WHY IS IT THUS?

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 119, 12 September 1885, Page 7

WHY IS IT THUS?

New Zealand — wl»ich has been more favoured by Nature (linn any other colony in Australasia — U threatened with a big deceit and the prospect of increased taxation, Her railways pay less than three and _a- half per cent nett on tho cost of construction., though they are on the narrow gauge an<! of the cheapest possible character, Victoria and New South Wales have^ very large credit balances. Their railways, which are on the broad gauge and are of most substantial kind, pay four and a- half per cent, on the cost cf construction. In those two colonies, tlie whole talk is of abundance and prosperity. Yet one of then) is protectionist, and the other free-

trade. Evidently neither protection* iior free trade affords a \n*y to Ue Hol'urion of the problem, Avails, »3outii Australia, which is distinctly pi of eotionitir-*, is in the very trough of depression, fcihe is, indeed, far tyorse oil? than 'poor New Zealand. , Her Treasurer prOj>os«'S an i increase of taxation amounting ' to £200,000 per annum, which means an augmentation of the publio burdens amounting to considerably more than ten shillings a year for every man, woman, and child in the colony. The prospect is simply alarming, and we should not be surprised to learn soon that people were clearing out of South Australia by thousands, and betaking themselves to Victoria and New tfouth Wales. — Rangitikei Advocate.