The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, MAY 13, 1867.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 110, 13 May 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, MAY 13, 1867.

The Colony of South Australia has shown a very commendable example to its neighbors by its efforts with a view to tiie foundation of a new colony in the northern part of Australia. Tlie idea of one colony sending forth an offshoot to found the nucleus of another colony was an entirely novel one. Hitherto such undertakings have been left to the old established Governments of Europe, and even tliey have not found the task an easy matter. England has unquestionably long since established her right to be considered the most extensive coloniser in the world, and it was certainly a new feature in her history tc find one of her colonies, and that, too, one of her youngest, trying her hand at founding settlements. The expenses of such expeditions are ahvays very heavy, aud they require to be entrusted to men especially fitted to encounter the hardships aud difficulties incidental to the settlement of a new country. The result of the South Australian experiment has fuliy proved that the task of founding a newcolony was far beyond its power, fbr after spending a considerable ' sum of money, it has been compelled to abandon the project, and send a steamer to bring back those who were allured by the flattering prospects held out to the pioneers of the new settlement. Notwithstanding their failure, the South Australians deserve every credit for making the attempt, though they have proved the utter impossibility of success in such an arduous undertaking, when left to the unassisted efforts of a young community such as theirs. The result might, indeed, have been different, had those to whom the expedition was entrusted, shown more skill aud practical experience in the work, but, unfortunately, mistakes were committed from the very day on which they sailed from Adelaide, and the result was only just what might have been anticipated. Still it may be some consolation to reflect that the knowledge thus acquired of that part of Australia will prove of service at some future time, and that iv all probability the horses and cattle left behiud them by the explorers will have multiplied into almost numberless herds before the silence of those primeval regions is again disturbed.