THE PATEA MAIL. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1875.

Patea Mail, Volume 1, Issue 33, 4 August 1875, Page 2

THE PATEA MAIL. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1875.

Thk Financial Statements of this Co’ony have for the past few years been of exceeding interest to our leli-uv colonists, who look to receive through them an accurate statement of affairs from those to vvliO'O lu:nils they ’nave, committed the work of (b-virnnu-nt. •That delivered by Major Atkinson on Friday evening last has been looked, forward to with increasing interest, as rumours had boon current in Opposition circles that there was “ something rotten in the State of .Denmark,” and that the finances of the Colony wore in anything bat a healthy state. Besides there was the groat abolition question to be explained, and even the warmest friends of the Government had misgivings on tins point, us it was feared the Cabinet, in the absence of Sir did ins "Vogel, would prove unequal to the task of framing measures to cany out the reform, which would find acceptance both m and out of Parliament. However, Major Atkinson has proved himself equal to the task of delivering the statement, which, as a work of careful compilation and logical argument, not unworthy of even the great Sir Julius, and wo all know that a Financial statement was his strong suit, so to speak. -Major Atkinson, in a clever and succinct manner, points out the advantage gained by Vogel in placing the AM,OOO,OOP loan in llothscliild’s hands, as those financiers agreed to pay a certain price for the loan whether they succeeded in getting it taken up on ’Change or not. Dr Featbcrston and others objected to.the loan being so raised, but Vogel was firm, us he knew the money was wanted to carry out the engagements of the Colony, and subsequent events satisfied even Dr Featherston that the proper tiling 1 ad been done. The Colonial Treasurer also refutes the charge made by se\e al others last session that the in e. 1 s on loans was being 1 paid out of tin principal, whereas nothing of the kind was being done, the colour for such a charge being afforded by the Government in their anxiety to practice economy, having pai 1 some interest in Doudono.it of loan fends in order to save exchange. The money was recouped to the loan account out of consolidated revenue, and a considerable amount of exchange saved. For doing this the Opposition charged the Government with a thing which, if -established* would materially damage the Colony’s credit ouhi lc. It will also be remembered that during tic attack on, the Government in the . Council, Messrs Sewell and others - variously estimated the r indebtedness of . the . Colony at suras ranging . from, ,£,17.,d06,(300 . to £20,000,000, roughly speaking. Major Atkinson; also sols, the public; right on this point, as he ;givcs from official dates the following figures Liability to end of June, 1870, £17,07.1,100 ; less, accrued sinking fund,, £1,074,017? which leaves us .010,597,5.59 in debt up to •the present dime,; but it must he; borne in mind, that much .o.f this debt-was- in 7 currcd by the Provinces and former Governments during time of war. It is

‘bererore plain that so.fur from the Colony Ir-iug in an unsound stale nmn-i-iaily speaking, it is in reality quite the reverse, as wo have largo assets in l.ho shape of public works ami increased population, as a set-off to the indebted millions which will be paid off in good time, and the colony placed in a position of,, enviable prosperity. VVh have not space in this issue to follow Major Atkinson through the lung and int ‘resting- statement before us, but must remain content to brielly glance at a few Aits more salient features, leaving for uilure occasions the closer scrutiny and comments it. demands. . We should have liked lo Lave had .something more definite on the snbjeOt-of Immigration,' as (lion have been rumours alloat for some time that Fir .1, Vogel, without consulting his' colleagues or the wishes, of the " country, ordered the system' of free’ passages to. bo discontinued. Tho tide of Immigration lias been flowing freely towards our shores for some time, and there can he no doubt as 'to the beuefb s the Colony has reap..'d-.tVom. the rapid influx of' population. We therefor',! think that it is unwise just now to stuMenly interfere with the flow, as the demand for labour is not half k:\Fslied in maiiv parts of the Colony. The system of. nominated immigration is the best, as only those of a thrifty and

respectable class will exert themselves to get their relatives or friends out. i.-’nm immigration has its drawbacks, as it is too often mad'.' a kind of unconvieted transportation for the- bad .characters of email towns and villages of the I; oiled Kin .dom, whoso criminal population is not a!! under hick find k-y or police surveiilence. The export of prostitutes

ami lo;jTors to JN'mv Zealand has been rather b»o large to plea-a* ]>eopl>* here, 'ami i ’ Sir J, Voge] cm effect the. substitution of a better elites of immigrants for tiio;--;? iut’.oducc.d under Iho free pmsage system by putting a slop to it, wo shall doom it <mo of the greatest services ho lias yet rendered his follow colonists. If bv exercising hot tor care mid sounder j’.iiig'in.'id more suitable people could ho persuaded to o<nm, wo would say hoop <>u the system o iVoc j a-sages, hut if they are only to bo made a convenience of by pot.sons ol bad antecedents we soy it is better io slop them at once. Wo know for a fact that a wellknown laid character, who bad made himself notorious in many parts of the Colony, whose gaols im i. d largely patronised, and wno wmio lunm; to see 1 ids friends, returned Vo the cm n ry as a fr e immigrant not io ig snue. Ihe sketch givin by Ike Government of iis hrtcnibns regarding the treatment of the Colony accept.sc abolition of Provincial insiiiidmus will, we fmiey, wive all hnt universal satisfaction, as Lie proposals are jag ihose which commend liiems dves to the p 'ooio of the Colony at 1 irg-e. i iiG count ry districts of which Imre been systematically neglected by Pruvin -i;:! rulerw, who have always managed to expend so much- on the miiTutenaimc of Ihe system and the seats of their Government, that there has been little or nothing left to spend in the wants of outlying districts. By the bills now before the country and the j)reposals made by -the■ Government, with a view to carrying - the reform to a successful issue, we think country • districts have gained the. much needed attention they have so long and unsuccessfully ivcpured. Of course there will be much to be done before the bills-and proposals will be fashioned into their ultimate forms, but we think tiio Colony will endorse their spirit, , and support the Government strenuously in its struggles against -the powerful party of Provincialists in Parliament. The next elections will endorse all that lias been said or written against the Provincial party, few of whom will succeed in getting a seat in the new Parliament. The Government has evidently been most industrious during the late recess, and is desojv ug of pxvat praise for the amount of useful 'legislation if has prepared. The “ Croakers,” who have been tilling us, that without Vogel the present Cabinet could do nothing, must for the present taka, a back seat and keep their sepulchral voices still, as the conduct of Ministers since ill 3 opening of the present session of Parliament,’has plainly, demonstrated their fitness for office, and been endorsed by the leader of the Opposition going boldly and unsolicited over to their cause ; a stop which redounds to Mr Stafford’s credit, as it shows him amenable ‘ to argument and reason, and not, as,is too, often the cose, a stubborn disbeliever in the fitness of any one else besides himself for the post of Minister of State. "We have long been opposed to ; him in politics, but we cannot do less than follow his own ■manly course and let byegones bo byegoncs ; welcoming him at the same tipio to the side he Has' so long opposed. / ,