The Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1870.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 225, 28 September 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1870.

Thebe is evidently an exodus from the Thames. Queensland, for what reason we know not, is oppor • '!y the " land of promise;" but the rvi'ing cause of the movement seems 1 ill' ;• a desire to get away, than any f.arlicu'ar attraction elsewhere. We may look on this movement in various lights. Ii is pos.-ible to see in it a proof that !Xew Zealand is incapable of supporting its present population, and therefore to wail jeremiads over the ruinous policy of introducing more. The fact that these miners having tried the country, and finding it all barren from Dan to Beersheba,are flying from it, ready to go anywhere out of New Zealand, may be taken as conclusive testimony that the piospecfcs of this country are used up; that there is no more gold or coal, or other mineral resource ; that the land is not worth having, and will not yield sufficient food to retain a people on its surface. It does not avail anything that the islands, in climate, soil, extent, and latent resources, are acknowledged by intelligent people to be equal in all respects to G-reat Britain. If we come to the consideration of the question in a proper, melancholy spirit, and reflect dismally on our present condition and future prospects, it will be quite clear that .New Zealand is over-populated at the present time, and that any suggestion to increase the numbers of the settled population, by the introduction of immigrants, the opening up of the country by public works, and helping the first efforts of the young colonists by the pecuniary aid thus afforded, is bul the reckless remedy of madmen. The country is done, and the sooner we fly from the financial earthquakes and volcanoes, which will speedily involve this community in inevitable ruin, the better for us all. It is quite possible to look at the exodus from the Thames. aiid the present depressed state of affairs in this light, and become very sad at the prospect. There are, however, other aspects to the question ; and with those wbo have lived much on goldfields there are usually not very many conclusions based on the flitting to and fro of gold-diggers. Their habits are essentially nomadic ; if unsuccessful in unearthing treasure in one gully, they will be speedily found in the next; and if gully-rakmg fails to give a satisfactory yield, it is not to the development of other resources of the country, agricultural or otherwise, that the digger turns, but to the speediest means of getting to some other land, to which the distant mirage is luring him. Some months ago a state of semi-starva-tion was existent at the Thames ; there was abundant employment available in the farming districts of the province, and no labour to be found, and yet witli solitary exceptions, the miner preferred to cling to his old hopes rather than

accept of plodding work with fixed returns. That the movements of such a class of men should be taken as a criterion of the general state of the country and its adaptedness or otherwise for the resumption of immigration, is generalising from very small data. If the lhames miners are leaving us, it simply proves that they find I hames mining does not pay, and that they are still true to nomadic instincts. Those leaving have doubtless been for a good while consumers, but non-producers, and their removal will be as beneficial to the goldfield as to themselves. But such an exodus, however extensive, in no way ati'ects the question ot the introduction of a stream ot immigration, which is the very lite-blood of a young comniuniiy.

There "was a large attendance at the Prince of Wales lheatre last night, " Doing for the Bes," " The Happy fair," and the " Maid and the Magpie," being produced. The performance will be repeated to-night.

Shultz's Operatic and Terpsechorian Company had a fair house at the Theatre iioyal last niglit, and were very well reeived. Tonight the perfo:nianco will be repeated.

As will be seen from another column, the Auckland Ethiopian Troupe, in the flush of youthful enthusiasm, is exhibiting most commendable zeal, in the cause of good. Tomorrow evening the Niggers give an entertainment at the Music Hall, in aid of the Orphan Home, Parnell. No cause could be more disserving, and we anticipate for the Company a very great success.

The lollowing particulars of the death of Capt. Cook, are from the Fiji Times of the 17th instant :—" Captain Cook, of the siea .Breeze, lrom Auckland, aied on board iiis vessel iv the Luvuka harbour on Wednesday night. He waj seized wiili paralysis on Sundaj, and never iullv recovered his consciousness. The deceased was strong, hearty, and healthy. His death was sudden and startling to his friends. His funeral was very numerously attended, being the largest ever witnessed in Levuka. E. March, Escj., H.M. Consul, Rev. JL)r. Ball, Dr. Kyley, aud many representatives from the various vessels in the harbour, with numerous merchants and others, paid their last tribute of respect by atteuding the departed to the grave. The solemn service was conducted bj the Rev. J. Nettelton. All the vessels in harbour had their flags half-mast high during the day."

We ob?erve that Mr. F. A. Lewisson, in order, as he announces, to meet his promissory notes, is determined to sell his choice stock of jewellery at a reduction of twenty per cent, less than cost price. The order is for one week only, and we advise all those of our readers who have a few pounds to spare to pay a visit to Mr. Lewisson's emporium, next door to Chapman's, bookseller. For further particulars we refer our readers to the advertisement whi h appears in another column.

The following additional particulars are from yesterday's Advertiser —We have been informed that an extraordinary animal has been captured at Porter's Creek, on Wharekawa, and is at present in keeping there. We sincerely hope that it will be brought over here soon, because we con less that the description we have heard is somewhat staggering, to say the least. This animal was caught in a swamp by dogs ; the logs, or arms and legs, were tied, and it was lodged in a vacant room in Mr. Baker's store. And now for the description. The Maori gorilla has, it is stated, a head somewhat like a native, but two tusks stick out, o;e on each side of the head. There is a large tuft of hair on the top of the head. The body is as dark as that of a Maori, with hair on the arms and legs. He grunts somewhat like a pig. So far for the description. The animal is apparently miscellaneous enough in his feeding, for we are informed that he cats potatoes, pie crust, and mils. We are informed that he is to be brought over here for public exhibition, and we must say we should like to see him. Since writing the above we have received some further, and in some part, contradictory particulars. The animal, or monster, has been living with the natives for a long time, although it is now, as stated above, in the keeping of Mr. Baker. It would almost appear that the famous "missing link" has been discovered at last. The natives say that it is a hundred years old, and that it is a "tupuna" or ancestor. Thus it seems they ure not so proud as we are, who do not care about believing that we are descended from monkeys. These natives are not prejudiced, and the learned Professors Huxley and JWwin would hail them as men after their own hearts. Two gentlemen were yesterday over at Wharckawa, and offered a pretty large sum far this animal which is to decide the development theory, but the negotiation lor its possession is not concluded.

The annual meeting of ratepayers of the the Karangahape Highway District will be held on the 4th October.