THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1879.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5651, 27 December 1879, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1879.

A correspondent at Cambridge sends us to-day some interesting particulars respecting the sentiments of Te Whiti— particulars which are of much moment at the present time, when we are going to throw down before him the challenge of battle. Te Whiti has declined an invitation to attend the forthcoming meeting of Ngatiraukawa, at Te Waotu, as might have been expected. He said that the Government had now 800 men in the field in the Whanganui-Taranaki district, and that they were costing £10,000 a-month. Te Whiti claimed to have obtained all this information from a spirit revelation ; but, of course, he is no more indebted to the spirits than are certain persons who have been holding forth in Auckland under the same profession. Te Whiti is quite aware that the Government are considering the advisability of again taking possession of the plains, and of destroying Parihaka if any resistance is made, and dunbtless he has well considered what is the best to be done. At all events he still sticks to his policy of no resistance — a policy by which he may give us great trouble.

But for the positive statements made from Wellington, and the fant that the Government has been carefully strengthening the force of late at every opportunity, we should have thought that Ministers did not at present intend to make any warlike demonstration. Mr. George made some remark in the House about the cost of the force now maintained on the West Coast, and the Native Minister (Mr. Bryce) replied that the Government thought it necessary to maintain the force, but they hoped that very shortly tho necessity would pass away. In the Legislative Council, Mr. "Wliitaker was directly interrogated, and from his answer the inference was to be deduced that the Government did not intend to commence any warlike operations. But perhaps it is unreasonable to expect Ministers to tell the truth in ILinsaril, or to make known their intentions. They might, indeed, just as well be explicit and frank, for they need not hope to take the Maoris by surprise. There is, however, another reason for thinking that the Government did not mean at present to appeal to force in the fact that, under an Act passed in tho lattor part of the session, the Government are to appoint Commissioners to inquire into native grievances in connection with land on the West Coast. As our readers aro aware, it is alleged that tho late Sir Donald McLean, seeing tho difficulty of getting possession of the land 011 the title of tho confiscation so many years ago, offered to buy it, and made certain promises as to reserves. The Commissioner is to report on the whole subject, so as to enable tho Government to act, and the natural inference would be that nothing would bo done till the Commissioners had concluded their labours. That the Maoris now in prison ascribe their acts to the non-fulfilment of the promises of the Government is shown by tho report of Mr. Mackay, in which 110 said:—"A few of the more rational among them say lliat their complaint is that the lands were never conquered and hold by Europeans, that Mr. Parris firstly, and secondly the late Sir D. McLean, offered them money compensation at tho rate of 5s per acre for all the lands in the neighbourhood of the Waimate Plains retained by the Crown, and promised them reserves wheresoever they were occupying and cultivating the land." If the Government do take action, their reply to this argument wiil be, that their occupation of the land will not prevent them from doing justice ultimately to all natives having claims; but then the natives may think that the carrying out of the promises should be the first step.

Notwithstanding Te Whiti's declaration of pcaco at any price, we do not feel at all certain that tho natives will not resist, ami thus bring nn a troublesome) war. They may even do worse, and wait their time till settlers come on to the land and begin to occupy, and then attack tliein, when the Constabulary force has been reduced. On the whole, wo think it would have been preferable to have waited for the report of tho Commission before disturbing the present situation. The Government have, however, some strong arguments for immediate action, and upon Ministers must rest the entire responsibility. If they are successful, they will bo justified ; but if they bring on :i costly contest, causing alarm in districts which are at present in quietude, they will be severely blamed.

