The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1885. THE PAST YEAR.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2183, 31 December 1885, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1885. THE PAST YEAR.

•In reviewing the events of the year 1885, which closes to-day, it cannot be said that it has been either prosperous, or that it has passed in peace, If we look at our own islands we find that all classes have suffered jto a considerable extent from the wave of depression which has found its way with more or less severity into every inhabited corner of the earth, though it has certainly not been so severe as ninny croakers who aeera to love a calamity because it agrees with their own soured temperaments, have tried to make out. There was an abundant harvest, and both the last and the present clips of wool proved above the average bo far as weight and quality are concerned, though on the other hand prices ruled remarkably low. If frozen meat did not fetch very satisfactory prices, at Home, farmer and graziers have, until about two months ago, been able to make very fair bargains, with butchers, so that Iheir income from, this Bonrce was not seriously diminished,-. if it was diminished at all.. There has,! no doubt been ,aa occasional difficulty; to make both.ends : pc|;,bj}t our bank-, i'uptcy records ami ,o.ur imports and exports show that business of all xlescrip.' tions has not deteriorated, and that the position of all classes of the community l is sound.' Everybody has been able'to live'comfortably and there has been no lack of employment. It is.true that there has been a cry for employment at the two extremes of the colony, but inquiry shewed that it was raised by the loafing element—by men who would not work for reasonable wages. " Hard tides'' ;s a term that must appear ridiculous to at Home when they are told that ,ftrjfcJßßp have Btruck for ten shillings par and that coalheavers demanded ev en pay.The pres.en.fcoutloolr, whileqheering • on the one hand, is gloomy on the other. While wool, mutton and wheat are promising to recover their prices at' Home, the oat harvest is proving very poor in this district—so poor, that some of the farmers are'under the impression that their crops will not pay for reaping, - Prices also show no indication of amendment. In the south, however, the crops all round look very well, and the failure in the'one district may not, therefore, b'e seriously felt. We shall only expect a gradual recovery, and those who look for the leap's and bounds; promised by the Colonial Trea-

mver will most certainly be disappoiu,ed, '■■'.' ■

Turning. to political matters, there \ has been no great change to repoit. A ! Ministry with a small following hasbeen allowed to keep its place simply because the Opposition was unable to agree; yet all the measures that were passed were shorn of their obnoxious features while others were thrown out altogether. Parliament put its foot dowu and objected to any increase in the expenditure, with the result that about half a million will be saved during the current financial year. A proposal to borrow ten millions for public works hue been mooted, but it has not been as yet acknowledged by the Government, nor do we believe that it would be entertained if it were put before the people. Native matters have not run quite as smoothly as might have been wished. While there has been no movement of a political nature, isolated cases of outrages have not been infrequent. They appeared to be simply the outcome of wishes to assert legal rights. ' The increase in the number of these is, however, a certain proof that contempt for the laws of the country, is on the increase. This is probably due to the fact that the present 1 pampers Natives too:,much. ; : '■ Looking over the world at large, wa find that there has hew a difficulty between Great Britain and ■Russia on the Afghan boundary question, Both countries armed, and even the colonies, made energetic preparations fordefence. To all appearances this has blown over. Indirectly it has led up to the ousting of the Liberal Ministry, and its substitution by a Conservative Cabinet—anadnii.iistation which, in the light of the elections that have just taken place, is not likely to stand very long. The mother country has continued the war against the Mahdi in the Soudan, and beat 'soniesphat undignified retreat, after sacrificing General Gordon, the hero of Khartoum. Tin's matter seems to be still unsettled, .and may he full of trouble for the coming year. Canada has had a rebellion w,hich led to short, sharp,, and decisive action, which ended in. the execution of the rebel leader, Louis fiiel, Still more recently the King of Burmah has been deposed, and the result must necessarily lead to an enormous expansion of British trade, Prance litis continued her little wars in Tonquin and Madagascar, though news quite recently to hand is to the effect that peace has been concluded with die latter. The Eastern question has shown it?elf in a new light through the intrigues of the frjnceof Bulgaria, who tried to anialgamalio his state with Roumelia, Some sharp fighting with Servia was the consequence. An armistice which is likely to lead the peace has been arranged, : Tsup who look forward to the time whoj) way Bhjill be no more will see from the chief .events at the year which we have quoted that they fyaye still a long while to wait'before thejr mill?, njunj arrives. . '■ '"

Looking ahead, there seems to be a. prospect of the peace of Europe being maintained, and as this would mean that the trade of the colonies will not fe" disturbed, it is devoutly to be wished that it will ba so, With the anticipated steady return of a general prosperity, this would allow all classes and countries to recover from the blows which they kve received, We cannot conclude, with a better wish than that it may be so.