RE-OPENING OF THE TRADE BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND AND LIVERPOOL.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIV, Issue 1005, 13 February 1857, Page 4

RE-OPENING OF THE TRADE BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND AND LIVERPOOL.

The owners of the Black Ball line of Australian packets, Messrs. James Bainesand Co., having determined upon re-opening the trade between this port and New Zealand, gave an inauguration banquet on Thursday, the 18th Sept,, on board their fine ship the Great Tasmania, which was moored close to the Oliver Lang, (the pioneer ship of the new line to New Zealand,) in the Coburg Dock About 250 of the leading merchants in Liverpool, and several gentlemen interested in the colony, sat down to table. Mr. T. Mackaj, of the firm of Messrs. James Baines and Co., presided, and amongst the gentlemen present were his Worship the Mayor of Liverpool, the Hon J. S. Wortley, late of Caateibury, New Zealand ; Mr. J Smith, and Captain Robertson, of Wellington, New Zealand j Colonel Turner, of the Hon. East India Corapauy; Admiral Grenfell j Mr. A. P. Rid^way, of London, agent of the province of Auckland j Mr. G. F. Train, chairman of the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce; Mr. Wilson, (of the firm of Pilkington and Wilson) ; Mr. Hanison, &c, &c. The cloth having been removed, The Chairman/ in language at once eloquent and felicitous, proposed in succession the following toasts, which were drunk with all the honour*, ; — ''Her Majesty the Queen," "The Emperor Napoleon, and the Frenoh Nation," "The King and Kingdom of Sardinia, the City of Italian Libeity," "Prince Albert," and "The Army and Navy." Colonel Turner, on behalf of the array, aud Captain Sc-homberg, for the navy, returned tbankh for the las; toast. The Chairman next proposed "The health of the worthy Chief Magistrate of Liveipool," and begged to thank him for his presence there that day. The Mayor briefly returned thanks. The Chairman again rose and said, it had often been a reproach to the shipowners and enterprising merchants of Liverpool that the jSew Zea-

land trade, which in years gone by had a standing iv tliis town, for a long time past had reposed quietly in the port of London. Be was not going to try to fathom the cause of the decay of that ti ado here. They (Messrs Baines and 1 Co ) were going to do better; they were going to try 10 re-tore the trade. (Applause.) About twelve mnuhs ago they put out their baits, and he must confe&s the nibbles were anything but glorious — (l.mghter ) — and no doubt their oppo ncnts thought they might fairly don their n:ghtcups and sleep for ten years longer. 13ut they had not pondered ovor the btory of Bruce and the spider in vain ; and the company were called on that day to encourage them in their second trial. (Loud applause.) "Happily, by very fortuitous circumstances, he might almost say by the laws of attraction, they met some gentlemen in Lon don, some of whom wore their honoured guests that day, and as those gentlemen were the very men they wanted, and they were the very men those geutlemen wan tod, they were not long in otrikiug a bargain ; and the first fruits of that was the ship Oliver Lang, which would go into the river on Saturday, with upwards of !>UO emigrants, and 800 tons of cargo (Applause.) One of those honoured guest* was now beside him— his friend, Mr. Smith, from Wellington; and if we considered a man to be a benefactor of his species who made two blades of grass grow where only one grew bofore, how much more ought we to estimate the labours of those who, parting from all the endearing associations of home, went as pioneers to the islands of the southern hemisphere, and by their zeal and energy rendered tri butary not only the so 1 but the aboriginal population itself. (Hear and applause) He (the chairman) had often contemplated, as one of the greatest glories of the colonisation of New Zealand, that while in all other lan-is the red man's history would soon be as a tale that is told, there we found a native population whose education shamed their conquerors. (Heir, hear ) This was a standing memorial of the generous and honest legislation of the Anglo-Saxon. For 17 years Mr. Smith had laboured with zoal and energy to illustrate the beautiful passage in the Scripture, "The wilderness and the solitary places shall be glad, and the desert shall rejoice and blos&om as the rose ;'" and while most men would have sought to end a life of labuur with jn age of ease, he had no greater glory than to assist in bringing within the reach of those who were Ipss highly favoured the abundance which