The Manawatu Standard. (Published daily.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. MONDAY, OCTOBER, 5, 1885. HARD TIMES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1472, 5 October 1885, Page 2

Manawatu Standard. (Published daily.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. MONDAY, OCTOBER, 5, 1885. HARD TIMES.

Ouii contemporary the Post has a very sensible article on the present commercial depression. ■ It; points out that depression is . after -all^a matter of comparison and" degree. The hardships of .our lean years are magnified m our eyes by contrast with the fat years which preceded them; but really, when we come to a somewhat wider comparison, it is impossible to resist the conclusion that, m fact, we have mucirto be thankful for, and that we are not half so badly off' as we might be, and as many other countries are. It then proceeds to compare the condition of New Zealand with the other portions of the world, where wars, pestilence, floods, famine and other afflictions prevail, and compared to which fearful visitations our troubles here sink into insignificance. We are very, much of our contempor ary's way of thinking m respect of , this matter, and glancing over pie world's, map at the present time,|we doubt whether there are man.y--coun'-tries which really enjoy a larger share of -happiness, or \y hose inhabitants are more individually %lprosperous. There are places here,of course, where times. are bad, and employment difficult to obtain ; but as regards real downright distress, the cases are few and far between, and are generally promptly relieved by private charity or benevolent organizations of one kind and another. Our contemporary makes a strong point of the want of adaptibility to their surroundings on the part of many which 'is doubtless the primary cause vQf many cases of straitened circumstances. They have not the spirit of the Sold settlers or their.capability of readily adapting themselves 'to the novel circumstances and pursuits of a new country. Talk- 1 ' ing of depression, look at the Lumpers' Union on strike against wages at 12s a day ■!•' Surely this is a commentary that is dinicult to refute. But as the Post points out, -our great misfortune at the present time, no doubt, is.the low price for all our . staple productions for export. This is what causes' the depression of which so much is said. Nevertheless the country is elastic, its -resources .-are ; unbounded, and with a progressive and consistent administration, things will look better by bye. : We commend to,our ; readers 1 ; attention the advice with which ouf ; contemporary concludes its article, viz., : — " If people would only j;ake, a \yide range of view,, .and nptfix their eyes and thoughts on their im-. mediate surroundings, they wquld undoubtedly -become more contented with their present position, they ! would find many worse off' and very,} few better ofF than themselves, and I

they would bear up more cheerfully against the depression, such as it is, which afflicts them. j