OUR DISEASE AND ITS REMEDIES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2070, 13 October 1885, Page 2

OUR DISEASE AND ITS REMEDIES.

» — ro mi. mmm. .Sin, — The picscnt agricultural and commeicial *t.ignation is tho general topic— tho Alpha and tho Omega of the conversation of *t itcMiu'ii and thinking men of all classes, when they meet together or sep.il.ite. Nor can the s-hiowdest of the iii.my lonfirheadh who discuss the subject give to themselves or any other poison .in entirely satisfactory nj.i-.on • why, or effectual remedy for the al inning increase of progiess and pourty which i-. fast becoming a. ktumbluig block to our widest governing bodies. State indebtedness, ovor-produc-turn, monopolising power of gold over the wealth of nations, and the consequent gold famines w hich take place peuodically, are fcomo of tho groat "reasons-why" which arc advanced ; and tho State bank of issue, l.uid tax, and co operation are amongst the lemedies advocited. I am inclined to look upon the fir.-.t and thud reasons-why giYcn as the causes to a very grave extent, and to look to cooperation, and to co opeiation in its highest house, as the hberatoi of tlie future. And I would ask you tv givebpacoin ywur column* tn di-uiss tho subject of co opei.itum fully. I believe th.it governments of toe future must become co-opei.ttivo or a cuiiu. l'.uty government supeiscdod peisnu.il goveruuient, and did well in Us geneiation, but owing to State bouowiugand indebtedness, paity government is tending t iw.irdi Imperialism of the very worst order, namely, tho Imperialism of gold. Consequently, honour, energy and tiuth are being left so f.n behind in tlie rate for power as to bo eonsideied quite out of politic d running or hu.uici.il success. A leaction lnunt shortly Uke place, or a "collapse,' and thn applies most s-enously to om case in New Zealand. I think oui (iovernment should consider the advisability of authorising the issue of State b.uik notes foi tho purpose of pineha»mg the bullion produced in the colony, the-e notes Ivjing made a legal tender, and a rebate .is commission of ah\ed poition, or the whole ot the gold duty be allowed for gold .mil silvei ptucluiaod with our State bullion notes, tho bullion so purchased to bi- held .is a reserve, and first seciuity to udccni the notes "held foreign," and the State to be allowed to issue for "ledemptiou of loan pin poses " extra notes, secured upon tho special rates to ba authorised by local bodies fiom tune to time, as local public improvements or loans become necess.uy. L believe Mich a policy would man our goldfields, and side by aid* with our goldhilds, winch inn as a back bono tin oughout the whole length of the colony of New Zetland, would extend agricultural progies-, and settlement, inanufactoiies and Home cousnuiption, the State giving New Zealand State paper for New Zealand State bullion, which bullion could he as a tangible becunty, if need be, in the Bank of England in b.n, and so would prevent the waste of gold in times of plethora. The colony has pioducod and sent away £10,000,000 woith of bullion. Had half of this colossal amount been purchased by tho Ciown with Stalo bmk bullion notes, and in bars deposited in St.itu cofFeis, wo could have issued other £20,000,000 of supplementaiy railway or municipal curleney notes, sec n«»<l on loed l.ites, and thus savid i'l,.")00,000 a year, interest on foreign loans, and had Htill money ouotuh left to make tin* Ki*t and West Coast Railway and out great cential lines nUo. Sir, I contend that it i-. n^v-er too Lite to mend. Let us make King (Jold our M-rvant, imt our master, and i*iirl the political cro^t multiplication tible which has been our State platfoini during the just decade, by replacing faction with co-operative government. Unless we set ti work at once to reorganise our constitution, tlieie can be no hope for us ; irresponsible borrowers have |i]au'il us upon the verge of State bankniptcy — so ueai indeed to the jtrecipice that tho boldest have daggered hauk. And now what next? Either we must become our own liquidators by voluntarily winding up tho old system of paity or job government, or worse will happen. By selecting our best and most trustwoithy men to «o back to the House, as a co-operatiyo body of public servants to aid and assist each other for tho public weal, and mako a political fault of a part a cause of complaint against the whole, wo may wave our remaining credit. Let ub ce:is« from striving in faction* with one another for particular place or power, but let ub bo public co operator* for the common wealth. Let our railvvayslmonrhighwavri supported by rates levied by equitable a^si-ineut upon v.ilui received, based upon value of pioperty and bulk ot population. Let those who are advocating i.ulvvay reform attack the policy, and not tlie management. The management is simply an ottici.il scapegoat foi the political Ca-s.u <»f the day. Let the object foi which railways w«re sanctioned in the countiy bu earned out, iiamelj to distnbute population and settlement throughout the country, and not to act as a barrier to hcttlement by causing a demoralizing grow th of big cities to act as the iminigiant's "Slough of Despond." The capital .state towns should bo selected inland as nearly equi - distant from the four corners of the state as is practicable, and there all state documents, Government buildings, survey olhce.s, .savings banks, <fee, Rh-iiild bo kept in common fairnesu to all. Let Commerce select her own abode, but let adtuinistrativo government bo equally available and equitable to all not only in name but in fact and in place. Lot our educational colleges ba selected in tho country towns, as far away from the noise and temptations of city saloons as possiblo, and let our nnuo fortunate men of commeico remember that they aio but casting their bread upon tho waters when they give an endowment, like a Costloy or a Mackelvio, to establish an inland college, agricultural, technical or ordinary. For although to the meichant tho keg of butter is the marketable article, tho cow that produced it is neveitlieless denorving of his consideration. Harbour bo.nds, cities and railways aie meio waves of tho ocean of commerce, which rise and fall with the rise or fall of a country. Tho country should bo tho base of national prosperity, and it is a serious reflection upon tho foresight of past leaderi ; the stagnation of country dntrict.l and tho small results from such a {Hi-t amount of public expenditure which bas taken place. Sir, though I appear but as a voice oiying in tho wildeineis, nevertheless I feel it my duty to raise my »oico against tho undue prefeionco in all matters which city interosts receives from the public cashier. — I am, <ke, William A. (Jjiaham.

Special attention is directed to Mr S. J rhompson's ad\ urtiscracnt ot clearing sale at I -itn ilicre stoic. Mr J. Knox will bell at the Hamilton Auction Mart ou Saturday uoxt, drapory, &c. SeedJvcrtuemont. Notice >c Mtfl defaulters in kibikihi Town District. Mr J.S. Huckland has rccencd instrurtioin to sell b> Auction at Andersons Hotel, Kihikiht, ou the 4th of November, the lwe for sevca years of 3') onf -acre sections. Sec list. Mr L. U. Harris gives no ire of hi» intention to apply for a. slaughtering tici nso >!• ihf County of Raglan,