he had left behind him The chairman concluded by pro posing "Prosperity to New Zealand," coupling with the t«>a&t the name of Mr. Smith. (Cheers.) Mr. Smith, of Wellington, on rising to return thanks, was received with loud and prolonged applause. He said : — Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, it is indeed with feelings of no ordinary degree of pride and satisfaction that I, coming home after more than 17 years in New Zealand, meet this day for the first time with such an assembly of gentlemen as are now present, to celebrate in such a manner the first departure of emigrants for the land of my adoption, cannot but regret, gentlemen, that it has not fallen to I the lot of abler hands to return thanks in that eloquent manner in which my heart would ex-m-ess its sincerity. When I look around me and fsee some of the chief men and chief officers of Liverpool, with the chief magistrate at their h eac l — when I look around me and see the eminent shipowners, whose magnificent fleets are now at anchor in almost every part of the known world — I cannot, gentlemen, but feel grateful to you for the honour you have done me. I should like, gentlemen, if time had permitted me, _to have given you some statistics relative to the interesting and promising country to which I now belong. But, unfortunately, the hour grows late, and I cannot attempt to enlarge so fully as 1 would. I may mention, however, that when the first vessel was laid on for Liverpool, called the Oliver Lang, the first thing I was told was that she was too large. I maintained, gentlemen, that nothing could be too large for New Zealand. (Cheers') The country only wants and waits to be developed, and she is developing. (Cheers.) I have no doubt of the truth, of that declaration which the late Sir Robert Peel uttered in the House of Commons, that New Zealand is destined to be the Great Britain of the Southern hemisphere . (Cheers.) I believe that that time is fast approaching, and I am glad that the fiist attempt of this kind has been made in Liverpool I am happy to be able to say that 300 emigrants are going out, and, notwithstanding that there are 800 tons of cargo in the ship, there are nearly 200 left behind. JS T ew Zealand, gentlemen, I am happy to say, is in a veiy far different state from what it was when I first arrived there. When I went out first to its inhospitable shores, I saw nothing but naked savages, or lawless wanderers and outcasts from the convict colonies. Now, the place has arrived at so high a state of perfection, that it is really marvellous to look upon, and would seem almost fabulous were I fully to describe it. It would require the language of Macauley to depict the scene. Well might Sir George Grey, our late governor at the Cape, say, when he left our shores, that in no part of the world arc life and property so secure as in New Zealand. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) It has been my happiness, when present as a grand juror in Wellington, to see the high she 1 iff present the judge three times with a pair of white gloves. (Loud cheers.) So far, gentlemen, as regards the morality of the place. The natives are brought now, I rejoice to say, into the highest state of civilisation. These people can, as Mr. Mackay has already stated, almost to a man, read and write, and put to shame many of their white brethren. They are large owners of the soil which they have rebought — actually themselves re-bought. They are large proprietors of stock. The finest breed of horses| in the colony belongs to the natives ; and I may mention an instance in which the successful OAvner — a Liverpool merchant, Mr. Hickson, I mention his name, as he probably will be known to some of you here — of a very celebrated horse which, at the races, carried everything before him, was tendered by ihe natives, to my own knowledge, a ba^ of 500 sovereigns, to improve their stock. This, gentlemen, shews the interest which they take in the improvement of the colony. (Hear, hear.) What we want is labour ; and lam glad to see that Liverpool is assisting us in procuiing it. We ' do not want gold. I can assure you, gentlemen, ' except of course in so far as we all want, that we have got inexhaustible stores of wealth in our soil. We want labour to extract the wealth from our land. Our principal export at present is wool, and upon this subject I shall just read you an extract from a letter of a very high au- . thority indeed — one of the leading statesmen of New Zealand, his Honour the Superintendent , of Wellington. He writes to me thus : — "There ( is no doubt that the province is advancing ' rapidly; and it is difficult to imagine any possible check to its prosperity, so that there is now a far better opening for commercial intercourse with England than has previously existed. The population will probably be [doubled every three years, and our exports will certainly, in two or three years, be equal to our imports. Independent of other exports, you may calculate that the next clip of wool, of this province alone, will not be less than 1,000,000 pounds weight ; and including the other southern '