An article appears in the San Franriaco W'fkhj Post, directing the attention of the merchants of the United States to tho necessity of being up and doing if they closite to retain their trade with New Zealand and Australia. Tile writer points out the formidable competition the Pacific Steam Navigation Co. will have to encounter in the fortnightly services of the P. and 0. Co. and tho Orient Co. to Australia, And urges that the Amorican Congress "should amend the shipping laws, and onsure free trade in ships, and offer inducements to New South Wales and New Zealand to continue their steam postal service with England, via San Francisco." The writer, an old resident in New Zealand we suspect, scarcely presents the subject in its proper light, we fancy. \Ve fail to see what free-trade in ships would effect, unless we assume that the result would be the supercession of the vessels of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company by others of greater tonnage, and whose smaller cost, and diminished expenditure for coal, would enable them to carry passengers and cargo at a smaller charge. If tho present company wore likely to take •advantage of free-trade in ships and substitute other vessels for those they now use, we could understand tho position ho takes up, but we apprehend thoy would do nothing of tho kind. Tho danger of .the competition to which he refers is obvious, but the San Francisco service is representative of something much more important than a successful mail route. It represents a now and expanding trade between tho United States and New Zealand and Australia, which it is tho interest of both places to maintain and encourage. The extent and variety of this trade is not as well known as it ought to be. Many descriptions of goods are infinitely cheaper and better than articles of tho same kind exported from Great Britain ; and tho result is a great advantage both to this colony and New South Wales. And it has tobe remembered that tho trado is only in course of development and is likely to reacli pro-

portions which will place these colonies in the first rank amongst importers f r ° m the United States. The time is prol> a "v not far distant when the vessels of the Pacific Mail Company will proceed from Sydney to Melbourne, thus opening U P another market or rather avoiding the transhipment that has now to be ni»d®. It was at one time the intention of the Victorian Government to subsidise this line, and it would have been done, but for a spirit of faction which induced the successors of the proposers to set it aside. The effect of the present trade with the United States is not only to supply the market with cheaper articles than can bo produced in Great Britain, but to act as an intelligencer to our own workmen. This is notably the case with regard to locks, some descriptions of which the English makers cannot touch. The American product is simple in construction and cheaper, because in many instances castiron is substituted for wrought. It cannot be contended that they are equal to the English product, but it is stated that they fulfil all the requisite conditions, and it would be merely to state a truism ta say that all surplusage is waste. And this is one of the chief features of American manufactures, and hence the United States is a good school for our own manufacturers. Apart from all considerations of the Pacific Mail service as a means of rapid and regular postal communication, not only with England, but the Great Republic, it is of inestimable advantage as closely connecting us with a country so prolific in inventions, and thus so excellent a school for these young colonies. Although we dwell on this feature of the service, we must not be understood as undervaluing its postal facilities. In this respect it is excellent, both as regards speed and regularity. But whilst we think that the writer in the Post has failed to realise all the importance of the line to New Zealand and New South Wales, we quite concur with him that the Americans ought to take stock of the improvements being made in other line 3 of steam communication. The P. and O. Co. and the Orient Co. are both accelerating the speed of their vessels, and increasing the advantages they afford, both for passengers and cargo. But the Pacific Mail Co. is doing nothing in this direc tion, and it cannot afford to stand still in the presence of the keen competition of its two powerful rivals. It will not do for it to rely too much upon the special advantages the service confers ; it must keep abreast of the improvements in steam ocean-going vessels. There is no standing still in these dnys, and the sooner the Pacific Mail Co. recognises this fact, and puts its best leg forward, the more secure will be its position, and the better it will bo for its interests. The company would, no doubt, say that it gives adequate value for what it receives, but in presence of the fact that other lines of steamers are increasing their speed, the acting on such a principle as this would mean that in the long run the Pacific line would be all astern, and the colonies which subsidise it would begin to think that they had had quite enough of it.

The writer of the article in the Post thinks that the British Government is adverse to the Pacific Steam Navigation Co., as substituting American for British trade, a distinct proof of how valuable the line is to these colonies. If he is right, then surely the company should not cease its efforts till it has induced Congress to grant a subsidy iu aid of tho service. It is true that an attempt was made and failed, but that is no reason why it should not be repented. Were it successful, the company would then be in a position to replace the present excellent vessels by others of larger burden and greater speed. Tho present position of affairs is this, that New Zealand and New South "Wales put their hands in their pockets to develop American trade. It would be no answer to this to say that both colonics are benefited by it, because reciprocity requirics that tho United Status, which also benefits, and benfits largely, should in all fairness accept some of the burden. A subsidy from tho United States, equal in amount to half the amount now contributed by this colony and New S..mth\Vales.£3s,ooo, which would assist the company in that improvement of tho service, regard being had to what is being done elsewhere, is essential. We are by 110 means complaining of the manner in which the company carries out its contract. On the contrary, it is doing it 3 work excellently well, and has disposed of all the adverse speculations which it encountered from interested opposition. It not only keeps excellent time, but exceeds, in this respect, the stipulation of the contract. But as the P. and O. Company and the Orient Company have each had to push ahead, because of tho competition of the other, so must tho Pacific Steam Navigation Company, which finds itself confronted by this double rivalry.

