POVERTY OR PLENTY?

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 276, 30 November 1901, Page 3

POVERTY OR PLENTY?

IS THE COLONY HARD UP FOR CASH ?

(Special to Times.)

Wellington, last night. On the subject of the reductions on the norfchorn railway works, the Post remarks that the reductions should appear to point to only one fact, viz., that the Colonial Treasurer does not know where to run for funds with which to carry on the public works of the colony, and although the pressure must bo very unwelcome, he has the consolation of having been able to hoodwink members all the session, and conceal the real stato of the colony's finances until Parliament had prorogued and ho was beyond the reach of criticism by the representatives of the people. Writing, presumably under Ministerial advice, the Times, however, considers that quite an unnecessary fuss is being made over the matter. It points out that the report as to discharges from the Trunk line works cannot bo right, as the number of men employed on the section named is tinder six hundred. No doubt eighty or a hundred have been knocked off, some because their contracts wero finished, others because it was found that so large a number as lately employed cannot bo profitably kept going. As to the GisbornoKaralta line, at this time last year the number of men engaged was reduced from 63 to 51. At the beginning of the present month there wero 95 on the works.