Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY FEBRUARY 11,1890. "Thimble Rigging."

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, 11 February 1890, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY FEBRUARY 11, 1890. "Thimble Rigging."

" Now gentleman, here's your chance, you see the ittle pea, it is first under one thimble then under another, which one do you bet it is under now ?" The wretched man who endeavours to earn his living l>y dazzling his customers with hisleight of hand, is warned off by the police, for carrying on an unlawful game. She merchant, however, who ascertains c early before he deals, the exactva'ue he can obtain for a bale of flax, and then mystifies the miller by aso ies of wonderful quo" tations, and pi'oposes doubts as to the possibility of effecting a sa'e at all, is allowed, to proceed, as his is trade and the thimble rigger is a gambler. We cenfess we oannot see much difference iu their callings, as both ohooso to deal with the " inno 1 cents "on a dead certainty. To* day the legilimate trade in nax has been chucked to the four winds of heaven, and a pkwsidg little excite 1 ment got up by purchasers. An at', tempt, for what purpose we know not, is being made to frighten the hemp miller, by a temporary withdrawal of all orders, and a refusal to advance even the cost of prepanv tion of the fibre. Why? Fore warned is forearmed, and we would do much to be able to put it clear before our readers, Why, will hare to await the course of a week or two to show itself. If the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company's renort of the 28th of December, which ap ears elsewhere, is of any value, then we say it is difficult to understand the" why " and the wherefor. Not only this, but the latest cablegram from the same company of the 7th of February, a faw short days ago, still give quotations which a^e very satisfactory, yet, the business firms ia Wellington wil: buy no flat , nor make advances ! Public spirit doas not appear ever to advantage in the " Knipire City," for though words are cheap, and are fre que- tly us- j d to testify the interest taken by its residents in tho countvy, the very first breath of money being required damps all their ardour, and pr dnces the advice to try and get Gov* 1 nuv-nt ; j 3-istance. We do not put niucl) faith in Government :**sistine , but if the me ting of last w«ek was as truly representative as the local papers claim it to he, ancl they thought that Government should help in a cause where the paltry sum of £7000 was on'y engaged, t-urr.ly tli^y should ask the Government to sttr.p in and sivn the hemp miller. We tlt not ask them to do so, we bolievetlie '-.ail-is have sufficient" grit" to help them-elve*. but our iv^der will notice that the Wellington pub He will do less, even in t .Iking, over a m»itter of real colonial importance than they did over dying apples, and why? Because apples would never allow their citizens to enrich themselves out of the orchavdists, but hemp milling do°s, most, princely out of the pocke sof the bard working 1 plucky millers. We contend that if the banks and the merchants both of whom have reaped already 1 >rge profits owing to the expansion of this trade, refuse an advance of the actual cost of its production, they certainly will bohavo in a most unbusiness like , and also, unfair, manner. We recommend the millers to uvet and consult how to grapple with tho " corner " and if necessary close their mills for a month, but on no account make any long time contracts, at much lower prices than they are at present receiring, as presently they will soon be .shown under which thimble the p >a lies.