeping too cle.au altogether, and the Government ia its anxiety to avoid the errors of the past, is frying experiments of a start- , ling kind which in the long run may ;

prove just as disastrous, and the beat friends of New Zealand entertain grave doubts as to the wisdom of the present policy. The letter we have quoted from bears the date October 31st. On the other hand we had a cable message a few days ago by which we were informed that New Zealand stocks were rising in the money market. This clearly proves that the opinion of the monied people has undergone a change for the better as far as this colony is concerned. ISome day they will learn in England what we have known for some years that even the worst Government cannot ruin this beautiful and prosperous country. Peom the table showing the number of inquests held in the colony during the year 1890 we gather the following :— There were 340 verdicts returned of accidental death. One male died from falling out of bed, a second was burnt while sleeping on a dray, a third died from being kicked af football, a fourth had his neck pinched in a railway gate ; a female was drowned in hot soup, while a male was smothered in a keg of milk. There were 130 persons drowned in the harbors and rivers. Two males died of exposure and exhaustion, and another from over-exer-tion. Nine persons were poisoned, and twenty-one died from being run over by vehicles, eleven more were suffocated. One died of sunstroke. From being thrown from vehicles and horses thirty-two males, and three females died. Five men were kicked to death by horses, and eighteen males and three females were killed by being run over by vehicles and locomotives. Eight males were shot. Sixteen males and one female were accidently killed. Six males and four females were burnt to death. Trees falling killed twenty-two males and one female, and one man was killed by the root of a tree he was sawing, and another by being struck on the head with an axe. Drink killed six males and two females. Two cases of manslaughter occurred, and one male and one female were murdered. Fifty-two males and eleven females committed suicide. Six males and two females died by the " Visitation of God," and twenty-four males and two females were " found dead". Including cases where verdicts were returned of "natural causes" the totals of all classes were 604 males and 158 females. Thirty inquests on fires were held, two were accidental, eight were incendiarism, and twenty were "no evidence." The following are the railway traffic returns for the Napier-Taranaki section for the four weeks, ending 7th November, 1891, and for the

The increase is in passengers, timber, wool, and merchandise.

corresponding four weeks in 1890: — 1891 1890 Passengers 5330 18 11 3872 911 Parcels 657 15 1 550 5 10 Goods 6598 0 5 5637 111 Miscellaneous 327 15 10 359 17 4 £12,914 10 3 .£10,419 15 0