The New Zealand Herald. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1860.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VI, Issue 1805, 27 October 1869, Page 4

The New Zealand Herald.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1860.

.U;KM)U. •' CJ:vl or; mr.:i llnne er.r. bat few thy vout : tukv i-itch tnan'--* censtuv. hat r»»««rv<! thv 'i'Jiia al'ovu .ill, —'i\» thine own i»u irtie Aiut it mast. as tlie n!_r)it the «'.:tv. I'fiou o;ui.U not tbeu hi', false any ;r.;*.:i.'

The discovery of gold at tho Thames has given an extraordinary impetus to attempts made to obtain gold from the numerous ranges to be met with in this colony. The sensible cflcet of the value of the Thames goldtield is not. confined to this province ; Canterbury and Hawke's Bay, for instance, find a market for their produce, 1 heir sheep, and their wheat, in the Thames goldfield. And this tangible proof of increased wealth and purchasing capacity has had a direct influence in causing prospecting for gold in other localities. In the north of Auckland gold has been discovered, but not yet in sufficient quantities to warrant any goldfield to be proclaimed. Prospecting is, however, going on at present in four distinct places near Auckland, viz., Bay of Islands, Mangawai, Maraiti, and Waitakerei. AVhat the result may be is, of course, not yet known. If we look to another part of the province, the most southern, bounded by the Hawke's Bay province, we are tcl d that payable quartz has been recently discovered there in I lie Kaimanawu ranges, in the I Taupo district. There is no reason to I doubt tho truth of this statement, and ! if a large payable goldfield can be j found and worked there if will be of I the utmost value to the colony. The j three provinces of Hawke's Bay, "\Vclj lington, and Auckland, would be spe- ; cially benefitted by such a goldfield, ! and the colony at large also, not 1 only through increased revenue j which would naturally be the result I of such a discovery, but also I by the great influence it would have : on the interminable native difficulty. . The locality is in the very heart of the disaffected districts, and the sudden influx of a population of twenty or (flirty thotisand persons would rapidly turn' 1 ' the balance of power" in those [districts in our favour, and render war not perhaps absolutely impossible but. at least a very inild tiling as compared with what it is now when we have no settlements and no roads in the interior of the country in question. Speaking in connection with this | district, leads us in the policy being pursued by t lie present Ministry (here. They have a force in the field under I .lieu! (i mini.-Colonel McDonnell, composed both of Maoris and i-.'tiropeans. But there is this peculiarity in the Maori Contingent, that it is a mixed force from various parts, and thus distant tribes are brought together to fight under the Colonial officers against a native enemy, in an engagement between Te K.ooti and this force, the renowned cannibal was wounded and narrowly escaped with his life, and between thirty and forty of' his followers were killed. This, and the general measures now being taken 1o follow up Te :

Kooti, aud to make a network of roads in that roadless and inaccessible district, appears to have convinced Maoris that Te Kooti is playing a losing game, aud with the instinct ascribed to rats when in a sinking ship, many have already abandoned Te Ivooti, and others talk of actively opposing liitn. His prestige seems to have suffered very materially, and that, of course, is in our favor. Tiie native owners of a large tract of land in the very district recently overrun by Te Ivooti, have handed it over to the 9-overnment to be worked as a goldfield. The Ivaimanawa ranges, which are ill that district, have been proved to have gold-bearing quart/, in them, and will doubtless be fully tested without delay. The natives also have consented to have a network of roads made through ti. ir land, and this, though costing a considerable sum of money, will be a most eeono • mical procedure if the amount be judiciously spent. The country will then bo thrown open to us—good passable roads will be pierced through the jungle, and our defensive and offensive power will be largely increased—while there can be 110 doubt but that these roads, while givin-t employment to natives, and providing something better than lighting for idle hands to do, will also be a first step towards securing European settlement on a largo scale in the districts through which they are made. And though the colony has its attention very largely given at the present moment to gold discovery, yet the glittering quartz docs not absorb all our attention. There is a great deal of attention being paid throughout the colony to the dressing of New Zealand llax The present processes are found to be successful, and they are very profitable. There seems no doubt but that the flax will now be fully utilised. There are thousands of acres growing at present waiting to be utilised, and large sums are being realised from flaxdressing Flax cultivation will henceforth be one of our staple industries, more lasting than a goldfield, and, taking all things into consideration, more generally profitable even than a goldfield. There never was a time in the history of the colon}'- when there was such general industrial activity as t here is at the present moment, and especially in this province. The discovery of paying methods of flaxdressing. of the Thames goldfield, which promises to be unsurpassed in permanency and in richness, and the successful attempts made to utilise the almost illimitable quantify of iron sand on our coasts, as well as the opening up seams of coal, have had the effect of putting new life aud vigour into our people, of infusing into thorn the pleasures of hope, and causing them to energetically turn to profitable account the boundless wealth which nature has placed on every side of us. Of. course this development of our natural wealth demands an increase to our populat ion. This is being met to limited extent. Each vessel coming from ports in the other provinces of the colon\% aud also fro in Australia, brings an addition to our population. but very far short of what is required. AVe have not only room enough for a constant accession of people from England, hutcan place within their reach means of advancement; which are not often met with. Our goldfields alone, extending as they do for many miles, with miles of ground uutested, would afford profitable employment for a very large number of persons, aud for a large amount of capital, with all the chances of success to bo met with on a goldfield. And, of course, this increase of our mining population naturally calls for an increase in the number of artisans, shopkeepers aud so forth, of every class and kind The ordinary labouring man can find , ample employment at from seven to nine shillings per day, aud the cost of his living will not be £1 per week on the goldfield. As an instance how wo can offer openings to every class, it is enough to state that there are now two considerable towns at the Thames, with well built shops of every class, where, two years ago, there was nothing of the kind. And, of course, there is usual mixed employment for all trades aud occupations. As in former monthly summaries, so in this, we call especial attention to these facts. Without desiring to say a syllable in depreciation ot any other colony, it may be safely stated that the Province of Auckland at the present moment oilers more advantages to all classes of emigrants from England than any other colony. For we have employment, at high rates of wages, to offer to colliers, to gold miners, to persons skilled in mines at home to act as managers here, to all other trades and occupations, aud a large, demand for female domestic servants whose prospects of good marriages are really worth naming. Wo have food about the same price as in England, wages in many cases double, and we have an Italian climate, neither subject to droughts nor floods, with a productive soil. These are plain facts which require to be known.