The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. TUESDAY, JAN. 10, 1893.

Waikato Times, Volume XL, Issue 3205, 10 January 1893, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

TUESDAY, JAN. 10, 1893.

Rqual and exact justice to all men. Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. __

In common, with another Australian colony, New South Wales appears just at present to be keenly feeling tho effects of a lavish, not to say extravagant, expenditure of borrowed money. It wns comparatively easy to obtain, and still more pleasant to expend, the British millions, but just how or when to apply the brake is not so simple a matter; this other colonies than New South Wales have discovered. There is, however, one result plainly arising from the large expenditure of British capital, which probably was never contemplated by those who advocated the borrowing policy, and probably has never been sufficiently weighed by those who look forward to a bright future for the colonies. This is the effect which such a purely artificial means of progress would have upon die colonists themselves, and which may bo described us an almost total disappearance of the spirit of independence, which was a marked characteristic of the early settlers. Flaced in the position of employers on an immense scale, with unlimited funds at their disposal, is it any wonder that all classes have learnt to look to the Government for work and wages in preference to private employers. The honest efforts of tlm latter to push forward the legitimate industries of the country could, of course, never permit anything in the way of such lavish and wasteful expenditure as that too frequently witnessed in connection with our public works. The result of the colonial policy in this respect is thus clearly put by the Sydney Mail: "In a recent issue of the Times it was remarked that Mr Lyne had put his finger upon one of the weakest spots in the policy of Australia when lie denounced the too great dependence of the people upon the Govern men t. The remark is of interest as showing appreciation of the characteristics of the situation, although the discovory on this side is not a new one, for other fingers had been placed upon that weak spot long before. The misfortune, is that this too great dependence has become a habit, if not an instinct, and that under our popular form of Government, the tendency is rather in the direction of strengthening il, than of attacking and weakening it. Dependence upon the Government has. discouraged and checked the natural progress of privateenterprise, and, as this lias narrowed the field' of private employment, the unemployed hav.i fallen back upon the Government as if they had a claim as of right to do so. The Government is to be commended for its postive refusal to establish relief works, for the benefit of the unemployed, but the eager prosecution of expenditure in its ordinary forms has not been absolutely distinjj&ishnblu from carrying on relief works under another name, and, if new works

were undertaken, and money were borrowed at high rates, or under improvident conditions, for the purpose of paying for them, the practical effect of such a policy, by whatever name it might be called, would bo to establish the habit of dependence upon the Government more firmly tlmn before, and to make the administration of relief the chief purpose which the Government had to accomplish.