The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 45, 15 November 1851, Page 5

The Lyttelton Times.

November 15, 1851. So the drama of California is to be played again, and that upon the stage of the British Colonies, —that strange drama of real life, with all its stirring incidents, its varied comedy, its reckless farce, its deep and terrible tragedy. There is no shutting our eyes to the fact that the recent discovery of gold in New South Wales and Port Philip will exercise an enormous influence upon our own future histovy. We foresee the possibility, on the one hand, of entire ruin, on the other hand, of boundless prosperity to this colony and to its population. The game is entirely in our own hands, the result will depend upon our own conduct. It is not difficult to predict the course of events in the countries which are the scene of this new discovery. We shall no doubt witness a second crusade of the nineteenth century. That which the philanthropy of colonizers, the influence of Governments, the attractiveness of plenty in the colonies, the pressure of poverty at home, —which all these agents have effected with comparative difliculty, and with partial success, will be at once achieved by the ruling passion of mankind. An enormous immigration will take place to Australia. The state of affairs in our colonies will differ somewhat from that in the American gold fields. California was an uninhabited wilderness when the throng ofgold seekers arrived. Therewas literally no food tobeohtainedfor the vast multitudes who flocked into the country, except what was imported at enormous cost from distant lands. In Australia there is some food at all events, and of animal food probably, for some time, an abundance. But even in Australia it is impossible but that a sudden and immense addition to the population will create a proportionate increase in the price of food. The agricultural and pastoral population, husbandmen and herdsmen, masters and servants, are, already leaving their productive occupations, to join in the universal scramble, so that the supply of food will be diminished, at the very moment when the demand will be greatest. Already we have heard of almost fabulous prices being paid for bread at the diggings, and of an ounce of gold being exchanged for an ounce of tobacco ; and that before any material increase of the population has taken place. Again, the climate of Australia i"ig not, like that of California, unhealthy; but . rfu the other hand, how few are there who will be able to engage in the arduous labour of digging under an Australian summer's sun, without great suffering aud without great risk ? It does appear inevitable that in the course of the next „ few years, Australia will witness scenes of |\ misery, of starvation, of death, which no pen :^\ can describe, and which those only who have in California can in the faintest degree realize. Nor can we imagine that the social state of affairs will be much more favourable. If the comparison lay between the present Australian population on the one side, or a British fresh from the mother country, and imbued with that deep reverence for law which is the pride of the British people; and, on the .other the white savage of the " far west;" no doubt the difference would be great indeed.

But of whom will society at the " diggings "be composed. Passing over the debasing and demoralizing effect which the thirst for gold, stimulated by abundance, ever has produced, and ever will produce in any community, will no genuine Californians find their way to Sydney or to Melbourne ? Is it not tolerably certain that in a few months we shall have ship loads of the roving and ruthless adventurers of Western America thronging to the new "diggings "? And, again, will not the whole army of felons whom England has billetted upon Van Dieman's Land, find or fight their way to the gambling house of the gold fields ? It is very far indeed from our will to over-colour the picture, but, looking to all tnese probabilities, we ask our readers, will not these things be so ?

What then shall we New Zealanders do ? This is not a matter which concerns Canterbury only, it concerns the whole of New Zealand. Shall we go to these diggings to try our fortunes ? We speak to all, rich and poor, employers and employed, and we say to all, —Stay. The landed proprietor replies, " What is the use of my staying ? the labourers will be sure to go. How then can I cultivate my land?" The labourer says, " Of course the farmers and stockholders want me to stay that they may get my labour, but why should I lose my chance of making my fortune ? " No doubt if labourers run away, fanners will be ruined; and if employers go, labourers must follow. But what will happen if all stay ? Is it not inevitable that if the people of New Zealand will devote themselves laboriously, patiently, and perseveringly, to the cultivation of the soil—to the production of food—is it not apparent that the gold of Australia must find its way here? It is idle to suppose that food will be produced to any extent in Australia, in the midst of the fierce excitement, and scramble for the precious metal. Then what country will supply food—Van Dieman's Land? with its convict labourers? The labourers of Van Dieman's Land will be the first in the rush. If New Zealand will now be but true to herself, she must obtain command of the market. An absolute monopoly of the food marketof these seas must fallfinto her hands. We believe we are stating a sound economical truth, when we say that if the whole population were to stay here and grow wheat and potatoes, they would be, at the end of two years, in the possession of more gold on the whole, than if they had all emigrated to the diggings and dug for their lives. All history proves the truth of this hypothesis. Gold producing countries have never been the possessors of durable, permanent wealth. The Golden colonies of Spain passed away like a dissolving view, whilst the agricultural " plantations " of England were laying the foundation of a great empire. For several years, nay, we believe up to the present time, California has not paid the cost of the emigration to its shoves. So, depend upon it, it will be again. The gold dug in Australia will not stay there; it will pass to those countries which supply the temporary wants of its community; wants which men must satisfy whilst they " dig." Since writing the above we have received a letter which we print on another page, from Mr. William Taylor. Mr. Taylor is a gentleman who went from "Wellington to California and came back again. This letter would seem to advise other persons to follow his example. He hints that labour and capital (?) are better invested at the diggings than in New Zealand. Does he really think so ? Let us ask him one question, —is he going to these diggings himself? would he really advise others to go there? We think not; we think that he will not find much to object to, in the remarks we have made, and that he has misapprehended the interpretation which may be placed upon his letter. This is not a question, as Mr. Taylor has put it, of the wishes of the promoters of the Canterbury settlement to keep labour in the settlement. That is a paltry view of the question. The real question is one of the ruin or prosperity of the whole colony of New Zealand, rich and poor alike, nay, it is rather a poor man's question, for if the colony suffer, the poor suffer most. The rich can always return to their friends in England, if the worst come to the worst. The poor often can not. If we endeavour to point out the course which will secure the prosperity of the whole community, it is the poor man's cause we mainly plead ; and we think, nay, we are certain that by a wise foresight, by energy and perseverance, the settlers of New Zealand, and especially the labouring classes, may make the gold discovery of Australia a great epoch in the history of their country's prosperity.

