The Southland Times. FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 1872.

Southland Times, Issue 1569, 26 April 1872, Page 2

The Southland Times. FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 1872.

I Mr Bell's speech on Monday evening must be pronounced a success. With the pleasing fluency of an accomplished speaker, and the tact of an experienced politician, Mr Bell passed in review all the prominent questions of last session, and touched lightly on the topics which will probably engage the attention of the nest. The audience were gratified, and, |we will hope, enlightened. Indeed it they were not, it must have been their own fault, for the patience and courtesy with which Mr Bell replied to the numerous querists, who, like Abthub Clenxam, " wanted to know, you know," were beyond all praise. If some stubborn dissentients from Mr Bell's views went away feeling that they had been rather answered than convinced, we need not wonder at that, for we all know how very difficult it is to convince some people when they once get a notion, into their heads. Mr Bell's being Speaker, made his position perhaps a little more difficult than it would otherwise have been, but he was equal to the -occasion. He reminded his hearers that the choice of a member for Speaker is a compliment to the discrimination of the constituency which returns him, and intimated that a constituency so honored might be expected to be rather proud of the distinction than otherwise. Certainly nothing could be more unfair than to blame Mr Belc, as he complained has been done, for accepting the Speakership, for we believe that every one who voted for him was aware at the time that he was likely to be the next Speaker. No member of the House, we may add, possesses the requisite qualifications in a higher degree than Mr Bell for discharging the difficult and delicate duties of that honorable office ; and when we remember how much the tone of the House depends on the character and abilities of the Speaker, we may congratulate the Assembly on their choice, as much as Mr Bell on the distinction. The great question of next session, Mr Bell said, would be whether or not we were to carry on or tQ discontinue the policy which had now been commenced, known as the Public Works and linmi giation policy. The country, he said, was iv a position of difficulty, aud even ,

of dangm I—-ho1 — -ho darner being th;it tiii* policy, now nu«pii-ious!_v commerced, and which afforded the only prospect of a prosperous future for tho colony, might ho suddenly discontinued. NVxt session, he srud, a siv«»nj etf'ovt wor.l I be vvu'Uto stop the whole pi m, on tho ground | that the expense was more than the colony could bear, and that a serious and even oppressive amount of taxation was being laid up for the future. That, as he truly said, was <he kev-noto of the Opposition — Don't borrow. But then we could make no more railways, nor enj courage immigration, and without railways aud population, the resources of the country would not be developed. No doubt. But on this point, we frankly confess, we should have liked more specific information. It is obviously no answer to those who say that the country is not in a position to incur further debt, to tell them that unless they incur debt they can have no more railways. If we cannot afford railways, we clearly ought to do | without. The true answer would be to show, by a reference to I figures, that the financial position of the colony is such as to warrant the expenditure, and that the particular objects on which the expenditure is to be made, are of a kind to justify the reasonable anticipation that they will prove speedily reproductive. Railways, we all know, earn something towards the cost of keeping them in order, while roads do not, but on the I contrary are a perpetual source of expense. Eailways open up country which would never be made available for settlement by the best road in the world, for farm produce will not pay for carting many miles even on a good road. Railways promote the settlement of the country, encourage the increase of population, and add to the productive power of the community. When the production of a country is increased, it ia a well-known law that its consumptioa increases also, and thus the revenue is aided, and the railways contribute to the tax-bearing power of the State. Ail this is true, and yet is brings us no nearer the point. Railways do all that we have said, and more ; but all railways do not. Only such railway works as are judiciously planned witb regard to the capabilities of l the country, economically constructed, and economically and carefully worked after they are made, will prove repro- I ductive, even indirectly. And of such railways, good as they are, not more must be undertaken than we have ability to finiah, and to pay interest for, until they begin to pay it for themselves. That the works which the Government have uurlertaken fulfil these conditions we do not for a moment deny. But the truth is that very little specific information on the subject has yet been furnishe I to the public, and a little more than Mr Bell gave us on Monday night would have been gladly welcomed. Should the opposition iv the Assembly take the shape which Mr Bell anticipates, the safest, and the only satisfactory defence of their policy which the Government can make, [ will be a defence founded on a clear and full exhibition of the financial position of the Colony, the obligations already undertaken, and those which it is proposed to incur, followed by a definite and businesslike explanation of the way in which it is expected these obligations will be met, aud how far, and in what way, the specific works undertaken with the borrowed money are likely to furnish the means of repayment. Such a statement containing detailed information as to each separate work contemplated, and detailed accounts ofthe immigration arrangements, would do more to make the Government policy popular with the country than any number of eloquent generalities about the " development of our resources." With Mr Bkll's views on the best method of securing suitable immigrants we cordially agree, and we trust that when the Assembly meets, or sooner if possible, steps will be taken to give them practical effect. What he happily described as a careful and well-organised plan of " touting" in the agricultural districts of the old country, would we believe be attended before long with the happiest results, in inducing a superior class of emigrants to make this country their home. This, however, they will not do until New Zealand possesses a simple and liberal land law, instead of the ten or twelve different systems now in operation. With Mr Bell's views on this subject we also agree in the main. Free selection, at an upset price of not more than 20s per acre, the Southland Land Regulations in fact, extended to the whole of New Zealand, would be a great change for the better, and a change which, in our opinion, might be effected without injustice or eveu hardship to any one. Public "opinion we believe to be more ripe for this and other changes than Mr Bell supposes, although no doubt the Government have their hauds pretty full already, aud may not feel inclined to enter on a subject so extensive until more pressure has been brought to bear on them than has yet beeu the case.