TO NEWCOMERS.

New Zealander, Volume XV, Issue 1366, 21 May 1859, Page 3

TO NEWCOMERS.

The “ Caddceus.’' To the Editor of the New-Zealander. Sin, — The good ship rejoicing in this high title lias just anchored ia Auckland Harbour. Wisdom, Power, Activity. Such is the triad intimated in her name, iier people are of the right sort for the Province of Auckland if they are well possessed of this triple genius. Wisdom to mako their own observation, see with their own eyes, and judge with their own understandings. Wisdom to shun the company of fools —who know better how to live in a country than to make it—how to spend money than to earn it —how to consume the produce of the soil than to increase it. . Tins day, a runaway convict from Van Diemen’s Land, who has been guilty of mutiny and murder, and, having escaped justice, has moved about unknown among free men foi five years past—has been caught! And there are others yet passing in the crowd—of various shades of baseness and crime. They may be met, unknown, at certain public-house?, and will be very ready to give opinions and make proposals. Such houses are not good places to find friends and form new acquaintances, or to enter into partnerships and trading enterprises. Wise men will keep to their own families, and take advice of those whoso judgment and integrity they have good reason to trust. I once knew a shrewd old vicar of an English parish, who used to say, that the matches originating at church were generally the best. And no doubt, the church is a better place to find a partner for life than an inn or a playhouse, and those who frequent the worship of God on the Sabbath arc more likely to be trustworthy than those who spend the day in sport and intemperance. But of course, wise and Christian people will have higher motives for going to the house of God, and will not allow their thoughts to wander from the worship while engaged in it. Vet many peaceful and happy unions for life have originated between worthy persons accustomed to attend the same place of worship. Our wise Newcomers will take time to consider before they make investments of their money, and will not purchase so much land that ihey have no money left to cultivate it. Some of them will select a piece of land, and go at once to live on it, so that a crop of potatoes, wheat. &e„ may be grown this year. And tliis course will be the best for many to adopt, as there is now only just time to prepare the land, and get in the seed in time to secure a crop for this year. Those who wish to get situalious in town will show their wisdom by not being over-particular what work they undertake to do, provided it be honest and lawful, and not in bad and dangerous company. Wages arc not the most important thing to be desired. A living with honourable people where friends may be made, worth having, and connexions formed that may be of lasting importance for comfort and business in future life—arc of much greater moment than getting the highest wages. And it will be found out by those who try it, that standing out for liigh wages will only secure occasional work and no friends, and will at the

end of a year produce less money than a more moderate demand and constant employment. Power is another attribute of our Caduccan friends; and a very important one for colonists. Power to contrive, to economise, to build a house with little cost, to furnish it without expending much money, and live in it contented. Power to dig the land, to fence it in, to sow the seed, and wait for the crop. Power to resist the example and enticements of unprincipled men, who have perhaps spent a fortune of their own, and would he glad to assist others in spending theirs. Power to choose a right road while many others take a wrong—to judge what is right and good, and wise, and then to do it in spite of all the world, should they choose a false way. Power to drop all evil habits and all vices which ensnared them at home, and to begin and maintain a wise and prudent course in this new country,—power, in fact, to lead a new life in a new land, and persist in it to the end. Activitv is the other attribute which I ho pa to see in our friends by the “ Caducous.” Some men hare wisdom, but no power and activity. These make good advisers, but they do not themselves act upon their own counsels. Some have wisdom and power, but no action,—and they are as thougb they were dead, for they bury their talents in a napkin. They have mental power and strength of body, but they do nothing, and are useless. Some men with a small share of power and wisdom, effect more and prosper more than others with a largo share of both. If I were asked what would make a good colonist, I would say, as Demosthenes did about a good speaker. Action, action, action ! A co'onist must not depend upon the activity of others, but on his own. He mast regard himself as placed here by the Great Creator to replenish the earth and subdue it—to clear the land, and add to the food of man and beast. If ha is depressed and gloomy', let him work. If disposed to wander and be unsettled, let him conquer that spirit by active industry and persevering labour. We who have lately come, have no right to depend on others, any more than those had who came first, when there was none to prepare the way before them. We arc men upon earth—we most clear and plant it. We must not expect to reap anything in a new country we do not earn. He who wants to live without work, by scheming and taking advantage of the labour and skill of others, is not worthy to be considered a colonist ; for if all were like him, the land would remain a desert, and we should all perish for want of the necessaries of life. New Zealand is to be a fine land, with millions of sturdy Anglo-Saxons thriving in its smiling yallics and on its thousand hills. But it is only wisdom, power, and activity, that will bring it up from the wilderness state. All that could be done to our hand is done. A climate unsurpassed in tho whole world — productive soil - abundance of water,—-and some of the most valuable minerals. Cattle, and sheep, and horses are here, and a town, with other advantages, ready to our hand. Only let us work, and the cattle shall soon spread over the islands on cultivated farms, and the valleys, covered over with corn, shall shout for joy. When anyone grumbles, let us remind him of the cold of the English winter—the squalid poverty of the towns—the potatoes and salt, with seven or eight shillings a week wages in the country—and the stationary state of families from one generation to another. Let us look round Auckland, and know that hardly a gentleman here had anything to begin with ten or fifteen years ago, but the Caducean properties—power, wisdom , and activity ; and that these have created the green fields and fruitful orchards, the villas and shops, the spacious drawing room*, and elegant furniture. Jf'e begin at far greater advantage than they. Their “ town” was then 1500 miles off—and they could scarcely hear from it once a year ; but wc have arrived when a town is built for us within a hundred miles of the land we shall select. 7 hey had no regular market cither to buy or sell in, but we have in Auckland a market importing from remote countries cheese, bacon, flour, oats, barley, maize,—and a variety of other articles, which can’all be produced on our own lands. Let us, then, quickly get to our future homes, and ply our power, our wisdom, our activity, in making farms and gardens—looking to heaven for prosperity. So shall peace and plenty crown our efforts— and the name of our gallant ship shall be transferred to our noble country—shall ware in our national flag at tho mast-heads of our fleets of traJers and whaling ships laden with the abundant produce of, land aud sea—the sure and ample reward of our own own Ca dick os. UxctE Johk.