OUR LETTER HOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7645, 24 May 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

OUR LETTER HOME.

His Excellency the Governor, Sir W Jervois, left Auckland on the third c May for Wellington, his usual sta here having been curtailed by th earlier summoning of the House c Representatives. When His Exce lency was at Onohunga, to embark o board the Hineraoa, it being dark » the time, he fell off the wharf into th water. His Excellency, howevei retained his presence of mind, and he] by a stringer of the wharf till lie wa pulled out. The second mate of th Hawea, Mr. Koine, leaped into th water to assist the drowning man (i not being known at the time that i was His Excellency who had fallen in) His Excellency has since sent Mi Noble the gift of a binocular glass. Parliament met on the 13th of May and the Speech with which the pro ceedings were opened will be founc elsewhere. It disclosed very little and it would appear, after all that has been said about largo schemes o! public works, that the Government ha; very little to oiler in that way. Then there can be no doubt at all that it was the intention of Sir Julius Vogel to propose a largo scheme of borrowing. But during the recess public opinion was shown unmistakably to be adverse to further plunging into debt with the idea of improving the position of the colony. It was seen that such a course was full of peril, and was only likely to lead the colony into further difficulties. The Premier, Mr. Stout, accurately guaging the public sentiment, and judging rightly of the circumstances of the country, also declared against any big borrowing scheme, so that nothing of the kind will be proposed. The resolution of the Government to drop any "plunging" scheme will materially effect the prospects of the session. The Opposition would in all probability have opposed such proposals. In the altered circumstances it seems probable that the Government will be allowed to remain in office, unless they should make proposals in reference to the mode of dealing with native lands as should not meet with the approval of the House. During the few days in which the House has been in session the principal subject of discussion has been the New Hebrides question- As our readers are aware, proposals were made by France to take possession of the New Hebrides group, and the British Government seemed to be disposed to comply, on the condition that the island of Opara—which would be valuable as a military and coaling station in the event of the Panama Canal being opened—being ceded to England, and on France promising to cease transporting criminals to the Pacific. The Governments of all the Australasian colonies, except New South Wales and New Zealand, vehemently opposed the idea of Great Britain agreeing that France should take possession of the New Hebrides, and as respects the the colonies named, public opinion has ■nmistakably shown that the Governments do not represent the feeling of the community. The reasons for the opposition to the proposition for allowing France to take possession of the group are many. It is felt by all these colonies that they, probably in some federated form, must, in course of time, be the preponderating power in the Pacific, having many large cities on the seaboard, and a large commerce on the ocean. The security of this position would be greatly endangered by a foreign Power being enabled to acquire a large and fertile group of islands like the New Hebrides. For many years past the Presbyterian Church has maintained, at great cost, a mission in the New Hebrides, and it is felt that all the results would be endangered by a French Government holding the islands. The French would rule the natives after their method, and it would be quite inevitable that the English missionaries would be regarded in a short time as fomenters of discontent and rebellion. A most unhappy state of affairs would to a certainty arise. In all probability quarrels would ensue between the two countries on account of the New Hebrides, for the English Government would be compelled by public opinion to interfere if any of the missionaries were hardly dealt with. The Government have instructed the Agent-General in London to express concurrence in the idea of cession, but immediately on the House meeting Sir George Grey took up the matter, and it is now being considered by a committee of the House. The Presbytery of Auckland have made strong representations against France being allowed to take possession, and they have been supported by other denominations. At a meeting of clergy and laity belonging to the Anglican Church, a strong resolution was passed, supporting the action taken by the Presbyterians. We may mention that the Presbyterian mission in the New Hebrides is mainly supported by contributions from tho colonies. The Hon. Mr. Bryce, after bringing to a successful conclusion his action against Mr. Rusden, returned to the colony in the Trinui, landing at Auckland on May 9. It was felt through- I out the colony that Mr. Bryce, in defending himself at his own risk and cost against the aspersions made by Mr. Busden, was performing a great service to the colony, which has suffered much in consequence of statements about harshness and cruelty to the natives. Mr. Rusden's bold publication in his history of New Zealand gave an opportunity of testing some of these statements, and when they came before a British jury it was seen that they were false. It was felt that Mr. Bryce had performed a great public service, and there was a disposition throughout the colony to recognise this. An address we*s prepared in Auckland, and presented to Mr, Bryce on the day following his arrival, at the Chamber of Commerce, in the presence of a number of the most prominent citizens of Auckland. Mr. Bryce made an impressive and appropriate reply. On going to Wellington Mr. Bryce was presented with an address there, and he has been entertained at banquets at Wanganui and Wellington. There is some talk of Mr. Bryce being- chosen as the leader of the Opposition, in place of Major Atkinson. Much indignation has been aroused throughout the colony ax its being found that the statements of Mr. Ruaden, in his history, were made at the instigation of Sir Arthur Gordon, who was Governor of the colony at the time, and of the Bishop of Wellington. The statements were found to have absolutely no foundation whatever, and here we have the Governor of a colony furnishing au {

