NEW ZEALAND AND QUEENSLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9367, 25 November 1893, Page 1 (Supplement)

NEW ZEALAND AND QUEENSLAND.

Only those who have resided in Queensland for some time, can realise how groat has been the change of public feeling here in regard to your colony. Ten years ago little was known of New Zealand, and the news we received was usually confined to a stray telegram once a week or so. Tho produce of New Zealand was a by-word, your timber was practically unknown, and what had boen imported before that time was a small lot of red pine, which some enterprising trader had introduced as kauri. Even when trade was opened upon a larger scalo, many of those who shipped from your side thought anything was good enough for a place where most of the people were supposed to be black. Timberwasshippedgreen,andlanded in bad condition. Butter and cheese, with- [ oub any regard to quality, came forward, • and as a consequence shippers lost heavily, and agents and buyers were disgusted, and tor a long time anything with the name of New Zealand attached to it, was looked upon as at least "doubtful." In one part of our city a large sign might have been seen before the great flood of 1893, "No Now Zealand timber sold here." However, after a series of losses, your shippers learned wisdom, and quality began to improve, and tho former bad character has been forgotten. Now, and for some time, Edendale cheese has been the best in our market, while Taranaki butter, Dunedin oatmeal, Northern flour, Kaiapoi blankets, Carlyle windmills, Lough's wool presses, and rope made from New Zealand flax are wellknown and appreciated by those in the trade. During tho years New Zealanders woro building up the business here, Queenslandors wore busy spending tho ton million j loan, and getting up land gambles, but j when the bubbles burst, tho need of producing something to live upon was forced upon our people. Our Government imported experts in butter and cheesemaking, and for bacon-curing and meatpreserving, and theso gentlemen havo spent some time in most of tho settled agricultural districts, teaching those who were willing to learn how to do these things in the very best way. This will account for a large falling oil' of imports of produce during the past IS months. The press speak hopefully of Queensland being able before long to compete with Victoria and New Zealand for some of the British and European trade, but it is evident that we must first; make an article which will oust all others for home consumption before we can export successfully. Here, again, our Government steps in to the help of tho farmers, and we are to have a bonus paid for every pound of butter and cheese exported, as well as on all frozen and preserved meats prepared in and shipped from the colony. -Anyone who has watched tho effect of tho bonus system in Victoria must realise this as a mistake, and it is to the everlasting credit of New Zealand that today she holds such a position in the London markets—a position which lias been won by the excellence of her products, and without the aid of a bonus in any shape or form. Only this week a complaint comes from Melbourne that Victorian butter is dearer there than in London. The bonus system lias grown vigorously in Queensland lately. Kanakas on tho sugar plantations, and an export duty on cedar over a certain size, were the first attempts. During the last session an Act was passed which enables tho Government to make advances to persons desirous to erect meatpreserving or freezing works,, and sugar mills. Some of our legislators think, too, that a bonus should be offered to steamship companies for tho construction of steamers specially adapted to carry frozen meat and produce, bub I fear that "this last phase of the bounty craze will die in its infancy. It is needless to say that thise gentlemen are interested in tho local meat works. Tiie inconsistency of these agitators is proved by their desire that the Government should sell the railways to private companies, when they would be sure to give better returns, as well as be of more benefit to the public. I mentioned Kaiapoi woollen goods, and I think it should be a proof of the reputation this company has gainer), when I mention that despite the duLy on their manufactures, they can successfully compote with the local mill. So much for commerce. Politically, New Zealand is viewed according to the sentiments of the spectator. One of our leading dailies, when referring to tho passage of the women's franchise, described New Zealand as tho " Franco of the colonies," because of the various new things political, which your Government has introduced. On tho other hand, the action of your rulers is held up as an example of what can and should be done in our colony. Taking a deep interest in the general elections of 189.'5 the writer (as an old New Zealander) was much impressed with the amount of information which candidates had gathered in regard to the working of various political and commercial enterprises in your colony. Some of tho aspirrants for Parliamentary honours however gave New Zealand credit for some things and charged her with failure in others, which were evidently imaginary. One thing is very certain, and that is, the eyes of all tho South Australian colonies are upon you.

