Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 1891. Dull Times.

Manawatu Herald, 29 March 1894, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 1891. Dull Times.

That dull times are with us now is not to be disputed, and that during the coming winter they will not improve appears very probable, but that should be no reason for our public men to imitate the ostrich when it is frightened, and hide themselves. Times like the present are just those where a capable and energetic leader can make a make a name for himself, besides doing good for the residents and the Borough. Hard times, we have lately learnt is the Premier's wish that they should come again no more, but older bipeds of an advanced age are not fco be taken in by song. Hard times have come upon the colony as a whole though the Government declare it is from no fault of theirs. Hard times have come upon this district directly through the fault of tin Government, about which there, can be no blinking even upon the part of their most rabid supporters. Thp flax trade has been permitted to die out in spite of remonstrances utfced by ourselves and our representative in Parliament, and which a timely attention would probably huve averted. If it is true in our case it is most likely that when other causes have been probed to to the bottom we shall find similar causes operating. The Government have spent much too long a time pandering to the unthinking requests of irresponsible persons and neglecting the true interests of the colony as a whole. As long as this course of conduct 13 continued so long will the depression last and the labourer find work scarce. Have we it not on record that Mr Gladstone urged his constituents " to give preference to the interests of the whole instead of part of the community." The danger he breads of in England has been a familiar and present one ia this colony and lo ! depression in: with us. We do not desire to take up more time in discussing, at present, the short-comings of the general Government, as there are other Governments as much inclined to let things '• rip " as it is sometimes elegantly termed, as the chief executive. We are inclined to think that our own local Government are desirous of plodding along in the same old ruts the Porough has been dragged through for some years, under the mistaken notion that the bullock-dray pace is the safest and cheapest. We do not, and we have constantly urged each successive driver to alter the pace more in accord with the spirit of the times. None of us are likely to imitate the men of old times and live to a vary great age, and if we do not, at the rate we now crawl, our town will bear the appearance for years to us that it does sto-day.5 to-day. The whole! thing would be absurd were it not much too serious, as there can be a mighty change made at no greater j cost than we now have to meet, but j ii is the Buper : sensitiveness as to the feelings are successors will bear

tmviu-i'l.s v.<, which stops all [n'ogres.-. Is would appeal- as Luough the present inhabitants of the Borough feared that their offspring would inherit the very worst passions possessed by their sires, and would resent, in a very summary and emphatic manner, the liability for any loan raised and expanded by thfir fathers; «6," to inaku matters' pleasant and safe these Christian old men kindly undertake to put up wiih_aJl. tJ^J.nc_onv( jn.iences.,.of bad, roads until they are able to afford to pay for them by direct taxation. This is both a very foolish arid an improvident act even takiDg into consideration the future advantage of their children. Vvhat we would like to sac, but) what we are not at all expectant of seeing, would be the Mayor laying before the Council a proposal for a loan of pay £2000, a portion for matalliug and forming certain roads> primarily the Motoa road and the road to tile beach, and other roads which could be shown most needed ; and a portion set apart as the Borough's shave towards the two bridges over the Manawatu river, at Wirpkiuo and Shannon. Work done now will be carried out at one half the cost it would at any other time. The labour would be most useful iv keeping a large number at work, and the expenditure would be fully recouped by the trade brought to the town by its main roads being opened up. The cosL would be a small one, very small indeed calculated by the advantages gained, but it involves a loan which seems to be the greatest bugbear to this small portion of the population of the coast. Nowhere else does the name of a loan frighten the settlers. To the right of us, to the south of us, and to the north of us, settlers are continuously raising loans for opening up their property, whilst we, in Foxton, appear to earnestly pray that from this calamity we may be mercifully spared. We are getting each day morVand more sick of this absurd cry, and we should welcome almost any convulsion of nature if it was powerful enough, a question, to shake this old fashioned notion one of the heads of the obstructionists to the best, advancement of the town.