author with material for a book, he knowing nothing about the matter, but nil rely retailing malicious stories picked l up from political and personal enemies of on'.: who whs a Minister of the • Grown at, the time. In all probability s there will be some action taken by the '. l Parliament to wring some explanation or apology from these gentlemen. " Mr. i)ar»aville, Mill.K. for Auckland City West, addressed his constituents on May 10, and received a vote ,' or thanks and confidence. A discussion has lately taken place 3 hero on " Land for the People," which seems likely to have a large and . practical issue. During the last few , years there has been but comparatively little settlement of the working classes on the land as cultivators, chiefly because the profuse borrowing and expenditure on public works has led the ' working man to prefer high wages and I residence in or near a large city to occupying land as a cottier and forming a ' home for himself and his family. In this : way, the large borrowing in which New ' Zealand has indulged has been an evil ' to the country. It is seen that this must end, and that attention must again be directed to settling the millions of acres of fertile land that at present lie untilled. Mr. J. 0. Firth, who owns about 00,000 acres in the Upper Thames district, has within the last few days made a practical offer. fie published an advertisement, setting forth the following terms: —lie would let land, with right to purchase, at £5 per acre, the land being in grass and clover, convenient to a railway station. Interest at 5 per cent, to be payable on the purchase money, equivalent to a rent.of 5s per acre, or £12 10s for a farm of 50 acres. Mr. Firth to lend cows at 15s per annum each. The holder will pay 10s per week for a 50-aere grass farm, and the use of fifteen cows. Mr. Firth is also to erect a dairy farm, and buy the milk for three years at current dairy farm rates. If the settler's family did the milking he would have time to cultivate the ten acres not required by the cows. There have been many applications for laud on these terms, and .it is anticipated that Mr. .Firth's action will inaugurate a movement in land settlement by small holders that will largely increase the population of the northern part of the colony. The returns of the census just taken are now coming to hand. The main result may be briefly stated as a movement of population from the Southern to the Northern Island. While Dunedin and Ohristchurch, the two principal cities of the South Island, have been stationary in population, Auckland shows an enormous increase. The figures will be found elsewhere. The statistics for the country districts are not yet to hand, but it is quite certain that they will show that the rural population is also increasing in the North Island at a much more rapid rate than in the South. There are now enormous tracts of land in the North Island open for settlement, and it may be fairly expected that colonisation will go on steadily for many years to come. In native affairs there is this month almost nothing to notice. The Native Minister has had some meetings with Tawhiao, and these are likely to result in " the. Maori King" finally resuming ] amicable relations with the Government, and signalising the event by accepting a seat in the Legislative Council. The negotiations between Tawhiao and the Government were interrupted by the sudden illness of Tu Tawhiao, the eldest son of the Maori ; ! monarch. Tawhiao and one or two of his more immediate friends came to Auckland and consulted Sir George Grey on the whole position. The news of the opening of the Indian and Colonial Exhibition, on ; 4th May, was published in New Zealand on the morning of May G. The ; speeches of the Prince of Wales and of < Her Majesty on the occasion, and also I Tennyson's ode, were telegraphed out , in full by the Eastern Extension Cable i Company. The references by Her f Majesty and the Prince to the progress ' and position of the colonies were read * with pleasure here. f A comet was seen here on May 1, * and for two or three evenings was ( plainly visible near the constellation of J Orion. Local astronomers believe that a it is Fabry's comet. j. A very lively interest is felt here «If A very lively interest is felt here in ! l European politics at present, especially ' in the Irish question, and in the possi- [ bilities of a war breaking out amongst c the nations. {

The half-yearly shareholders' meeting of tho Bank of New Zealand is happily not an event which offers much occasion for remark in our columns. Tho declaration of the usual handsome dividend of 15 per cent, may almost be regarded as monotonous, and though shareholders would no doubt be pleased to have the monotony varied by an increase of percentage, we imagine most of thorn are rather gratified to find no decrease in it. That this is a time of heavy losses in nearly every department of industry is but too well understood, and as the prosperity of banks is but a reflex of the prosperity of the community, adverse times with their constituents cannot fail to increase bankers' losses. The Bank directors indeed make no secret of it, that losses have for some time been over tho average, and shareholders must congratulate themselves that the great business, and consequent profit-making power of their institution, enables these losses to be so well met. A concern which pays £150,000 a-year in dividends, and which has assets of over fourteen millions, deals with big figures. We note that the large sum of £30,000 is carried forward, instead of being added to reserve, doubtless in view of meeting contingencies. Wo , are glad to have the chairman's authoritative contradiction of tho wild rumours which were persistently put about of serious losses by the defaulter Holt. It must be reassuring to shareholders to find that an official, necessarily so much trusted, and whose business capacity was so well recognised, even by people who did not like him, could do so little damage without being found out. We believe the Bank of New Zealand has been singularly exempt from loss by dishonest employes, and we congratulate the officers of the Bank upon the fact. We heartily echo the chairman's anticipation of better times ; that these must come is beyond question, unless we are to assume that human industry, aided by all the resources of modern civilisation, is no longer equal to providing for human comfort and well-being.