TARANAKI (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) New Plymouth, April 26.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3045, 30 April 1867, Page 5

TARANAKI (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) New Plymouth, April 26.

A FIW weeks ago it wu stated in your columns that the Manutahi settlers were leaving in disgust. Our local press was very indignant, and denied the correctness of your information j however, your correspondent might have gone further, and stated that one-third of the population of this province had left in disgust. It is generally i admitted that the soil and climate of Taranaki are second to none in New Zealand, and as all the settlers are within twenty miles of town, those of Manutahi being only ten miles out, surely, with average management, a majority of those leaving might have been induced to remain. But, unfortunately for the province^we have at the head of affairs a poor Bample of humanity, without a spark of energy or one practical idea. He is said to he of deep learning, and dabbles in scientific •übjects; but, if any struggling settler has ocoasion to call at his office on the simplest errand, our Superintendent is nonplussed, and in a helpless tone of voice postpones the matter "until he consults Mr. Kelly," when, if it is anything requiring money, the usual answer is, "No funds." The province is provided with a wonderfully complete and extensive Government establishment, and if we only had the means how^ well no doubt things would be managed; but, as it is, we require all the revenue to pay interest of loans and the trifling salaries falling due monthly. Having nothing to do, a general lassitude affects the members of the several departments. By-the«by, I may except our energetic registrar of dogs, who happens to be paid so much a head, as many a poor cur has found out lately ; but he is certainly the only active man about. This dulness i« not confined to Government quarters. It affects the whole community, the majority of whom are waiting for something to turn up, and have existed for the last twelve months on hopes of some morning finding the oil flowing, and now on hopes that an early steamer will bring forward a manager andjstaff to work the renowned iron sand, and somehow or other to restore the prosperous days of Commissariat expenditure. The result is, that a large proportion of the settlers have sold their land at merely nominal prices, and quitted as stated. A large proportion of the old settlers have returned to their farms, but evidently with no good heart, which is not to be wondered at, considering the lack of security on the withdrawal of the troops, no arrangements having been made as yet to replace them even with the proposed constabulary. A few weeks ago the body of a white man was found some three miles from Warea Camp, and about seven from the Okato settlement. Nothing has been done to secure his murderers, except the holding of a court of inquiry, and the insertion of a paragraph in the newspaper stating that the murderers had been expelled by their tribe. I wonder how your Papakuta settlers would feel if a man were killed by the natives three miles out from Drury — about a like distance from Auckland as Warea from New Plymouth. Under these circumstances, our settlers can hardly be expected to return to the country with that spirit which alone can secure success. To complete the liafc of our misfortunes, I may add the failure to discover the much-desired petroleum. One of the companies, having exhausted their means, has given up ; another has stopped until the directors can squeeze funds out of the shareholders through legal means ; and the shareholders of the Taranaki Company, having already responded to a call in excess of original arrangement, can scarcely be expected to proceed further, although the indications in their wells are still promising. Some £6,000 h?4 been expended in these attempts. Business in our town is a thing of the past. There are a dozen traders where one would be sufficient. So keen is the struggle for existence amongst our storekeepers, that lust week, on the anniversary of the settlement, hitherto kept as a holiday — a small ■hop or two being seen open — about half-past nine a general rush took place to open doors. Some again re-mustered courage to shut, but only to re-open later on. Major Richardson, the M.G.A. for the town, having intimated, in an affectionate address, that he has resigned his seat, an attempt is being made to get Mr. Thoma* William Shute to replace him. Mr. ■Shute has, so far, not been much heard of beyond the province, but, if elected, will no doubt take that prominent part, and discharge his duties as usual for our members. I would, in justice, note that, in place of the many leaving, we have one arrival in the shape of a new editor for the Herald. Fresh blood may help to set things going. He has commenced with the prison. In an Admirable article he describes the miserable state of things there, and would at once raiie a fresh loau, build a new prison, and, by a nice calculation of an acreage rate of 2d, (which is nothing, seeing our settlers are eo prosperous), provide for interest, sinking fund, collection — aye, and allow for bad debts also. The Taranaki races came off last week, and proved a gt'eat success. The stswards, however, appear to have omitted advertising them in the other provinces, or, no doubt, the heavy stakes— some £40 distributed over five races — would have induced several of the crack horses from our neighbouring provinces to come forward. In glancing over this communication, I observe I have entirely neglected our worthy Eesident Magistrate. Certainly he cams his money, for the usual number of petty debt cases before him weekly is astonishing — not to mention the numerous inquests, the latter being something extraordinary for a population of 4,000. April 27. The mail steamer due yesterday having, as usual, not arrived, we are to-day favoured with another copy of our Taranaki Herald, and I find in reality we have got the right man in our new editor. He irarns us against the civilisation and institutions of the old country ; informs us that our circumstances are more favourable than those of Sydney ; holds up Auckland as a warning against introducing population without capital ; and concludes by proposing tbat arrangements should be made with the charitable societies at home for the introduction of paupers, carefully selected. Somehow or other they are to be found in capital ; but, as he states it is only a crude proposal, I cannot clearly make out how.