provinces, you may estimate \ ¥ at 3,000,000 lb?." This gentlemen, I am happy to say "would load at least four or five Oliver Langs, and I am delighted to think that instead of sendiug home bank drafts, yu will get wool. The piirei we I'ape already obluined are altogether equal to those of Fort 1-MiiUip. I shall also read you another ex tract fritiu a very intelligent Btitish officer, published in the 'Australian and New Zealand Gazette' He states "that within the- last two months 2JOO persons have left Victoria for New Zealand, and that many more are preparing to follow. The New Zealand Government, now in the hands of a responsible executive, and. on the whole, acting in the enli-htened spirit of a popu lar constitution, invites such immigrants by every fair inducement, and it may be said that every day now sees the arrival in one or other of our ports, not only o r the labourer or artizan with hin family from Kn^l ad, but of the successful gold miner from Sydney or Victoria, availing himself of that secure and favourable investment wnich New Zealand offers him for hi? few thousands, or it may be only his few hundred: saved from the diggings. There is probably no pos^c-sion of the British Crown where the ght3 of nature have been bestowed with a more lavish hand than the settlement of New .Zealand It has been bloscd with a mojst fertile soil, a five climate, excellent harboui., stores of mineral wealth — everything in fact v hich is calculated to make th c islauds at a future day the Britaiu of the Southern Seas. In the earlier period of its connection with the mother-country, New Zealand was made the victim of a long scries of official bunders and crimes, and its prospects were marred and blighted by the effects of an unprincipled monopoly, which sought to grasp in its own hand the exclusive po->>e si 'H and right io the whole of its fertile S')il The energy and perseverance of the Ang^o Saxon race, deriving but little of assistance and encouragement from the Government at home, have, however, overcome the difficulties which the s ipineness of a government, and the comjJi utiou of the land questions, had thrown in their path of progress " The intelligent writer from whom j T have quoted, describing the striking political and soci.il change whi-h has lately taken place, and which happily no hjman power can reverse, proceeds to say — "If the piesont owners and occupiers of laud in the colony could but obtain an adequate supply •>£ labour, New Zealand wmld in a veiy shoit time occupy the pjoud position of being the most prosp^ious and wealthy of the British possessions. This is now being done! And now that, both from Europe and Australia, th's great demand for labour is in course of being though gradually, yet effectually met, the future prospects of tie colony may well inspire the high-e-t hope and confidence." Gentlemen, there is another thing which parlies leaving this country, for the shores <»f New Zealand, will find befor.them. They will find, what is an advantage and a gift to a country whicli cannot be overrated, a constitutional freedom. (Hear, hear-) We have now got, thanks to Sir. Addeiley, and to the other devoted men who laboured for the advantage of Npw Zealand, one of the freest constitutions ever gr:nte<l to any nation. (Chews) It is almost equal to universal suffrage. I, who have watched the rise of the colony, and taken a very active part in its affair-, cau pay, with great certainty, that the prosperity which has followed upon that freedom, has surpassed the most sanguine expectations. Furthermore, I can say that the freedom has not been abused, but has been exercised with modeiation, care, and judgment. (Hear) Tho'-e men who go out will not be move than bis months in the colony, from the time when they arrive, before they will have a voice in the adminkt'ation of its affairs The officers of the colouy must be elected aecouliug to the constitution, a 'd the&e men will have a share in the exercise i-f that powei We have a ministerial government, and I cono'ddently hope to see the country more and more prospering under its auspices an I operation (Heav, hear ) Furthermore, gentlemen, although we aie