The New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 1875.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4123, 30 January 1875, Page 2

The New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 1875.

, J Tiie display t>£.>-t»oati|Vt •>viicU"t)ib .prizes o(Tc"i\iiT~yc.sti:-TU;iy.al tire ArintHii--R«<jnt,t;i its wove tlio means of •bringing ofit, •Hlß»rdcilabundant uvidiuice. of. I .'the. capabilities of:<mr local sliip und boat-buildors jo'aWiu.ouL"craft.-feiipcrioh WOt r onlv in -a'orm Imt'iii build, to. any other province in the' colony. Oiir-Pruinicjr, raddrt)Hsing..tU</,.p(jppT9 in the allj assarted that wkot juickhwul waii£od ; 4m licrjfiitisftertQ' was «<wne leading industry. Just, he said, aa Otilgo is dependent upon her wool, and Canterbury upon her grain, so Auckland will have to lind some industry upon which i. c;m depend, not only fur the ciii:>i"Viiiuut of labour but for

3? agree with our oppression of these sentiments, though thoy. contain a great element of truth ; but canl>e lio Question tliUt AnclclaJid .capitalists might do very much worse than "turn their atrention and their capital in --tho-ilirwtion of -our shipbuilding industry. Auckland has all. the elements; of a great shipbuilding province. It not only j>os&esses the premier ingredient in its valuable forests, from which annually many thousands of feet of kauri are exported i to the sister colonies and provinces for shipbuilding and repairing purposes, but with its numerous inletsandharbours contiguous to these valuable forests there is nothing left to be desired for the purpose of shipbuilding. Nor is this industry altogether in its infancy. Our 1 builders, some of them experienced tradesmen, others almost self-taught, have given many evidences of their capabilities, and to-day Auckland-built crafts sail in many of the waters of the colonies and adjacent islands. 2sor have our J ell'orts been conlined to the building of sailing vessels, for not a fortnight since we had the pleasure of chronicling the launch at the North Shore of the largest steam vessel ever laid upon our colonial stocks, —that of the lona, registering 140 tons or about 270 tons builders* measurement. Still further, to the credit of Auckland enterprise, be it recorded the whole of the machinery necessary for this vessel has been manufactured and is being titted in Auckland. Ordeu from Southern iirnis for coasting vessels are every week finding their way into the hands of our shipbuilders, and the day is not far distant when we shall be in a position to give further and more tangible proof tif the capabilities of our ship-yards. Whether or not Mr. Yogel would be prepared to say that shipbuilding might be made that "leading industry" for Auckland which he is auxious to sec each province possess, we cannot of course say, but it is certainly one which ought by every legitimate means to be encouraged amongst us. There is every reason, therefore, that with our splendid harbour and the facilities we have for turning out yachts and boats of every description that the spiritof yachting and boating should be implanted and encouraged amongst our young men. It is a far more healthy and ideasurable sport than horse-racing, and in no way encourages the "blackleg" element and the spirit of gambling, almost inseparable from the turf. Our Annual Regatta-day upon the Waitemata, from every point of view, then, deserves far greater sympathy and encouragement at the hands of the public than does our Annual llacc-day at EUerslie. It may be said that the same interest and excitement does not lio in boat-racing that is attached to that of horse-racing ; but the reason is not far to seek—it l>as never been " worked up" in the same manner. - The fact that it can be so is proved, not only in the interest which now centres in the inter-colo-nial boat-races between Victoria and New South Wales, Adelaide and Tasmania, and lias always done so in the University and yacht contests at Home and in America. Next year we would be pleased to see a more liberal prize-list offered than was the case yesterday, and especially so for those races in which tho particular description of craft suitable to the coasting and island trade take part.

Mit. Tao.krman, tho most enterprising and indefatigable London agent tor the several Australian Meat Preserving Companies, is leaving 110 efforts untried to introduce and popularise colonial tinned meats among what are known as tho working classes in the United Kingdom. The upper and middle classes, we are told, now use these meats largely in their households. They like them, it is said, almost as well as butchers' meat; some, indeed, prefer them. But tho poorer or working classes will have none of them if they can help it.

