The Anglo-Maori Warder. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1848.

Anglo-Maori Warder, Volume 1, Issue 22, 21 September 1848, Page 2

The Anglo-Maori Warder. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1848.

It is refreshing to leave the hot and turbid atmosphere of politics, which are now becoming difficult to speak of even with patience, for the cooler consideration of what may be properly termed the domestic affairs 0/ the colony. Political discussion —necessary everywhere upon occasion, and in New Zealand much too often—is nevertheless unproductive ; it creates nothing - instar puerorum, as was said by Bacon of the Aristotelian logic, qui ad garriendum prompti sint, generate non possunt* And the formation of a society—not yet christened, but which, unless a more elegant name be suggested, might be called the New Zealand Advancement Society—for examining into the resources of the colony—has placed at our disposal the means of filling a portion of our columns with matter of a more lastingly useful nature. It was high time that something of the sort should at last be done; that we should be awakened to the necessity of putting shoulders to the wheel—of producing for ourselves, instead of depending so entirely as we do upon the mother country for support. In spite of the hard money that is fast accumulating in the country, we cannot persuade ourselves that this colony is in a sound and healthy state, or that anything can be in a sound and healthy state which is unable to depend upon itself for support. For it is dependent, not upon its own production, but upon foreign resources, which might fail at any moment} upon the home subvention, and upon commissariat expenditure. Knock from under u» these two crutches upon which we stand, burst the bladders on which we swim, and fall or sink we must. We believe the present appearances of prosperity to be deceptive in the highest degree, and even more dangerous than they are deceptive ; on account of the general carelessness and apathy which they induce. This settlement is at present like a stall-fed ox, fattening visibly, but losing all energy and activity as fast 5 or, if you will, like the black king of Dahomey, too lazy to feed himself, but stuffed into plethora by a wife on either side. As has been wittily said, it is nursed by the soldiers, and is sick of the scarlet fever. Nelson and Taranaki, to which comparatively little support from without has been afforded, are in a much healthier state than ourselves. And they deserve great credit for the determination with which they have forced their way through many difficulties. They are at their ease about the future, for they are conscious that they can support themselves. Nothing can hurt them; a war in Europe, and a .ecall of the troops, may be there regarded almost with indifference. They are hardy plants; stunted a little, perhaps, but able to face any weather; whilst we, with all our luxuriance of vegetation, are no better than a hot-house exotic after all, which must perish if the fire in the stove be suffered to go out. Wellington is probably in a more unsafe state than even Auckland, the same causes operating, to render it so more forcibly than even here. For a hotter fire is kept there in the stove •, the Government expenditure is greater, while the natural resources of that part of the count r y are beyond comparison inferior. It affords unmixed gratification to see that the northern province has been the first to awaken from heavy sleep, shewing signs at last of being willing to lead the way in a vigorous effort to place itself upon a sounder fooling—to prove that it can fall back safely upon its own internal resources, which are abundantly sufficient to maintain it iu health and prosperity if they be only realised and turned to account*

The formation of this society is the first great step in advance. It is composed of men of all classes, without exception, and numbers among its members many of the most active minded and intelligent colonists among us. That its influence upon the settlement should be immediate, or that direct or practical advantage should at once accrue from it, is hardly to be expected ; the realisation of its hopes and projects must be a work of time; but the sooner they are mooted, the sooner they will be brought to bear. It suffices that " the grain of mustard seed" be already sown. The society met for the first time on Saturday last. A report was read which took a general view of the whole subject; calling attention not only to the importance of increasing our exports, but to the dimunition of our imports by home manufacture. The principle natural productions of the country were mentioned seriatim, which it was agreed to distribute among the members of the society, each selecting such as had come more particularly within his own observation and experience, with a view of communicating the results of it at subsequent meetings. The great advantage of chronicling, not only successful, but unsuccessful experiments likewise, was dwelt upon, as saving others from wasting time and money in attempting any thing that had been already proved to fail; on this principle that if every wrong course be marked off, one only can remain. "Si l'on says Dr. Gall, the beaucoup de gagne a savoir n'y conduit pas. 1 ' It was no suggestion, through fear of its wild or trifling, should be ever withheld; that "we must not say, What good will this do ? For the use of everything will be found in its season." An observation intrinsically of little value, may prove suggestive ; it may stimulate the inv.ntive powers of others. All may be toned to account, says the Friar in p,omeo snHiet For nought riHjPe that oraHearth doth live, But to the sjKiinpod doth give. If every only contribute his mite— lymftmt exception, which occurs to soon collect a mass of which something really valuable mighd^^Baned. We confess to be sanguine in our expectations that will accrue to the colony of this society. Every person to be deeply impressed with the aHk necessity of making a decided move in indicated, and aware of the of those advantages derived from of the mother country which we ifflßenjoy ; all volunteered their best far as in them lay, to bring about a sounder state of things, or at least to obviate the danger of our being taken by surprise, should the sources of this present seeming prosperity be cut off, —of being forced to stand still in almost utter ignorance of those more legitimate resources which we should then be required to fall back upon. Walter Scott used to tell a story, how, when the last bullock which Auld Watt of Harden had provided from the English pastures was consumed, his wife—the flower of Yarrow, as she was called —placed upon the table a dish containing a pair of clean spurs ; a hint to the company that they must bestir themselves for their next dinner. Let us hope that the colonists of New Zealand will not be found so improvident or careless of the morrow as Auld Watt and his gang; that they will not await in idleness the production of the clean spurs—a much too significant to be pleasant, but bestir themselves while there is still a piec? of beef remaining in the lardoir.