The Special Committee appointed by the Society of Land Purchasers, to take into consideration the subject of communication between the port and the plains, have reported thereupon, after receiving the testimony of several persons whose opinions carry weight. Our readers will see by an advertisement that this report is, together with the evidence collected, about to be published for general information; meanwhile, we shall endeavour to give a short digest of its leading features. The Committee commence by stating that the consideration of the best means of connecting the inland country with the shipping port involves a prior enquiry into the most desirable site for the port town itself. With the establishment of the capital on the plains, instead of on the flat land at the upper end "of Port Victoria, as originally contemplated By Captain Thomas, they entirely coincide, seeing that the growth of a town in the midst of the agricultural, and in the neighbourhood of the pastoral country, was not only desirable, but inevitable. They also express their approval of the particular portion of the plains selected as the site of the chief town, enumerating among its advantages the dryness of the land, the plentiful supply of water there, and its central position in respect to the agricultural and pastoral districts, as weii as its accessibility by means of the river Avon, and its contiguity to the Riccarton Bush. The site on which Lyttelton has been established they also consider the most preferable in the harbour of Port Victoria. Three methods of water communication between the port and the plains, then come under the notice of the Committee. Against the first of these, the effecting of such improvements in the navigation at the mouth of the river at Sumner, as shall enable vessels to cross the bar at all times in safety, as also against the second, the formation of a harbour at Sumner, they urge the expense of the operations necessary, together with the uncertainty of any outlay fully answering the proposed ends. The third proposition, viz., to establish communication by means of small steamers, they judiciously pass over as being properly within the sphere of private enterprise; and arrive by what appears sound reasoning at the general conclusion, that no obtainable facilities of watercarriage could render the means of land-carriage other than indispensable. They then take into patient consideration the various lines for a road which have presented themselves to the minds of the surveyors, and decide upon the road' which has been commenced as offering the greatest convenience, from the gradual character of the inclined plane, and the fact that its greatest elevation is only half that of any other line of road proposed. They give an estimate of the cost of completion, obtained from a competent party, and after discussing the merits of the various sources whence the required sum-could be obtained, suggest that a loan should be effected by the Provincial Government, when it is formed, upon the security of the revenues of the province, to be committed to the hands of Commissioners elected under the " County Roads' Ordinance," together with such sums as could be spared, after the performance of other necessary works, from the " Miscellaneous Fund " of the Association. For the current expenses of repairs, &c, reasonable tolls might be exacted, and if sufficient funds were not thus obtained, that it should be in the power of the Provincial Council to impose a rate for the service of the Commissioners. The Committee express their conviction that the debt at first contracted, could in a very few years be paid off. While ac- . knowledging that the Lund Purchasers have no claim to do more than recommend this, they urge the combination of the entire population of the settlement in memorialising His Excellency the Go-vernor-in-Chief on the subject. It is not in our powei1 to do more than give the above very brief digest of this interestingjreport, the evidence upon which it is based we cannot even touch upon ; we therefore refer our readers to the document itselt, on its appearance.

The English Observer states that H. S. Chapman, Esq., one of the New .Zealand Judges, is appointed Colonial Secretary in Van Dieman's Land. We believe that it is. the opinion of the colonial authorities in England that a vacancy will not he thereby created, and that Judge Stephens will be required to do all the judicial work for the province of New Minister. As far as his honour is concerned, it would not be too nnichto require him to work out the salary he has. been receiving- for nearly two years for doing nothing. But as far as the settlements are concerned, unless some better arrangements be made for enabling the .Judge to attend the different courts at stated periods, a great hardship will be inflicted upon the prisoners committed for trial. We cannot conceive that anything short of a good steamer in the place of the old brig at present employed, will secure anything like punctuality in the sittings of the court at Wellington, Nelson, Canterbury, and Outgo,