TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3032, 31 October 1908, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

AN INCONVENIENCE. The inconvenience of the present arrangements in regard to the inward Vancouver mail was forcibly represented to an Auckland "Herald" representative by Dr T. Hope-Lewis, who recently returned from America to New Zealand by that route on the Manuka, from Vancouver to Suva. "There were," he said, "some 40 passengers for various parts of New Zealand. We sent a petition to Sir Joseph Ward, in which we pointed out what seen-s to be a very anomalous position in regard to this service, viz., that whilst a steamer is sent from Auckland to Suva to. meet the outward-bound mail, there is no steamer leaving Suva for New Zealand on the arrival of the inward mail from Vancouver. This necessitates the New Zealand passengers travelling some 2,126 extra miles further than they need otherwise do, by having to go to Australia, and then to New Zealand, and in many cases they are required to make an extra payment 'on account of this additional journey. The alternative is to wait 10 days at Suva. To add to the aggravating position of affairs in this connection, we found that the Auckland boat from Suva leaves only two days before the arrival of- the Vancouver mail." MONEY TO BURN. Mr R. B. Williams, who is a candidate for ■ the Wellington Suburbs seat, has been criticising the financial policy of the Government. In a speech delivered the other night, he remarked that the Meikle vote, which they would have given, and the foolish expenditure of the Second Ballot, which the people never askfid for, showed that they still had money to burn. That was why fle did not think they were safe people to keep the purse. No doubt the Government were resting in the belief of good times ahead, and they expected the people to rest in the same fool's paradise. All the expenses of superannuation, old age pension, and of the other Scate Departments must remain intact, and the ultimate result could not fail to be an increase in taxation. They must be frugal, else they could not meet their obligations with the present taxation. During the good times that had passed they might have saved for this rainy day. They had gone on spending recklessly, and now were in a most dangerous position. What was to be the outcome? Farmers, merchants, mechanics, and others, who had the interests of the country, and with whom he had travelksd, thought with him. Twenty thousand mills in the United States, including woollen mills, were idle. And there were our' customers If these people could not afford it,

they would not wear so many woollen clothes, and would live on less lamb and mutton. The value of the country's exports had dropped two millions, and consequently the Government had to housekeep this year on ! two millions less. Where would they be with the housekeeping fund reduced by two millions, and all the present obligations still to be filled. The New Zealand people, having less to spend, would import less. How, then, would the deficiency be made up? Would it be made up by surpluses? There could be no surpluses. It could be done only in one of two ways—either by extreme frugality and saving, or, if that did not suffice, by extra taxation.