THE PROSPECTS OF THE COLONY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8698, 15 October 1891, Page 5

THE PROSPECTS OF THE COLONY.

WHAT IS THOUGHT IN THE SOUTH. [Br TKLKOKAI'U. —I'KIWi ASSOCIATION.] Dn.N'KDiN', Wednesday. At the annual meeting of the D.I.C. a dividend of 74 per cent, as against 7 per cent, last year was declared, also a bonus of 4 per cent, on shareholders' purchases. Tho chairman (Mr. L. Hallcnstein) took'a very hopeful view of the future of the colony. With the expansion of settlement which for a time hud been going on in tho North Island, and with the copious rains in the South, which gave signs of an abundant harvest, lie looked forward to a year of abundant prosperity to all classes, in which the D.I.C. must participate. They would have the largest wool clip ever known in New Zealand, setting at work almost immediately all available shearers, and, with an extensive crop of wheat, ho hoped there would not bo the shortness of labour to gather in the harvest. Our exports for some time had been increasing in almost every direction. We now shipped close 011 '2,000,000 carcases of frozen meat, yet our stock was so prolific and our laud so fertile that our flocks, which, when lirsb we entered upon the frozen moat trade, a little more than nine years ago, numbered 10,000,000, had increased to 17,000,000, mid they would yet see this number doubled. The percentage of lambing had, both North and South, been this year unprecedented. The Hon. W. J. M. Larnach, who seconded the report, also took u very hopeful view of the colony's future.