The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1880.

Temuka Leader, Issue 293, 21 September 1880, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1880.

New Zealand at the present moment is placed in the same position that Tasmania was in a few years ago. When New Zealand was rejoicing in her strength shortly after the passing of the Public Works Act of 1870, she was the observed of all observers. Amongst others, the attention of the Tasmanians was turned towards her as a more likelv place for anyone bettering his c’rcumstances than Tasmania ; and many, weary of the slow life of that colony, emigrated to New Zealand, the effect on the former country being marked by the dullness of trade and the cessation of public works, while her sons in many instances were making themselves a name and a fame in their new!y-ad >pted home. Now the tables are turn'd; Tasmania is the most prosperous of the two colonies. This is proved by a compaiison of the imports and exports. In Ntew Zealand the exports scarcely exceed) the imports, while in Tasmania the experts, from a colony possessing onh' 112,0(0 of a population, is more than three times the amount of its imports. The eontifst is further remarkab'e for the fact tha the tide of emigration is setting in forthat colony, while the opposite is the case with New Zeala'd. The other diy we referred to a large body of workinf men leaving Wellington for Sydney, 1 further exodus of railway navvies took nhice, who, immediately on the portion if line on which they were working ieing finished, decamped for Sydney also. This is not the last that we shall har of the drain of working men from this colony. It is high time, therefore,that this matter was more carefully loiked into. Our present Government seen incapable of holding more than one idei in their heads at one time, and that idia is, retrenchment on a cheese-paring sale. While they are saving hundreds, the colony, by loss of prestige, los of character, and loss of population, is bsing thousands. New Zealand has been nost unfortunate in having her public affairs entrusted to incapable hands, at a lime when the largest minds and the most inventive genius, as well as the most patriotic in feeling and principle, were needed to guide her through a trying crisis. How unwise a step it was to cut off aT public works at a time when private enterprise was at a standstill can now be seen —not only seen, but deplored, by all lovers of their adopted country. This exodus of the pith of a colony—its mainstay; in fact—is a most, serious evil ; and why do these men leave our shores I Simply because they can find no employment. It is not the riffraff that is leaving, but sober, steady hard-working men who are ready to turn their hand to anything. After the last harvest we pointed out the necessity of providing employment for the working classes in the various districts. Amongst others, we took note of the scores of unemployed at our own door, hut instead of the Government providing any employment for them, it —by a Royal Commission paid to fly about the country like Jehu’s, at the public expense—cut off eveu the small piospect that was before them by resolving not to go on with the Temuka-Oxford railway, for which the money was voted at a previous session of Parliament. It is all very well for Mr Wright or other gentlemen who have made their thousands from Government contracts to turn round and say it is not needed, and that it will stand as a monument of Mr Macandrew’s folly. If it had been near the Ashburlon, perhaps that gentleman would ha'e seen it in a different light. However, it is now patent to all that New Zeal.nd is doomed to lose a large number of her valuable sons unless some means are adopted to provide employment. Just now we learn that there are between twenty and thirty carpenters

and builders idle in this little town, and to our certain knowledge they have offered to work at 7« or 8s a day if they could find work, but none can be found. What are these men to do 1 Storekeepeis will not trust them, butchers and bakers are urgent jfor payment of their monthly bills, failing ’ tsymo: I. of which supplies will be stopped 'hat are these men to do 1 Wives amilies ot little children are clamorous

bread, but none is for them- Yet all tins time a paternal Government is cooly looking on, apparently unconscious ; not only so, but it is by the same short-sighted policy which has governed their every action since they took office. Stultifying private enterprise by burdening the ener getic portion of every community by heavy taxation, and all this that they may be able to square the accounts. Public d bts must be met and paid we will at once admit, but while this has to be done care should be taken not to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. No effort is put forth to import any new manufacture or branch of industry. Our fishen'es, for instance, could, by a little fostering on the part of our Government, be made a valuable source of revenue ; min’ng enterprise of various sorts could be stimulated ; starch manufacture from our unsaleable

supplies of potatoes, which are possessed of a larger proportion of saccharine matter than perhaps is to be found in this root in any other part of the world. Again, a bonus for . oilcake made from linseed would be a means of stimulating the growth of that article, and add much to the fattening materials for winter stock, and enable this colony, like others, to ship to England ; hut these and many other useful industries whh h would give employment to men are never apparently thought of by our penny wise and pound foolish Government, who will rather see our population enrich other colonies than lend a helping hanu to keep them in this.