FLAX.
A correspondence between Mr. Donlan and the New Zealand Company, on the subject of preparing flax for export, will be found in another part of our paper.
Our readers will not be able to avoid laughing at Mr. Donlan's seriously seeking permission to cut Flax on the Company's unsold land. Such a request and the reply ■make it too evident that the parties at home having a deep interest in New Zealand are one and all utterly ignorant of everythingpertaining to this . Colony. Had any man tnade such a request here he would have Wen thought mad. First because the power the Company possesses amounts to nothing. A sanction of the kind from any beach comber would be just as operative as it would -with the signatures of, the Governor and Court of Directors attached. And secondly, because it would be as valuable as permission to drink the water out of any one, or all of the numerous beautiful streams in New Zealaud. If Mr. Donlan is in earnest let him come out for a couple of years and test his processes. He will find no difficulty in procuring an' abundant supply of the Flax plant,
without the sanction of European individuals or companies ; though perhaps he may have to obtain permission from Rangihaeata or Rauparaha. We learn for the. first time that a plan of a Mr. Heathorn, for dressing Flax, has attracted the attention of the Company. Ninetynine out if every hundred settlers here will wonder who he is. We believe he was here and went to Sydney. His plan of course must succeed ; but it, like one hundred other schemes to accomplish the same. purpose, was only heard of on the one apparently, to be forgotten the ensuing day.
As the Wellington immigration fund is stated to be exhausted, as a reason for not consenting to send out Flax dressers here, we will take the passing opportunity, to state that the Colonists have never known anything respecting its expenditure. Now as it was purely a trust fund, by which the Company has been enabled to set up a large claim to land, we think that pains should have been taken to make it publicly known that it lm been satisfactorily expended. The Colonial Office and colonial Government are loudly denounced for secrecy and indifference to the opinion of those they are said to represent ; but it is only fair to admit that the settlers are not better acquainted with that portion of their affairs intrusted to the Company than to "the office."
We confess we read with g<*eat regret the serious trifling taking place at home in relation to matters of vital importance to the progress of New Zealand. It is evident that the Colonists will never succeed by looking to external aid. Our success will depend upon the extent to which we may be enabled to cope with the very difficulties created by those who, as members of the London New Zealand Society, are seeking to represent this Colony. Absenteeism, or its evils, must be destroyed before we can view in the distance that success which we might reasonably have expected to have experienced before this time.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator, Volume IV, Issue 335, 23 March 1844, Page 2
Word Count
532FLAX. New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator, Volume IV, Issue 335, 23 March 1844, Page 2
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