MAJOR DANE ON "NEW ZEALAND, THE WONDERLAND OF OCEANA."

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 177, 28 July 1888, Page 5

MAJOR DANE ON "NEW ZEALAND, THE WONDERLAND OF OCEANA."

Major Dane gave a lecture ab the V.M.C.A. Hall, Sydney, upon "New Zealand, the Wonderland of Oceana." There was a large attendance. The lecturer first presented a picture of the country as seen by him in a year's journeying from North Cape to Southland, and from coast to coast. He saw at once that ho was entering a scene of great beauty. In all his journeyings he had never been more amazed. Some of the people delighted to call Auckland the Naples of New Zealand. It had no reBemblance to Naples, but there was a striking resemblance fco Corinth. He extended his journey carefully and slowly, and examined everything for himself. New Zealand was unique in everything—in soil and in climate. The greab evil was that the people did not know what they had; they hardly knew what riches there were to develop. To sail up some of the rivers in the north portion, one could almost think one was sailing on Italian lakes. There were ab least 100 " foreign ports " in New Zealand, bub they would ultimately have only one, and that would be Auckland. Australia would have one, and that would be Sydney. Commerce only knew one thing—its own advantage— and you could not turn it away. (Applause.) They had tried to do this in his own country and had spent millions in doing it, but had always failedi To Sydney and to Auckland as the natural ports, the shipping of fifty years would come. They heard that New Zealand was ruined ; but he had seen his own country ruined three times— absolutely wiped oub. Yet they were in a fairly healthy condition to-day. New Zealand ruined—they might as well tell him that the sun was ruined because a cloud was across his face. (Applause.) All she had to do was to develop a country that could carry 15 millions of people. With her climate, and soil, and mines, how could she be ruined ? Why, one could can as much fruit as California, and the world's market was waiting for it. But it was said that she had nob got the manufactories that America had. Neither had America in his boyhood; but it was not the manufactories that made the country what it was, but£he agriculture behind it. Everything was in New Zealand to please the eye, and charm the soul, and all that) the land was crying for was for men and women to come and possess it.