So.metuin'g like a mass emigration is on foot among the farmers of Lincolnshire, and they are turning their attention to New Zealand. It seems that no fewer than five or six hundred of tlioso farmers, belonging to 0110 of the most noted of tho English agricultural counties, are willing to bring their skill, capital, and enterprise to our colony, if things hero should be suitable to their want.3 and expectations ; and two members of their body hare come out, commissioned as a deputation, to examine with their own eyes and report accordingly. We will miss a great opportunity, if we do not secure so valuable a body of settlers, anxious to follow their rural avocations here, and with the means of doing so in the best manner. It could not fail to give our progress a great push forward to obtain so many men possessing both money and a scientific knowledge of their business ; for in this respect, ever since the repeal of the Corn Laws, there has been a complete revolution in England. English farming has become quite impossible of late years without capital and without an amount of advanced experimental intelligence which is really scientific. The husbandman of a past day was proverbially inaccessible to new ideas ; ho did not often emigrate, for he found it hard to adapt himself to novel ciicumstances. The man of the present generation has been bred in a totally different and far more trying school. Tho now difficulties he has had to contend with have made his knowledge broadly theoretical as well as practical. He has been accustomed to exercise his brains, and he knows what agriculture ought to be in one country as well as auotlier. A largo infusion of this skilled element is sorely wanted in all tho colonies. If we had, in proper number, among our rural settlers more of those capable agriculturists who aro the present farming class at home, good husbandry would soon become tho rule, and not as it is, notoriously tho exception 111 all new countries, and what are called " novel industries" would not be so slow in making a successful appearance.

We not forget that, in this colony, it is on our rural progress that our progress at largo must depend. It is on that we must mainly rely for the growth of our towns, for the extension orereation of manufactures, for the enlargement of mercantile tra.do. All oiler helps are only collateral or supplemental, and, however important, they must here be of subsidiary importance as compared with tho utilisation of the soil. Our largest towns are still only small ones, because in !s T ew Zealand the development of the town is bound to wait upon that of the country behind. It is the natural and proper course of things—it has been always accredited as the only sure and safe foundation of a commonwealth. It is not tho however, in some of the other colonies. We are told in statistics just published that the whole third of the population of Victoria is packed m the city of Melbourne aud its suburbs, and tho population of Victoria is now close on 900,000 souls • and in like manner tlie population of New South Wales is crowded in liuge

