THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 1883.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6590, 1 January 1883, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 1883.

■ Mr. Haytee, the Government Statistician of Victoria, has lately issued a series of tables relating chiefly tc- ! that colony, bat in many import tant respects furnishing material for s comparison between the diilerent colo--1 nies of the Australasian group. The ' figures are carefully compiled, and seeing that they are issued by the authority of the Victorian Government, it cannot be alleged. that they are constructed with any partiality towards the colony of New Zealand. And yet, in every respect they tell strongly in favour of this • colony," and in this, our summary number, and the first issue of the new year,, we cannot do better than point out the reasons which render it a confident j expectation that New Zealand is litted to occupy a premier position, to bear a large population and to be the seat of trade and manufacturing, industries, giving employment to masses of people. First, as to the production of wheat. In 1873, New Zealand produced 3,391,034 bushels, while iri ISBI the production had risen to 8,297,590 bushels. This places New Zealand close to Victoria for wheat production, and ahead of the famous wheat-growing colony of South Australia and all the other colonies. But the mere quantity of wheat grown is a secondary consideration compared with the rate per acre. That shows the productiveness of the soil anc! climate, and is the one infallible test of the capacity of a country to support a large popuf lation. During the years from 187*1 to 18S0 the highest average production of ■ wheat to tho acre in New Zealand was c in IS7G. when it was 31'51, and the lowest in 187 9, when it was 22-94. The mean oc the seven, years was 27-29. Tiic. next highest average amongst tho colonies was that of Tasmania, with \ B'2f>, but as the total production in that colony was only 750,00& : bushels, ic ought perhaps not to be admitted to comparison. The mean production of wheat per acre for theseven years in the other colonies was j as follows : —Victoria, 13-03 ; New South Wales, 14-49; (Queensland, 10-7 G } South Australia, 8-80 ; Western Australia, 12-05. In making a comparison of the production of wheat per acre between these colonies and England, New Zealand is the only one that in ■ this respect beats the Mother Country. The average produce of wheat in England for the fourteen years preceding 1879 (inclusive) was bushels- , per acre, and in 1879 the production was as low as 18 bushels. England is- : a fertile country, and its wheat districts arc highly farmed, the land ' being cultivated with the best skilL having abundant manure ajjplied to it, • and the harvesting being carefully done. That New Zealand in the average production of wheat per acre should be conspicuously ahead of England, is a testimony to the productiveness of its soil and climate which dwellers in England can readily appreciate. The production of whea.t per bushel in France was IG'2, in Saxony 22-5, while in Hussia it was as low as 5-5. In all the crops, the superiority of New Zealand to the other colonies is conspicuous. The mean average of the seven years in New Zealand for oats was 33-42 bushels to the acre, while Victoria gave 19-57 bushels, New ■ South Wales 19-44, and South Australia 13'07. The average of potatoes to the acre was—in New Zealand, i 5-13 tons; in Victoria, .'5-27 tons; in New South Wales, 2-90 tons ; in Queensland, 2'42 tons ; in South Australia, 3-35 tons. Turning to other products we tind that in respect to gold New Zealand is far ahead of all the other colonies except Victoria, which is the great gold producer. I.i 1879 New Zealand exported gold tc the value of £1,134,Gi1, while A'ictoria produced to the value of ,£3,035.785, New South Wales giving .£399,187, ' and Queensland £1,02-1,337. It is clear from the figures we have ' quoted respecting agricultural produc- I tion, that New Zealand has in it the I first elements of material greatness, { namely, a fertile soil and genial | climate. The fact that, acre for acre. | it is of so much greater value than the H land of the continent of Australia, g must confer enormous permanent ad- $ vantages. Farming is more concen- fif trated. There is less expense in sow- % mg and harvesting, in all the opera- . |fi tions of agriculture, in fencing and V; enclosing the fields. The form and f situation of the colony also confers advantages in regard to the export of ' produce. Stretching for 1100 miles ; from North to South, the produce ; of any part of the colony can be con- ;/ veyed to some convenient port of ship- f nient, whence it can be sent to the best 6. market. But we contend that in other respects the advantages of New Zealand are not less conspicuous. The first essential to manufacturing pre-eminence . is coal, and that is found throughout /j almost the whole extent of the colony. f j There ara excellent deposits of coal in jj' New South Wales, and the productior |

c £. t i s Y ery at wines at a Zealand'has coal T* colony, at| - situathrougliouc be rea o y a pphed lions purposes; Victoria, M r»ss "dvJ4?. wlt ; h a ! the ■< black diamuls used have to be import—a fact there n te j n dralng a sliarp !' ne !f «p.Sy, »»<> t- »"* turin a P nV ip or tant respects, C the workii;; of its rail- ™ youn.3ompar«l to uiost of the colonies of thdustralasiaii Croup New Zealand hasstablished a hid' position in the matt-of population Victoria, whose 'Ogress and population have been rnaly owing to her enormously rich gonitis, lias a nooulation of 9-565 to tl square mile. New Zealand has 4-402 o the square mile while New Sou; V- ales lias 2-271 • Queensland, "32; South Australia, ~'S7 : and VTeshi Australia, ■029. The largest of;liese figures looks trifling compad _ with the 437 persons to the m; in England and Wales, to the 12 in Scotland, and the 165 in iread. But the figures, at all events, sly/ tlie rela.ti\ c capacities for bearing jpiuation, and evidence the fact tlr in all these colonies there is abuiint room for large accessions of pole for many years to come. How I'e a proportion dgxis\ty Ixrs to fei tility of soil and excellence of itnate is shown by the following figuij; — Belgium, 481 persons to the sque. mile ; Denraark, 135: France, jl ; Germany, 209; Holland, 304 iltaly, 247 : Russia, 10; Sweden arpNorway, 22. By all the argumentslainly stated above, New Zealand ij shown her title to a premier positic amongst the colonies of Australasia, : ( the fertility of her soil, in its capacitor yielding all the products of a tempei'e climate, in its suitableness to men \ the AngloSaxon racc, in its miml wealth of coal, and gold, and iron. ; To some extent, these colonies are irals for the favour of all those who ve made up their minds to leave ie crowded domain of England. e claim the first place in regard, andy the establishment of a direct steai servico between England and Ncwiealand, this t»lony will soon be in anjual position ■with the other colonies aispects con veuience of transit.