RETRENCHMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2505, 31 July 1888, Page 3

RETRENCHMENT.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,— Kindly grant me spaco in your columns for a few remarks nn the great question of the {day, re the possibility of paying off the debt of the country, which is now weighing us down. The cry of the bold heart is that we can pay it off if we take the right steps to do so, which is to reduce the expenditure of the country to a shade below its revenue, this cannot be done in one year, or even two, But a goud commencement could, and should bo made at once, if ever we expect to redeem ourselves Some suggest immigration into the coiantry as a means of relieving us of our trouble, und there is no doubt that it would assist 11s very much, providing we could get the right sort of people to come to our shores. People with a little money and who would be willing to add a little hard work with it, but we are not likely to get this class of immigrant ; we cannot offer them the same inducement that other countries can. We have only our climate to boast of, while otfey countries have a fairclimate, and millions of land, quite equal to any land New Zealand ever possessed, that they are willing to give away to anyone who will come and settle on them, so we are not .likely to gut any help in that direction at present. Peonle have better sense than to come here whnn they can be better suited elsewhere. NojKvlr Editor, we must tear the burden ourselves, until we can make it lighter— every man in New Zealand should put his shoulder to the wheel without a murmur, no matter what colour or race he may be, he should bear his share of taxation, and I am glad to see that our present Government are taking stops in that direction if they desire to have the good-will and support of every man iu the country. Tlie natives have had a rosy time of it for the last twenty years with their bread buttered 011 both sides, and they should now come forward and give a helping hand in the hour of need. (Jive tliem the same protection and privileges as any other Briti-ih subjects and no more, they would then lie abetter lot of people to themsolves and every one round then). Native schools in native districts should bo looked to, they aro of no benefit to the race, quite the reverse, the system is a mistake and a waste of public money. Twothirds of the children who attend these jghools are n disgrace to their people, tha

masters do their best for them, but it is utterly useless to teach a Maori child at all unless he is kept away from the settlement and his people. A few words with respect to Maori pensioners. Nearly every native one meets in the Bay of Plenty is a pensioner, and not one could tell you what ho did to deserve it. Major Fox to Pokiha Taranui is one of about fifteen years standing, he also receives another sum vearly for keeping down the under growth from the telegraph poles between Maketu and the Waiwhakareto. I have been continuously on this road for ton years and I have never seen one day's work done by te Pokiha or any one for him during that time, but he has never forgotten to receive his quarterly pay, the line got mo bad that a few months ago the department had to employ men to do it. When they commenced the work this noble chief came and tried to stop them, saying if he allowed them to do the work, the Government might stop his yearly pay. Arama ICaraka o- Matata gets a yearly sum for the Matata ferry, this is money wasted, for there are twenty boats there to do this ferrying, and do do it. Arama ICaraka or his boat is seldom seen except 011 a fine day. There is no end of public monev wasted in this way connected with Maori matters, the day is gone passed when this sort of thing might have been a benefit, but should now bo discontinued. Retrenchment should go on in every direction that a saving can be made, if it is only a few pounds it will all help at the end of the year. And unless every means are taken to reduce the expenditure uf the country, it is unfair to expect us to bear the taxation with good grace, or ever expect to redeem our country.—l am, <&c.,

Hark Rai'l'akaiia. Waihi Maori Settlement, July 15th, 1888.