NEW EDINBURGH.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 53, 20 April 1844, Page 2

NEW EDINBURGH.

The great ignorance that exists at home both with regard to New Zealand and the character of the native population, cannot be more strongly illustrated than by the fact of Mr. Rennie, the projector of the New Edinburgh settlement, having selected the Middle, instead of the Northern Island of New Zealand as the field for the operations of his Company, and that for the reason that there are no natives on the Middle Island. We who know the advantages of a native population may smile at the reason, but the poor New Edinburgh settlers will feel many severe privations because of this ignorant crotchet of Mr. Rennie. If he could but took over the present price current of the South' crn Cross and .compare it with that of the Nelson Examiner, or even the Wellington Gazette, his eyes might be a little opened to the advantages of being resident near a large native population. To place this subject in a clear light, we will insert the price of the same articles of native production in each of the three settlements — .

The above small table would enable Mr. Rennie to see the advantages of a native population. The truth is that, notwithstanding the great fertility of New Zealand, the present European population, instead of being as they are well entitled to assume the dignified name of a Colony, would have been long ago literally starved out of the country but for the extraordinary exertions made by the aboriginal inhabitants to supply them with cheap provisions. In the absence of land to cultivate ourselves, after the Government had declared our properties forfeited to the Crown, what could wo have done but for our kind friends the natives ? They grew provisions for us at a rate so reasonable that we never almost felt that we were in a strange land. As regards labour too, the native population is of uncalculable value to the new settlers. They will at once and cheaply erect comfortable native houses for them as temporary residences ; they are the best at immediately fencing and clearing a piece of laud for garden or other cultivation ; they supply firewood, and do a hundred offices which tho emigrant in a new country would feel very much at a loss how to set about doing himself. The natives are hitherto, and if properly treated they will continue to be the greatest benefit and the greatest blessing we have in New Zealand. Without them there would be little inducement to remain in this country, in the expectation of raising from the sale of the waste lands of the Crown a sum of money large enough to convey labourers from England. We do not want English labour — this is our great, our decided advantage over all Colonies. We merely want capital to employ our labour in the development of the native wealth and native resources of our Colony. The neighbouring Colonies want labour, capital, and material to work upon. We have all these but one, and if we receive a due supply of the capital which is unemployed and idle at home, our settlement will soon be independent.

TCELLINGAUCKLAND. NELSON. TQN Bread f2s>. 4d. ... sd. ... 6d. ', Beef,^B>.... 4d. ... 9d. ... 9Jd. Butter, d 0.... Is. 6d. ... 2s. 6d. ... Is. Qd. Mutton, d 0... 4d. ... 10d. ... 9d. , Pork, do. ... 2d. ... 6d. ... 4d. Potatoes, ton £1 ... £6 ... £5 Fowls, f pair 2s. ... ss. ... ss. Eggs,^doz. Is. ... 2s. ... Is. 6d. Milk^quart 3d. ... sd. ... 3d.