A remarkable feature in the political history of New Zealand during the past ten or 12 years, is the number of men you have had available for the position of Premier. The work of men such as Grey, Stout, Hall, Atkinson, and Ballance has been for the

lasting benefit of Now Zealand, and in each of them the colony generally has had confidence. In New South Wales it has been Dibbs and Parkes, in Victoria Service and Berry, while in Queensland we have had Mcll wraith and Griffith, either separately or combined, for the pasb 13 years, and the colony now is as low down as New Zealand over was at the worst of the depression, despite the frantic protestations of our press to the contrary. During a crisis, when Mcllwraith found his majority consisted in the casting vote of the Speaker, and he threatened to resign, one of the leading dailies assured its readers that there was no

one else in the House who could form a

strong Government, or satisfactorily carry on the business of the colony. Of course the weak-kneed among the; Opposition to this special legislation caved in, and peace peace was restored, and the threat withdrawn. No doubt New Zealand lost good men in the gallant Atkinson and the noble Ballance, but I fear the members of your Legislature, and the electors of the colony, would have felt insulted had the press declared there were nob as capable men left, to carry on the affairs of State. Compared with other colonies, New Zealand has cause to be proud of her political rulers, and tlio members of her House of

Representatives, for it is well-known that loaders are often what followers force them to be. The political walk of the past few years will add to the future greatness of the Britian of the South, and be a living example to the sister colonies. The visit of your Postmaster-General (Mr. Ward) to the Postal Conference in Bris-

bane (soon after the generous donations of your colonists to our flood relief fund) caused public attention to bo diverted to your frozen meat trade, and both our local

papers published his experience and opinion of this branch of industry, which with us in South Queensland, is but in its

infancy. The remark in one of our papers that " Mr. Ward, the representative of New Zealand, was the central figure in the Postal Conference of 1893," was decidedly flattering to Mr. Ward, and complimentary to the colony he represented. I cannot close this letter without mentioning how your colony is represented here in various ways. Firsb come the insurance companies,. with the New Zealand (under the able management of Mr. Edgar Walker, an old Aucklander) leading. This Old Auckland Company deservedly holds the firsb place in regard to the volume of business, and public confidence in our colony. Then we have the well-known South British, National, and Standard Companies, all doing well. The Loan and Mercantile Agency Company is here, as indeed ib is in all towns of any importance in Australia, and the recent suspension of business was somewhat of a surprisa to many of our colonists. Then there are the m... tiers of young jfeupws one meets in »U i

the Queensland coastal towns, who have during the last seven or eight years come to these shores from New Zealand ports, especially from Auckland. It does one good to meet them, and find how warm a place the old home and people retain in their hearts. Without exception they all look forward to the time when they will be able to return to Maoriland and enjoy a holiday, if nob a home there, once more. When Auckland boys get together what "yarns" are spun of old Grammar School days, when our old, and esteemed, and beloved friend Macrae was in power, with Sloman, Flower, Anderson ("Jock"), Wyatfe, Hayte, and Brown as coadjutors ; when our quarters were in the old bluestone building, afterwards used as a police station, and when we had the whole of Barrack Green as our playground, and flocks of rooks from the Domain hovered about and shared our lunch. Then there were the " difficulties" which often occurred between "our boys" and the immigrants who were usually quartered near us, and the subsequent interviews of the offenders with Mac in his office, where stood a big packing-case, in which ib was said two boys were once imprisoned while Mr. M— went to his lunch ab tho club, and on his return found the boys gone despite copying press, barred windows, and locked doors. These boys were afterwards forgiven on showing practical illustration of the means of escape.

Then the final scene when the blockade of the old school took place, and tho boys had to retire after a gallant fight. Of course we have some bad examples of New Zealanders here, but as a rule they are all doing well. <M May they continue to prosper, as does New Zealand itself, and so bring the time nearer when we shall look on your shores again. Rimu.