Rangitikei Advocate. SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8875, 27 July 1907, Page 2

Rangitikei Advocate. SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

IT does nob appear to have struck the Premier that he was making the worst possible excuse for the borrowing policy In his speech on the Financial Statement. He said. “What is the use of us indulging in nothing more or less than colossal hypocrisy in urging that the Government should keep down this loan money when every member knows that what lam saying is correct, that ever since the beginning of Parliament, the order paper has been crowded with questions asking for Hew railways, public buildings, increases in salaries and wages of public employees from end to end of this country, concessions by getting some public' utility service for less than cost price, and then they talk to their constituents about the enormous borrowing of the Government. ’ ’ In the first place, we may point out that the Ministerial party are alone to blame for the importunity of members, because they have debauched the constituencies by making public works dependent on party support, and members of Parliament are now valued not for what they do, but for what they can get. Then, again, the borrowed money is not spent entirely on reproductive or necessary work; most of it is wasted on departmental management. But even if it was true that the money would be properly spent, a strong statesman would not allow members to compel borrowing. A weak one who has to rely on bribes of roads and bridges to secure or retain support, of course, finds it necessary to bo continually appealing to tho money-lender. If a statesman refused to further pledge the national assets and add to an enormous burden of debt, then members would soon perceive that if there is to be money available for necessary works, all useless expenditure must be stopped. But so long as we have weak Ministers whose only idea of finance is borrowing wo shall find them borrowing to satisfy the demands of importunate supporters, and retain office.

THE peculiar methods adopted to delude immigrants were revealed in the published letter to the President of the New South Wales Immigration League. He advised that everything should be painted in glowing colours, and that none of the difficulties and drawbacks should be mentioned. Is it any wonder that immigrants are dissatisfied when they arrive and realise the true facts? But our own Ministry practises similar devices. The charms of New Zealand are set out in advertisements in Home papers, and prominence is given to the fact that several millions of acres of Crown lands are still unoccupied. But nothing is said of the greatly incresed cost of living, the oppression of trades unionism, or of the fact that the immigrant will not be allowed to acquire Crown land on the freehold tenure, but must be content with a “renewable lease.” Tho Ministry, in fact, are advertising for more State serfs.

IT was mentioned recently that this coast accounts for half of the total increase in the number of sheep in the colony, and a circular just received from Messrs Murray, Roberts and Co., Wellington, shows that Wellington heads the list in number of bales of wool exported during the season ended June 30th lust, while Wanganui, Waitara, and New Plymouh also show large increases. Out of a total shipment from the colony of 446,680 bales, as compared with 415.881 in previous; season, Wellington sent 119,805 as compared with 113,011, Wanganui 9518 as against 8369, and Waitara and Now Plymouth 4743 as against 3761. The figures show that in addition B to yielding the Hugest increase, that as

Hawke’s Bay wool is mostly shipped from Napier (from which, by the way, the export decreased from 60,785 to 5,045 bales), this coast and Wairarapa practically accounted for one- , third of the whole wool export. IN order to eneonrago the beekeeping industry Mr McNab has introduced a Bill to provideior the appointment of salaried inspectors and for fining bee-keepers up to £lO for any breach of the Act. In some countries whore sane men are sent to Parliament, the State really does aid the establishment and development of suitable industries, but in the Dominionette our Laputan legislators’ first action Is to appoint an army of inspectors and proceed to collect fees and fines.