unnatural proportion into Sydney. What I a contrast is presented in New Zealand ! The dwellers in these islands are i now nearly half a million, and of the four principal towns, little differing in size, not one ha 3 much above 30,000 inhabitants. It is a great contrast indeed, and, as we take leave to think, a contrast greatly to our advantage here. It is due to a variety of circumstances. The original cause, and which gave those Australian cities a di - proportioned growth from the very beginning, is the fact of their being the only ports on their respective shores. Along the whole Victorian seaboard there is not a harbour, or, at any rate, not one where a ship of any tonnage can enter and anchor iu safety, except the fine bay of Port Phillip, at the foot of which Melbourne stands. And going round the long coast to Sydney you find no proper harbour either, until you reach the magnificent waters of Port Jackson. The discovery of thegoldfields further swelled those towns, which are their only landing places and gates of approach ; and the goldfields, we must remember, is a fluctuating, uncertain, and at best but a temporary reliance. It is agriculture which constitutes the backbone of a country and of the chief towns. With that the manufacturer has a home market for his goods, and therefore a constant and reliable one. He has not to depend on the custom of outside communities and foreign nations, who may at any time refuse to take his wares, periodically interrupting his prosperity, and making it always doubtful. And Australia is by no means as faeourably circumstanced for agriculture as New Zealand. The long droughts are a terrible hindrance both to farming and grazing. The great quantities of wool which we sent to market are due to the vast extent of the interior, where on the parched and sandy plains each run is necessarily of immense size. And while the pastoral stations are thus widely sundered, the fanning population is very thin and scattered, except in a few exceptionally fertile parts, like lllawarra in New South Wales, or the western district of "Victoria. Outside the capitals people are only collected in large numbers on the gokltields and in the towns which belong to and represent them, and which every now and again collapse, as in the case of such once flourishing places as Castlemaine and Ballarat. It will be seen that there is not much of a local, solid back for this premature, exaggerated, artificial development of great cities in Australia. Melbourne and Sydney in the thinlypeopled lands around them resemble in extent and population the great cities of the crowded Old World, and so they are ever at new shifts to find employment for their vast redundancy of inhabitants. There is a far more natural and promising state of things in our colony, where there are many centres of population instead of a single one, and where the civic growth has not anticipated, but waits upon the rural. Circumstances do not admit of our putting the car before the horse, as has been done in Australia. We cannot get the giant's head on the dwarf's body : we must take our progress in the old wholesome, natural way. Indeed, in many parts of the world cities in this modern time tend too readily to this dropsical sort of expansion. It is not a benefit or blessing either in Europe or Australia to see big cities swallowing up the population of a State, like Saturn devouring his children ! When London was a good deal smaller than it now is, Cobett pronounced it "a wen on the neck of England." On this subject of overgrown cities the Paris correspondent of tlie -ZV r (ny York 7'ribunc mentions a conversation lie had some time ago with M. Gambetta, and it may be interesting to hear the emphatic sentiments of the Fr.ncli Republican chief: —

Some of our present ills were due to universal causes; others to tho over-development of manufacturing cities, which degraded population, and placed national wealth on an unsteady basis. ] Agricultural Italy must ever, in tho long run, have the adv*mtngo over trafficking (l\rtli:\ge. In one way free trade was the source of evil to Kngland that protecwould be to the United States and the British colonics. It brought too much blood into grimy cities, where the smoke of the mill shuts out the light of Heaven from the operative. Without Heaven's lieht (continued in his emphatic mauner Gambetta) the workman is a To find a glimpse of the ideal, towards which eveiy human beiug instinctively aspires, he squanders his wages iu gin. Oh, yes, without sunlight and the blue sky, there is no invention, no skill, no sociability to be found among the labouring poor. The tidy, thrifty, artistic Fleming becomes at Mons and Lille a besotted animal. Manufactures, carried to a groat extent, killed tho Moors in Spain. He should be sorry tint they killed England, for he had good reasons for loving her. Iu the United States the labour party is another out come of big cities, and over-stimulated manufactures. "All I want/'said the ex dictator, " public instruction to do in Fiance is to enable the peasant to appreciate the felicities of an agricultural life, and to lend him the aid of science in cultivating his held."

It is quite another tiling when towns arise and expand in a natural way, with the support of the country behind, ancl in answer to its requirements—when they are wanted to supply it with manufactures and to exchange its commodities. Prosperity is not then feverish, speculative, and uncertain, but resis un a sound foundation, and such a town is not an excrescence 011 the commonwealth but the very heart of its vitality. The interests of tho town are identical with those of the country at largo, and such towns have been in all ages bulwarks of tho national freedom as well as centres c.f intelligent thought. It was so with tho municipalities of England, with the cities of tho Lombard League, with the great Flemish cities of the Middle Ages. A country is always rude and backward without considerable towns, but in this as in everything else, the advantage lies in a just balance and proportion. Lot us secure our civic progress by ensurinjj that rural progress out of which it must grow, on which it must rest. We have now most important meaii3 of furthering this by tile wish of a great body of th 3 best farmers in England to couie and settle among us. Some of their number have already gone to Texas and others to Manitoba; butthegreat majority, not liking the sultry Texan summer or tiio almost Arctic winter of Manitoba, prefer IS'ew Zealand, provided we afford them the facilities for settlement which they require.