Further Borrowing.

There were some who advocated the further borrowing large sums, but he did not think the Colony, with its burden debt, and in its present position, was prepared for such a [unclear: fl] and he certainly was not. Mr Larnach, for instance, advocats the borrowing, by instalments of five millions, and [unclear: a] Opposition, or at any rate some of them, while [unclear: condemines] the present increase of their indebtedness, wished to go [unclear: ior] further public loans. Dr Newman said borrow two million page 7 Therefore, if the Opposition were in power they would increase the debt, and the question was, was it necessary ? (An elector: We don't want more borrowing.) He said they ought as far as they could to live within their means. At present they had to raise £4,360,000 a year by taxation and for services, through the Railway, Postal and other Government Departments. That amounted to £3 7s per head of the population, and nearly £10 a head for the workers. The proper way of stating the debt of the Colony was not per head of the whole population, but per head of the workers, and it was nearly £150 per head of the breadwinners. As proof of this just look at the terrible calamity at Brunnerton. There were 67 bread winners called away, and nearly 250 widows and children left. How could the latter pay the £58 per head of liabilities. Why they were all, at the present, trying to assist these poor people to bear their own burdens. (Applause.)