"COLONUS" IN LAST WEEK'S HERALD.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2322, 28 May 1887, Page 3

"COLONUS" IN LAST WEEK'S HERALD.

TO THE KniTOR. Sin,—l had formed a pretty higli idea of •'Colonus," Now I have altered my opinion of him. I now consider him a penny-a-liner, and nothing else. Of course, if I make such an assertion, I must give my reasons ; mere assertions arc nothing ; facts and ideas must bo given to uphold assertions. I will prove that " Colonus " with all his high, flowery talk is'shallow ; if I do not do so, Mr Editor, I will give you full liberty to write me down what 1 have been often told that I am —an ass. " Colonus" in his last epistle has given us a cure for the depression which now exists. His reasons as to the eauso of the depression are true, very true, and if he had said no more I would have still have considered him a far-sighted seer. He considers the country has been in a manner forced at a high pressure speed, that we have put so much steam on, that we have endangered the boiler ; in fact, come pretty nigh to a burst up. He does not use these identical words, but to all intents and purposes that is what he infers, and no doubt he is correct. But his cure for this shokey boiler is all wrong; in fact, his cure is a continuance of high steam, and would end in the final catastrophe, that is, a blow up. He compares the loans we have received and squandered in a reckless manner to alcohol, which has not been nutriment, but has only been a false excitement to us without giving us a stable strength. No doubt in saying so he is right; it is perhaps true as the needle is to the pole. He also says that after a debauch a a dram is necessary to keep the shattered system from wholly sinking ; in that he is also right; a " hair of the tho dog that bit you" is salvation. But then he is not going to stop at that. If he stopped with the one dram or, in extreme cases, perhaps two, all would be right, but he is for going on with the debauch and that with such a vengence that it could only end in suicide. Tho primary evil was the first debauch. Under the name of a healer he is going to continue on at it, till he is utterly past redemption. Colonus's cure for the country is saloon passages for men and family who would bring £2000 with them. He says this would nourish New Zealand. Now whether it would or not, lam not going to argue, but I must say I cannot help seeing that already we have to much butter, eggs and beef, and how an addition to the already too much production is going to benefit the farmcrslconnottell. However, it isnot worth arguing what will never be, simply for this reason, that, admitting the £2000-men would nourish New Zealand, you are not to suppose that these £2000-men are snch fools (saloon passages inclnded), as to come to New Zealand to nourish New Zealand. If they left old England to come to a new country it would be to benefit themselves. This is Colonus's week point. He has not shown "at all at all" that these men would be nourishing themselves. If there were a complete, thorough and entire reversal of the policy of the last fifteen years, along with wise, prudent, far-seeing administration, the conntry of itself would soon induce £2000 men to coine out without any bribe, but as it is at present, no bribe would induce these men to come here. They would be fools to do so. Mr Editor, I am well aware that a complete stoppage of the present policy would ontail suffering. I atri neither a fool nor a cruel man ; it would be painful to me to see men, women and little children suffering. There is just one thing I would borrow for. I would borrow a quarter or half or a whole million to keep these idle men from suffering till once things readjusted themselves. With administrators who would go in for wisdom, economy, retrenchment, for a Qoinplete change from the past, things would light themselves much sooner than one would think. Let the country alone. Leave it to itself. This is the only national and true solution. You must go to first causes; any temporary cure only is adding to the evil and intensifies it tho more. Lst the reign of imbeciles cease; give us John Hall, and by a twelve month two thousand pounders will be coming out at their own expense.—Yours obediently, Hauapipi. Harapipi, 23rd May, ISB7. P.S.—Tho quarter, half or whola million I would not b irrow upon the principle of giving work to tho msn. That is the old dodg'\ Productive works and indirect benefits means fudgo, and some dodge for some one's benefit. It would mean some improvement done for somn one's benefit at the country's expense. There has been too much of this. I would just have men receive assistance and do nothing in return. Your readers would be surprised how soon the unemployed would diminish in numbers. No doubt a few loafers would like it, but nine-tenths of the men would not cling to the charitable dole long.