NOTES OF TRAVEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9307, 9 March 1889, Page 1 (Supplement)

NOTES OF TRAVEL.

No. IX. [by f. g. ewington.] NEW ZEALAND. A lucre] Vicborian on our boat, who was travelling for tho benefit of his healbh, and who hired a carriage and pair ab each porb bo go oub and see the country, bold me bhab if Vicborians generally knew that our country is what it is, many of them would come hero. It is a pity that New Zealand is nob thoroughly known, for she deserves to bo known, and would afford a happy home to even millions of people from the overcrowded centres of Europe and the drought districts of Australia. Our colony is emerging from bhe labe general depression, and the January number of tho Banking Record has noted the "solid progress in New Zealand, where the oxporb brade [lias assumed largo dimensions as compared wibh population, while reduced imports have borne witness to bho greaber economy practised." There are many things on which we may congratulate ourselves. Notwithstanding bhe fact bhab so many persons loft our shores in 18S8, the increase of tho population by excess of births over deaths, afbor allowing for bho excess of departures over arrivals, was 4019 ; and the value of exports per head of tho population lasb year was greaber in Now Zealand than in Victoria. In somo parts of Vicboria, farmere do nob grumble if bheir land carries one sheep to bhe aero, bub our farmers have land which will carry two or three. In Victoria tho average whoab yield during bhe lasb 15 years has been less than bushels to the aero, while ours has been over 26 bushels; and bhere aro moro acres of land under tillage per head of bho population in Now Zealand than in Vicboria, Western Australia, New South Wales or Queensland, while for many years Now Zealand heads all bho colonies in bhe average produce psr acre of oabs, barley and potatoes; and there are in New Zealand eight millions more sheep than in South Australia, about five millions more than in Victoria, and nearly three millions more than in Queensland. The value of our wool clip lasb year stood as follows :—

During the lasb IS years, Now Zealand has exported a hundred million pounds worth of products. Now Zealand consumes more sugar per head of her population than any country on earth, bub her people smoke infinibely less tobacco per j head than any of the colonies or Europe, drink loss intoxicants than some, and compare favourably with other places as regards crime. Hence wo may say to thoso detractors who blazon tho shamo and laugh ab bho name of New Zealand. Our colony posesse.s a fertility of resource, a vitality, and a climate equal to some of the most favoured countries in bhe world, and a people second to none for industry, and moral and intellectual worth. WELLINGTON. It was over a quarter of a cenbury since I had lasb seen Wellington, and of course immense improvements were perceptible, and others were in progress towards completion. Railways, trams, a ileet of steamers, numerous factories, largo warehouses, bustle in bhe streets, and a population of about thirty thousand souls in the city and suburbs betoken a great change. Wellington is one of the very oldest .settlement.-? in tho colony, and owing to its ceubral position will always be an important placo. An immense shipping trade is done in the port, i and when the reclamation harbour works now iu progress are finished, the facilities for shipping will bo vory great. LUNACY. I had an hour's chat with bhe Colonial Secretary about lunacy inabberg, and was glad to find him baking a deep inberesb in them. Although our lunacy law is an ex> bremely good ono, experionce frequently suggests amendments which would be for bhe welfare of bhe unfortunate indane and the State too. One of tho most dreadful things connected wibh lunacy hero is the lacb thab poor souls whoso reason has been restored aro detained in Asylums either because relatives tcill not receive them, or because they are friendless and have no ono to extend a helping hand to them. Even if it cost & little more per head to board oub such persons for a time bhey ought to be leb out of the madhouses, for it is absolutely impossible bo get servant girls and obhers situations direct from asylums, bub ib might be possible if they were iu cobbago homes. I have recently found, in trying bo gob a poor woman work, bhab insanity is a worse brand than crime. She bogged of mo with tears not; to say ' where she came from, because people would rather havo a prisoner from Mount Eden about them than a discharged lunatic. Such things ought nob so to be. Lunacy is a disease which will increase with the shams and rivalries of civilisation, and it ought to be the iirst duty of a State to tninimi.se tho struggle for existence of recovered lunatics. I spout nearly _ tho whole day wibh Dr. Macgregor, who drove me out to show mo bhe Lunatic Asylum. Having read in the oflicial report from Parliament what a number of cures were being effected in Wellington, and how few deaths were baking place, I expected bo see a model Asylum, but I did not expecb to see such a model. It was neat, quiet, and orderly to a degree. Tho day before our vinib Dr. Hassoll had taken nearly a hundred pabienbsoubfor some miles for a picnic, and there was nob bhe slightest disorder perceptible, although arrears of work had to be made up. Pictures and stencil work enlivened the walls, and every effort was availed of bo gladden bhe hearts of bhe benighted patients. What struck mo most of all was bhe homo-like appearance of bhe Asylum, as compared wibh tho prisonliko appearance of others. The very monb had been made of bhe contracted and unsuitable grounds of bhe Asylum, and 1 could nob but deplore bhab bhey had nob gob such a magnificent estate as ours, comprising 160 acres, some of which Mr. Boyd is doubling in value by clearing off scoria and .sowing crops. For bhe sake of patients, who benefit immensely by suitable work, every asylum ought bo havo around ib a good tract of workable land, and to secure this object, it is expeebed bhab bhe Wellington patients will be provided for iurbher out of town. NAPIER. On Sunday, bho Bth of December, we reached Napier, on a lovely morning, when nearly all bho passengers landed. I made straight for my revered old friend, the Rev. P. 11. Cornford, who tied a knob for me twenty-four years ago, which has never come undone. Ho is living wibh his eon Harry—Mr. H. A. Cornford, solicitor—and has hud built for him aneatßaptisbChurch, where he preaches with all his former fluency and unction. I walked wibh him and Mrs. Cornford down bo his church, and ho preached from bhe boxb, "As the hart panteth afber bhe waber brook," &c. To a congregation of aboub bwenby-five persons he preached a sermon which would havo done credit to Sb. Paul's Cabhedral. Ib was the best piece of wordpainting I have heard for somo time. Afber depicting bhe timid,, graceful hart famishing • for the drink oub of bho stream whicli it was afraid bo approach, he showed how men in life's fitful fever aro ulbimaboly reduced bo one final need and satisfaction—God bhe Father Almighty, After luncheon Harry pointed oub bo mo from his lovely residence in bho clouds—l wenb up aboub 400 steps to reach his house on a hill overlooking the city— some of tho sights, and told me some local history. Ho brims over with wib still, but a growing family has tinged his conversation with the truest philosophy of life. He made my stay ab Napier very enjoyable, and came down to see mo off to bho boat; may his shadow never grow lese 1 I noticed that reclamation works wore being executed at Napier, and can imagine that ib is a bhriving place, and agreeable for residence. HOMEWARD BOUND. Our nexb shopping pla>..o was Gisborne, where we simply discharged some cargo and passengers, and bhen headed for Auckland, which we reached a'. eleven a.m., December 10, 18S8. This must conclude my notes of bravel. Without any idea of writing I yielded to the request of others to give the readers of the Nkw Zealand Herald an account of my travels. If, in doing so, I havo given them one idea of inberesb, pleasure, or information, I aoa amply rewarded for my

paina ; and if I have hurt anyone's feelinge in the slightest degree I am very sorry. During my absence I had kept on the move with my eyes open, and had seen no place to compare with dear old -Auckland. "Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roan*; Bβ it ever ao humble, there's no placa Jike borne. [Concluded.]

New South Wales.., „. £9,490,01!) New Zealand ... ... 3,3)3,734 . Victoria 2,7?2,S60 Queensland ... ... ... 2,297,625 South Australia ... ... 1,184,820