the Antipodes, do not think we ever forget that wo are British FubjecbS. (Cheers) In no pa*t of the world where the British flag flie^, is there a people more devoted to their Queen, and on every occasion when we have a banquet — not, indeed, a banquet to be compired to this, for such a display could ha'-dly be expected from so yonng a country — it would delight and overjoy you to see the feeling which animates New Zealand Englishmen when her Majesty's health is proposed (Chcen ) Gentlemen, I really must again much deplore that I cannot return you thanks in an ad"quate manner for the honor you have done me in the compliment I have received I esteem it an houor to myself, but I also esteem it an lunor to New Zealand, and I can assure you that it will le highly appreciated. It will be welcome news to the shores of New Zealand that the intelligent and enterpiising people of Liverpool have come forward in this splendid style to assist and to cheer them on in their exeitions for the establishment of their permanent prosperity. (Cheeis.) I should like, gentlemen, if you would allow me, to propose a toast (Hear, hear ) I think it is one which will meet with your approbation, and I shall take the liberty of asking you to drink it in bumpers. I beg leave to propose the health of "Messrs. Jame3 Baines and Company." (Loud and enthusiastic cheering.) It would be almost absuid of us to talk of the enterprise of that firm. It is so weU known that any compliment of mine would be indeed peifectly superfluous. Mr. Mackay has observed that on this occaiion that 6rm were anxious to see me I can assure you, gentlemen, that I was an anxious to see them. (Hear, hear.) Their names, before I left New Zealand, were especially entiusted to me. The Superintendent of Wellington told me that the men for my business were Baines & Co (Cheers ) I need not allude to the enterprise and exertions which they have displayed to pro mote the Australian trade, and I can only hope that they will succeed in cairying on as gigantic a trade with New Zealand. When our flax comes into play, as no doubt it will some day, the cotton imported into Liverpool will be trivial compared to it. In looking over the OH\er Lang, observing her splendid accommodation, and everything which could make comfoit, I could not but perceive that she far surpas.->e3 anything we have had on our t-hores. I have seen the London docks, and a gentlemen, who commanded vessels of a well known line, told me he never saw anything there equal to th's ship before. lam glad to be able to state that everything has been done for the comfort of the pirties who have to bear a long* voyage. I can only say, in conclusion, that I expect, after a splendid voyage of six months, this noble vessel will he seen again gliding upon the Mersey with 4,000 ba^es of our New Zealand wool. (Cheers.) Mr Smith then proposed the toast, and resumed his seat amid loud applause. Mr. A. F. Rid2way of London, r jent for the province of Auckland, supported the proposition, and the toast was diunk with cheers. Mr. James Baines retu. nod thanks. He said nothing wou'd be left undone on the pait of the owners of the "Clack Ball" line of packets to carry out the emigration to New Zealand in an honest and liberal spirit j and ihey only wished to be judged by their act-. They hoped in a few years hence to bo able to give as good an account of their stewardship in the New

Zealand trade as in the trade of Australia.— (Applausp.) He tagged to propobe "The health of Captain Schombergand the Emigration Officers of Liverpool.— (Cheers ) Captain Schomberg retuiucd thatika. (To be concluded in our next.)

"Oli ! dear, Mr. F., you jest when you say my babe is the handsomest you ever saw ; you must be soft-soaping " " Well, madam, I think it needed soap of souje kind." A wit being told that an old acquaintance wae tnairicd, exclaimed, "I am glad to hear it." But reflecting a moment he added in atone of coinpassiou and forgiveness: "And yet I don't know why I should be, he uever did me any harm." A Glasgow merchant, an Irishman. was lately accosted in his counting-house by a countryman, who needed chsn-ity. Money having been given to him, he said : "You havn't got such a thing as a pair of ould trowseTS, have you?" "No, my man," said the merchant, "I don't keep my wardrobe in my counting-house." .'Where do you live 1" rejoined Pat, "and Til call in t he morning for the ould pair you've got on." " Have you any travelling inkstands ?" asked a lady of a clerk of one of our stationery stores, last Saturday." II No, Ma'am ; we have them with feet and legs, but they are not old enough to favel yet," was the pert reply.