Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1895. "THE GLAD NEW YEAR."

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5217, 31 December 1895, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1895. "THE GLAD NEW YEAR."

Wi; are not sorry to say farewell to the s:id old year to-day, and to turn with hope (o the glad now one. At Home the sad old year lias been a . period of marked prosperity, The sensible English people sent the ''carpet baggers"packing, put Lord Salisbury back into power, and immediately trade and commerce advanced by leaps and bounds. In New Zealand we hope to record a similar experience during tlio glad New Year. The Liberal Party has run riot, has reached the ond of its lctlior,nudMr Seddon and bis friends seem now to bo riding for a fall. With good government, tlio sad old year would have been ono of progress, but with badgovernmentitwas virtually one of stagnation. Looking back on the death-roll in this district during tlio past year wo may lie thankful that but few old settlers have passed away, and we may rejoice if the record is equally light during the coming year. Trade ill tlio Wairarapa lias been unsettled as evidonoed by a large number of Httlo bankruptcies, but tlio larger men seemed to have held their own and to be 110 worse off at t|io end of the year than they were at tlio beginning, We have had during tlio past year a fair immunity from disaster by fire, but when punishmont from this sourco does come, it will not be altogether undeserved, Tlio apathy of the people in the matter of highpressure water and of* drainage continues from year to year, and prevents the town from taking the position, which it ought to assume as a safe and healthy residential centre. The sad old year in this town lias been marked by a trail of police and public-house scandals, from which we trust to bo delivered in the glad new year, The terribly lax administration of the law by the present Cfovernmeut has been the main cause of trouble of this kind, In the glad neiy ypar we trust there will be less destitution than in the past one, Wo believo the expenditure of tlio North Wairarapa 13ene-

volont Society Las touched high water-mark in the year 1895, may it recede in 1896. All the' indications for l§9(j seem to point to prosperity. Indeed settlors generally feel that a re-notion has set in, and that they can go about their occupations with enhanced hope and renewed heart, On this occasion, it is not merely an idle hope which wo express, when we utter tho time-honoured greeting. Wo feel that one and all, have a reasonable expectation of