RESOURCES OF THE COLONY.

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 2, 14 June 1845, Page 2

RESOURCES OF THE COLONY.

Notwithstanding the present disturbed state of this Colony, from the refractory proceedings of the aborigines, winch naturally deranges commercial transactions, as well a» retards the progress of Agriculture ;—; — the great and valuable natural products, abounding in every district, to which research 'and enterprise has been directed, must- prove", that when security and order are re-established, New Zealand will become most attractive to capitalists. It is not perhaps, generally known, that during the last three months, the eastern shores of the Waitemata, from Cape Colvillo to Coromandel, have been explored by Mr. Grayling, and the geological and miiieralogical riches of that part of the coast fully ascertained. It is with the greatest satisfaction that we lay before our readers, a brief outline of the valuable products- there discovered ; and we trust, that no long time will elapse, before we shall be enabled to communicate throughout the colony, the more detailed account, which it is the intention of Mr. Grayling to publish, of the Geology and Mineralogy of thai poition of New Zealand. The Copper ore from that district and from Kawau, contains an extreme great per centage, as the analysis of Mr. Grayling has most clearly shown, — a per centagn which hasnever been exceeded in any country. Galena, or lead ore, has been'^also found in abundance, containing, according to the same analysist, between 60 and 70 per cent of Lead, and about If> lbs. of Silver, in every ton of oi e. This, in connection with the Quick-

silver in Now South Wales, will render the process of reducing and scpniating the Silver much less expensive than to send to England. Tin has been also found, and likewise Zinc : in fact, all the metals, in some form or combination, are more or less plentilul, Sulphur is, well known already, to be abundant, on the same coast, and it would be a good export for the India and China maikcts, for the manufacture of gunpowder. There arc also abundance of alkaline earths in the same district ; and clays adapted foi for porcelain ware : besides a variety of saponaceous earths for wool washing. The Tohitohi yields an excellent Gum, and Mr. Grayling considers the gum found between the leaves of the native Flax, equal in its properties to Tragacanth. We trust that these few details, of what has been found, in such a small district, will stimulate others, for it must be borne in mind, that these natural products must be sought for with industry and enterprise.