CORRESPONDENCE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1411, 19 July 1881, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE BUDGET OF 1881. TO TJIE EDITOR. Sir, — While rendering all justice to the excellence of the Colonial Tieasurer's financial statement, people are apt to forget, or wilfully overlook, the thanks that are due from all New Zealand to the quiet, unassuming, but clear-headed gentleman, who, in plain, terse language, unadorned by any vulgar attempts at spurious eioquence, explains how he has triumphantly rescued the colony from a deadly peril, and without any foolish ■\anity, or self-giatulation for interested motives, without any petty seeking for popular favor, shows a wealthy country the necessity for keeping clear and businesslike accounts, and how easy it ia to avoid disgrace and ruin by so doing, though it is so dangerously pleasing to some and to all the crowd or self-seekers, in particular, to fall into the treacherous depths of the opposite extreme of free - handed reckless extravagance. The Hon. Major Atkinson, as a gentleman naturally shuns the bombast and tinsel honoius of being " an old man eloquent" "the people's George," or "a great Pro-Consul," as he would shun the- leprosy, but: he shows that he can come (forward with perfect equanimity, and with as little display as possible rescue the army of "the old man' eloquent," &c, &c, from the deadly breach in which foolish and incapable leaders have fixed them, without knowing how to lead them onward or backward; and as a gentleman Major Atkinson having rendered his account of hi 3 acts in' as few' words as possible, and without senile or cunning seeking for applause, leaves the facts to speak for themselves. This is the manner of a man of the world, and a quiet master of himself and others as distinguished from, that of the flatulent talker, the noisy brag, who is constantly; proclaiming his own virtue^ - and ' bis, own, power.B, and asking the public to worship him, and yet can never fulfil his .promjses or, act in any way ' but 'as a brag. ' Noisy oratory and impotent performance have hatLtheir dlfy v fortunately for 'mankind, afed%jore especial^ Should "we feel thankful thai? we have escaped from the usual consequences of too ltnnljcitia .faith in such leadership, and been rescued from ruin by quiet meiL pf the, .Avorjkl , T,he position <■ of Ihis« l y6\ttig-HBdWy-'in-' 1880; with a deficiency of neariyi^OaQ.'OGO: mV revenue, and a. public debt of not far from £30,000,000, with public credit exhausted, the commerce in a state of collapse and all public works unable, through mismanagement "andL>£eckles» extravagance, to meet the expenses of working] was dangeroos 'enough 1 to cause the grayest apprehension if not absolute > despair, and it was only the vigorous policy of retrenchment with strict and clear headed dissection and reformation of the- < ' government ! ' 'a'cebun ts ' ' down to the minutest details initiated by the present ministry and carried out so faithfully and unswervingly by the Colonial Treasurer in the face of muc^^olwhv^kappreciation . and ungrateful opposition "that saved us from a disaster tjiatis nat ( ,|atal would, at least htfve been peqauefcire' of injury that many/#^ J W^,^!|iQaV' Ihe scr upu^flqfc.and . skilful manipulation'

hazard, but by business-like measures' calculated with due consideration for the welfare of each branch of the community ■while promoting the general advance that ; characterise the financial statement of ' Major Atkinson, make it-a^mapt^Hjpiece of financing that/ well deserves the admir- ; ation and grateful praise of the, colony. » ! In a Bomeyhat leas degree, out to an©xtent' far less highly appreciated by the public than, it should be, are the thanks of the colony due to a man who has borne the burden and heat of the day with manful perseverance and cheerful endurance in performing, a most unthankful office to the very letter, regardless of the clamour of enemies in all directions, whom he could not avoid making but who would only too readily have sacrificed him or ' the public good either for their own petty interests of the moment. Mr Oliver is another man who quietly and unostentatiously has- worked a great and good work for the benefit of his fellow men more than lor-, himself, that the present time has not t recognised po fully as the future will do. With little to recommend him to popular favour, a bad speaker with an unprepossessing manner, in whose hand* was placed the surgical knife for the eradication of many old neglected sores he could not avoid abuse, misunderstanding and calumny in all directions, but he steadily and clearly kept his one object in view and accomplished it with iron will and it must be gratefully admitted with triumphant success. Men who are foolish or misguided enough to prefer ialse pretences te the reality, or stump oratory, to actual and far irom pleasant ,work for thejr good, ,may not recognise the servie'es ,'of such men, as Major Atkinson and Mr Oliver, but all who are not blinded by 'sheer selfishness or the most obtuse wilful partizanship cannot fail to offer with feelings of deep gratitude the highest tribute of praise to these members particularly of the Government which had effected no smaller work than saving their country from utter ruin caused by the stupid incapability and unprincipled recklessness of their predecessors who have tried unceasingly and are still trying to prevent and counteract the good work and failing that to vilify and depreciate the workers. — I am &c, | P.J.J.