The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1880.

Temuka Leader, Issue 301, 7 October 1880, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1880.

The firm manner in winch the Guv rnment have dealt with ilie "ailway Commissinners cannot fail to gain it ftiemls, even from amongst those who otherwise were compelled from principle to oppose them. The task tin? Government has undertaken,- it must be admitted, is not a course calculat d to make the members popular. Nevertheless, if they complete the task they have laid out for themselves in a fa£r and honorable way, their opponents are in duty hound to support them .should it turn out that they are political sufferers thereby. The lesson taught the Commissioners of R ilways should act as a warning to others who may be similarly placed. Mr Conyers—a man ip receipt of a very high salary —might to nave kept his fingers cut of every speculation. ■When a man is so ground down by a small salary that he is often at Ins wit’s end to make things meet, there is some excuse for him tiying to augment his salary by any honorable means within his reach, bin neitlnr Mr Conyers not Mr Lawson were in that position. Their case is therefore another proof of the truth of the proverb of the old King—“Hethar hasieth to be rich falleth into many temptations and snares,” Had Mr Conyers in particular been a wise man he would have let wejl alone. His ease is another of those that used to daily In.ppen in these colonies of men bccuinirg rapidly rich. The change of fortune so upset them tit.at their very heads got turned, and they scattered the hurriedly gotten gains as hurriedly about until very soon they came down to their former level. Waen men rise from the ranks they have to aet very cautiously, calculating every step lest they make a slip. Wbat, however, is a loss to Messrs Conyers and Lawson, will likely be a gain to the country, as more faithful servants can easily be obtained for bttle more than half the salary. One g od has then fore been done by a Royal Commission, al.hough injury to the Co uny may ami has been done by imprudent measures, the public creditor wi.l become satisfied that the co'ony means well, and will have less comnunctio . in trusting it in future. Thep is much, however, yet to b ? done. 4. salary of £7500 to a Governor is surely much more than the circumstances of the case cal s for. Other reductions, not yet named, we hope to see carried out. When t his is done wot king men will have less cause to complain upon the 10 percent taken from their income. One of the greatest mistakes the Hall Government fell into was the bringing forward of a Property Tax Bill. However long this measure may remain in force, it will ever be an unpopular one, and no Government that persists in carrying it out will be in public fayor The present depressed state of tlije c.qlony doubtless makes it bard to cure ‘the needful without recourse to taxation, hut other and better ways were at hand, and more j'-st and prolific. There is om; cpmrorr thought in ab this trouble, and that istpat the public revenue is on the increase in various departments, with the wool at the present high pitch, if a good harvest and fair prices should follow. New' Zealand will again be prosperous to a certain decree, a d land will again increase in value. Sorpe people are ready to say wo will t ot see land high again for many years. This we behove is a wrong notion. Wo have to bear in mind that the population (al-

though a number are leaving our shores) is still increasing rapidly, but the amount of laud is limited, consequently, as every

one is anxious to possess a bit of land when money becomes more plentiful, laud will rise in price, especially, as we have said, if a good price for produce is obtained, and thin, latter is still in store for us next harvest, fls there are not wanting proofs of events likely to take plai e to help to bring this about. What then with Retrenchment in the various departments of the public sci vice, economy in trade and commerce, and a better outlet for our produce, we are entitled to hold an opinion that good times are in store for us. The only misfortune is that, as has often been the case in all time before the grass grows the horse starves, many are feeling the hardness of the times—many who have to keep up a good appearance even when the larder is needing replen. ishing. This is the class that suffers most acutely in our midst just now.