Mr. Tallerman, in ono of his interesting reports concerning his efforts to forco colonial preserved meats upon the notico of the labouring population of Great Britain, tells us, among other things, that the importations of meat have rapidly risen in a few years, till they have reached the extent of 17,000 tons per annum. But the inexplicable fact remains that, while the middlo and upper classes take kindly to these savoury preparations, the working-people can hardly be persuaded to givo them even so much as a trial. There is 110 doubt lauch cause for WAijjiderijient in this ; but the greater wonder' is that these preserved meats, which are prepared from the choicest carcases, after being denuded of all bone, gristle, superlluous fat, and every kind of waste, are being sold in London at le3S money per pound than consumers in Now Zealand have to pay for inferior meat, which includes bono, fat, muscular fibre, tough skin, and portions which cannot be consumed. Preserved meats are Retailed to consumers in London at sixpence farthing to sixpence halfpenny per pound net weight. And this in the face of the many heavy expenses incurred in preparing the meat, cost of tin-s, freight, shipping charges, insurance, and a second protit before it readies the consumer.

The fuct then is patent that Australian and Now Zealand preserved meats ave selling in London at nmcli lower rates than meat is being sold at in this colony. The anomaly actually amounts to this, that if, at least some proportion of the sheep and cattle which are slaughtered in the colonies for export were kept for home consumption, the meat wonkl command a better price than when shipped to London. Month by month the cost of meat is increasing in this colony, while Mr. Tallerman has n6t been successful in getting off shipments of Australian meat in Loud,on at prices considerably below what we are now paying in both Islands of this colony. "We need scarcely say there is something wrong somewhere in . this matter. Good family . joints of meat iro retailing in ■ Auckland at this time ni~ fiixpeiico-und aevvnpeiico a pound. Two years back the , same joints -were procurable at foiirpence"'half-penny to livepence. The carcase of a sheep weighing sixty pounds sells in joints weighed out at very little less than sixty pounds ; but converted- into tinned meat, it is, by .loss of bone, fat, waste, and cooking, reduced to forty pounds. Those who have entered into the 'calculation, 'say that it would now pay a speculator to talcc passage to London,: ami' then buy up Mr. '.Tallc'i'iiian's' stock : Mf colonial "presentd "mcati tio fil'iip''out'tiW tliis.riijitkct; ''.where they could be disposal of at a "profit. '""-It appears-to;us thai) the JSnglish. (.consumer obtains his in cpiaiity audlower.iii price from a distance of some twelve thousand miles, than ni'any'of the colonist l ! living close . to Alio source of siipplv ca'ii procure it,fir In •-Auckland the consilium'...jii paying very y»glV for very inferior uierit,-whiJe.:he is told that in.,»]9g| ; : :'l|^ii';^^jij|jJjfexV, l tlirco.-,1-etilly ;,goc«l joints'.'will not bo 'protmrablc under from teuponee to one shilling per potfnd. 'In Melbourne, quoting from tlio Australasian of the 26th ultimo, wo find the retail price of beef to run as high as eightpence per pound, and mutton tivepence. joint--: of curse include bone. The Melbourne ourers

meflts of ch-;fcner6* is lio waste, iwlirtr?yir. Tallerman can sell wliolesase at sixpence per pound net weight. It is high time W« are .very . well pleased, to„see. the London trsvdesinan or tlio- London *meclianic sunnlied with good meatjijocured from these it can only bo accomplishctl at our eXp'ehs'e, we do not see the thing in so clear a light.

Or the several co-operative societies which ■have been established 111 cither island of the" colony up to the present time, only two,' or at most three, small one 9, have appeared to answer the purpose they were intended to subserve. In Wellington, the Cooperative Bakers' Society has collapsed, and tenders been called for the purchase of the premises, stock-in-trade, : ami plant belonging to tho society.' So it has been' the ease at InveroargiU and iu Napier,: in the matter of a co-operative grocery store. Ho reason is assigned for these failures beyond the fact that tho working expenses of such co-operative establishments swallow up any prolits which the members T of the society would otherwise derive. Iu fine, the prineipal element of co-operation, namely, economy of working, is altogether absent. Men subscribe to obtain goods at the original cost price, less the expenses of management, but then it has been found that the outlay for management is so large that tradesmen, although depending altogether for a living on tho profit they make out of their business, can sell as cheap as the co-operative stores. It is, we believo, only in large cities, ami uuder the most able and most economical management that co-operative stores have been found to answer, and' for this reason, that the rental of prenase&--ffcnd the paying for labour is very little more for tho conducting of a largo business than a small one. The servants necessary to be employed for three hundred members need not he increased for double the number, when, as in the case of co-operative stores, cash payments are.the rule, and buyers take delivery of their own purchases. In Victoria aud iu Now South Wales, so far as we have been able to ascertain, no co-operative store has beeu found to work, with satisfaction to the subscribers. What the public, however, would appreciate, and soon come to ! thoroughly understand, is the difference .tradesmen may make between cash purchasers and credit customers. At present 110 distinction is drawn. But it is tolerably certain that the lirst man who announces his willingness to give a preference to cash customers, by a reduction 111 charges as compared with those who take credit, will surely reap his reward.

