NEW ZEALAND AFFAIRS AT HOME.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3149, 1 August 1881, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND AFFAIRS AT HOME.

The Westminster Review for April last contains tho following in reference to this colony: —" New Zealand appears now thoroughly to have turned tho corner of her struggle with bad times. This year's wool clip is heavy, and of excellent quality, and fche harvests promise exceedingly well. Meanwhile tho policy of retrenchment ia bearing fruit in relieving workers of burdens thafc were hard to be borne, while all the world around was stagnant under the influence of commercial depression. Industrial activity is again to fche fore. The local Royal Commission on the encouragement of native industries has reported in favor of a bonus system, and suggested this means to promote the production of beet sugar, linseed oil, and sulphuric acid, among many other products. Private enterprise is finding increased profits from gold and maganeso mining, new oil-wells are being opened up, and the manufacture of cement is assuming larger proportions. The community is also increasing fast in number. The treatment of the Maories still continues a difficulty. The Native Minister, Mr Bryce, who is in favor of strong measures, even to the arrest of Te Whiti, has resigned on tho score of difference of opinion in these matters with his colleagues. Ifc is to bo regretted that, on the arrival of Sir Arthur Gordon as Governor, public opinion afc once credited him with a warm personal friendship for Sir George Grey. The very suspicion of this, however unfounded so far as political results are concerned, is of itself sufficient greatly to impair his influence, and it is a suspicion whioh will dog his every

act. His proposal of a conference with the Maoris to ' settle native hardships'—a proposal somewt at contemptuously refused — is, with much show of reason, taken as proof thafc this suspicion is well founded. The resignation of Mr Bryce is taken ns further proof. There are not lacking straws to tell in which way the wind sets. Sir Arthur Gordon will himself know well enough that he is now in a colony enjoying self-govern-ment. We may be well confident he will also recognise the faot that he has come to the country where the native races have always been treated well, and where the policy is, and has been, to leave the Maori to himself, and where this policy had also been a great and signal suocess."