The New Zealand Herald. AUCKLAND, FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1868.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1343, 6 March 1868, Page 2

The New Zealand Herald.

AUCKLAND, FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1868.

SPECTEMUK AGENDO. " Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice: IVike each man's ccnsure. but reserve thy judgment, This above all, —To thine own self be true And it must follow, as tho night tho day, Thou ennsfc not then be false to any man."

N"opersoii, we presume, would venture to that tlie progress of a new country bowvrds prosperity depends in the first instinct) upon the number and character of its population. There are many auxiliary influences, such as capital, fertility of soil, geniality of climate, which, turned to profitable account, facilitate the accomplishment of so much of the destiny of men as may be the result of united effort. There is no lesson which history teaches so patently truthful as that the vitality of a people is no where less repressible than where physical laws are in strongest opposition to it. A country which may be poor may yet possess more of the elements of social happiness than a country which is rich. "Wise rul?rs of communities have ever fostered the inciease of manual productiveness. llowevei desirable the aids which assist the groivth and strength of new communities, population is the power which wields them. Population can make everything which the mild can conceive, but no people were ever male great by any other process than their own power of labour, endurance, and application. It is greatly to be regretted that a conJ siitent '.eal to introduce a suitable population info this colony should meet no better eneomugement in a certain quarter than a reforer.ee to ad captandnm assertions and irrelevant comparison. The Cross iu its lerdinj matter of Wednesday instituted a compwison between this country and California, tl\e effect of which, if it could be relef on, would be to depreciate the colony of Bew Zealand. The language of disparagtoent could scarcely have gone farther. But the question of immigration does not irminge upon the relative merits or disadvarages of the two countries. Either may hjve attractions for different sorts of people, aidto seek to deter those who might prefer INev Zealand from coming here is certainly not promoting the interest of the dwellers in tlese colonies. There are great numbers of people who might prefer the habits and pjedsposition of English domestic life to 35insee notions and severe winters. Many vou/d rather walk securely than go fast lith the chance of slipping. That many of he people in those places have been looking teadily at the progress of this colony we :now from the amplest testimony. The N"ova Scotia settlements in several parts of •his Province have been successful, and are iow independent and comfortable. Are the jlessings of health and a moderate reward or toil not to bo accounted in the scale igainst the overheating of a social furnace md spasmodic life? We know that inquiries have been made here as to the facilities that could bo afforded for settlement. The late seasons in the Canadas have been excessive in either degree, whether of heat or cold. Sickness has been more frequent, and there is the growing fear that should there be a quarrel between England and America, the prospects of the western portion of the Canadas would be thrown indefinitely backward. " There lin- ■' gers here," says a writer, " that want of " confidence which has itself been a great " drawback." Surely, if we may notice at all the inconclusive statements of the Cross, it is not because California is prosperous that we ought to be depopulated or that people should be frightened away from these shores. We hear of vinegrowers making inquiries aliout the climate and soil of the Bay of Islands or Wangarei. Is there any valid reason for excluding such people from the soil ? We hear of others who would join their resources to those of friends already liere—is it desirable that such persons should be frowned out of their purpose by our contemporary ? We regret the incousccutivc but r:ost damaging arguments, and still more the recklessness, with which incorrect assertion is made. Because a Mr. John Wilson, who has been a highly respectable settler here—coming from Canada originally —is going back on business and has undertaken the duty of facilitating the operation of the Waste Land Act, ISG7, being accredited with the necessary authority by His Honor the Superintendent, our cotemporary tnust imagine a paid travelling agent living upon public money for any period which insincerity may prompt him to suggest. It were vain to look for candour where there is no desire to be informed. In the instructions given by His Honor he indicates the ;lass of persons who should be selected— abourers, servants, farmers with capital, fee. The agent is allowed to charge ten (hillings for the issue of a land order for "orty acres and five shillings for the issue of )ue for twenty acres. As Mr. Wilson will •>ass through San Francisco on his way, he viil hand over his authority to Mr. Booker, vho is a British consul there. The whole

assumption, of our cotemporary has a purely imaginary basis. But it is not the first time, in speaking of this colony, the colonists, and their elected representatives, that he has indulged in words of disparagement, so much so that if our progress is doubted and ourselves exposed to distrust, the Cross may liare laboured more successfully in. that direction than he believes or than we give him credit far.

We think, in conclusion, that some other subject might be taken up by our eotemporary, who never seems to enjoy other pleasure than telling people how little of the sun and heat of public virtue he finds abroad at noon-day. That he is not warmed by either may be accepted .a truth apparent from his want of sympathy with the efforts of those who have deserved well of the people. At a crisis of great difficulty there are always men who will not only not help to remove it, but proclaim themselves the enemies of those who courageously make the attempt. When they have found a mare's nest their nature forbids them to be content unless they express a superfluous opinion that all the eggs are addled.