Tiik observance of the Sabbath and tho Sabbath question generally is being warmly discussed in Christcliurch, and is evoking much bitter discussion in Otago. Some of the leading morning journals, after allowing both sides of the question to be argued, have—and we think properly so—closed their columns against any more prolonged disquisitions. The Bishop of Cliriatchuroh, in order to allay as much as in him lies the angry feelings which have existed for some time past among the clergy and communicants of his Church, has addressed a letter, which ' we think is entitled to be met Viy the fullest consideration, not only by the members of his own Church, but those of ail other Christian bodies. His Lordship says: —"I will not take upon myself to lay down rules for the observance of this daj-. I believe that much harm has arisen in the attempt to do so. We differ so widely from each other, not only in our callings and occupation", but in natural temperament, that a rule which may be suitable in one case may be wholly inapplicable in another—may cheek rather than promote the life of Cod in the soul. It must be left, therefore, to each person to mark out for himself his own line of conduct on the Lord's Day ; only let us bear in mind that as it has been given for our welfare—spiritual and bodily—we cannot neglect or misuse tho opportunities which it oners, without dishonouring Him who gave it and injuring ourselves. Kveu for bodily health, some periodical rest is necessary to those who arc actively employed, and a pause 011 the Lord's Day from certain kinds of labour is upheld by custom, if not by law, aud, it inay be hoped, with some sense of its propriety as well as of its necessity. And the mind can bear as little as the body the strain and exhaustion of uninterrupted work ; it must have its season of rest, not only by ceasing from its usual occupations, but by disengaging itself from all wearying thoughts and anxieties about them, and especially froni those worldly cares and longings of our week day life, which so tcx and make heavy the heart of man. But the rest of the Lord's Day must be something more than mere repose of mind and body ; it must be a rest in God."

lln. Ulutch, who, Ve believe, holds the appointment of Inspector of Minesin Victoria, has been 011 a visit of inspection to the Tuapeka and Waipori districts. He has pronounced favourably of the province as a natural field for gold, and has 110 doubt of deep leads being found at Wetherstone's and Waipori. Tho people interested in the Tuapeka district will be highly gratified by the announcement, but would, wo think, be better pleased if Air. Ulrieh would point to the locality of the reefs iustead of merely surmising their existence. Tuapeka ranks among our oldest goldiields, and there is not an inch of the ground but has been thor/>uglily prospected years ago by men with both the practical and scientific knowledge possessed by Mr. Ulrich. There have been no greater mistakes made respecting the Xow Zealand goldiields than by men professing a geological knowledge of our auriferous strata. Dr. Hector did not hesitate to declare that there would not be found any gold in the terraces of -the West Coast of the Middle Island, and it has been in the terraces where the richest deposits have been unearthed. Darkey's Terrace, in the Nelson province, is a case in point. The fact is, that thero are very few, if indeed any, distinct " leads" in this colony as there are iu Victoria, the whole of our auriferous country being patchy. Here a rich spot, and next to it on either Side not the colour of gold. Mr. Ulrich was only a few days at Tuapeka, and of course nothing was easier for him than to " pronounce." It pleased the people of Tuapeka, and raised Mr. Ulrich in their estimation, but there was nothing more, nor is it likely anything mora will come of it..

Tiik. goldljelds returns from the West Coast of the' Middle Island do not regularly come to hand, or wo should probably •think more of the auriferous riches of that district than people generally in the North Island arc inclined to give it credit for. The U r es< Cua.it Times, under date the 12tli inst., says a splendid shipment of gold was made from \Vestland by the steamer Ofcago for Melbourne this week. From Hokitika there was shipped in all 7203 ozs. 1 dwt., 7 grs, ; from (ireymouth there was shipped 7459 ozs. 11 dwts. 12 {Jrs. Besides this, tho steamer Tararna is to take away . r >(K)O ozs. from (!r<jymouth for Wellington, making a total of 1!),7">2 ozs. 12 dwts. 18 grs., or in money value over £79,000. T.liis is certainly a splendid shipment of gold from the two ports, ayil well for tho prosperity-of wth districts, and of' tlie ptoviiice of Westland. ■ • - - - , p .!