To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator. Wellington, June 11, 1845.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume I, Issue 37, 21 June 1845, Page 2

To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator. Wellington, June 11, 1845.

Sir, — An attentive observer of the course of public opinion, as expressed at various times, must have been struck with the fact, that the popular mind seems so contracted in its operation, that while it can contain but one subject, that one is regarded as being, not only the most important, but absolutely essential to the public weaL At one time " Catholic emancipation" is the only means of the country's safety ; at another time " Negro emancipation" alone can wipe away the blot on the national escutcheon. Anon, " Reform in Parliament" is the panacea for " all the ills that flesh is heir to," while this again gives way to " Corn law repeal," which,- as the latest, is of course the sole remedy for the public disorders. These phases of the public mmd — gigantic as the people that gave them birth, have their reflective shadows in our little community. Erewhile the cry was 11 land"— only let us have possession of the inviting space around, and prosperity will be the natural result, but now the very same parties are as loudly exclaiming, " land is of no use, its cultivation will not pay." We have paused for the remedy, but it has not been vouchsafed. These physicians are worse than the homoepathists r for they content themselves with feeling the patient'spulse, and after executing several elaborate shakes of the head, declaring his condition desperate. Perhaps, indeed, on the principle of the famous St. John Long they conclude that the excitement respecting the natives,, backed as it is by misgovernment, missionaryism, &c, will act as a counter-irritant and relieve the body politic, but as 1 have no faith in such quacks or their Systems, I will venture to occupy a little of your space in consideringthe reasonableness of both these complaints, hoping in so doing, to shew that a part, at least, of the remedy ism the hands of the colonists themselves. The outcry for .-land was certainly justifiable, for itwas simply a claim of an indefeasible right, and moreover appeared essential to our existence as a colony, as without production, consumption must eventually cease,, but like most popular clamours, it exerted and spent itself almost wholly in> a wrong direction. Those who vociferated in the insensate ears of the government that the Hutt, for instance, had been fairly purchased, and that the land was required for occupation, seemed to forget that that land, and much besides, was held by Absentees, so that let possession be obtained whenever it might, the colonists would be but little benefited. The immediate vicinity of the town presents the anomaly of land convenient in situation, comodious and easy of access, excellent in quality, with possession undisputed, and yet unoccupied. If any one asks the reason he has but to consult the map and there he discovers that these desirable sections belong to John Grumble, Esq., of Tarry-at-home park, whose instructions to his agent are not to sell, and only to grant short leases at enormous rents, with " usual covenants," namely, that the land be cleared ! substantially fenced ! ! and a good house left thereon at the end of the term 1 ! ! The remedy I suggest in this case is, that no person take land either on lease or otherwise, without a clause empowering the lessee to purchase, at a stipulated price, at or before a fixed period — then let the colonists call upon the government and the land agents to make common cause with them, and the rest is easy. In the present state of the Exchequer any suggestion respecting raising funds cannot fail to be acceptable. The land can and ought to bear a large proportion of the public burdens, and when these are imposed we shall have absenteeism under a " long range" as effective as Capt. Warner's, and one which, like his, will conquer by destroying our enemy. When missives are sent in the form of a sixty days after sight, pay to my order the sum of £ — accompanied with a friendly " advice" that if the draft does not meet due protection the land will be sold' to defray highway, county and militia rates, and land tax, with charges thereon, commission and agency these assailing the aforesaid John Grumble in the Englishman's most vulnerable part — his right hand trousers pocket, will speedily make him contrast these worst of " black drafts" with the which he is advised he might obtain from five or ten industrious men' who would willingly pay the shilling or two per acre, in the shape of rates, for the sake of the advantages they would obtain thereby, and- who on .completing their purchase would realize — in the words of the occupants of a section who recently addressed their English landlord on this subject, " that humble independence which they have come so far to seek." But bo jsoon as it is known that available land exists, the other class of objectors raise their voices and exclaim " it will not pay !" snd elaborate calculations are gone into to prove that everything can be bought cheaper than it can be grown, the natural effect of which must be, that those are best off who do nothing but purchase the produce of theiadastry of their neighbours. But purchasing requires money, and such objectors might remember with advantage the story of the Irishman who, asking an English salesman the price of ducks, was answered 2s. each." Two shillings each, said Paddy in amazement' why we can buy them for sixpence in my own dear counthry." li Then why did you not stay in your own dear cpuntry" said the other? " Bekase we have no sixpences, my jewel," wa?' the ready and apt reply. Now befqre we can live by purchasing, we must produce the " sixpences," and it is very possible that we may come to this wjien the resources of the country are more developed. We have every requisite for a town in this place, and, consequently, commerce and manufactures will be eventually our legitimate employment. Then, when a man can m#ke his election between the counting house, the factory or the farm, it is probable that the capitalist will discover .that either of the former will pay far better than the last. Just in proportion, however, to the rise of commerce and manufactures, agriculture will become remunerative, so that this state of things may be contemplated not only without alarm, but with Jiope and anticipation. But how shall we act in the

Jnterim? Will the man who has some little means 'at command act wisely, by expending these in the purchase of those necessaries, which the earth would provide for him at no greater expense than his own labour ? Suppose even that such persons should prefer spending their sixpences to producing ducks, still the bulk of the people cannot act thus, and it is this, the industrious and useful classes of the community who should weigh- well these objections, and rate them only at what they are worth. I belie\e it to be true that " gentlemen farmers" will hardly make their produce pay, but be it remembered, that this class never cultivated profitably in England, and that although public spirited individuals among them have "done the state some service" by carefully conducted and expensive experiments, still as a class they have done more harm than good, both to themselves' and the community. But if five or six acres of land, which any man of average strength and industry can cultivate himself, will produce enough for the consumption of a family, with a few fat pigs, and may be a calf or so in the course of a year, the sale of which will purchase those " necessary luxuries" tea, sugar, &c\, then surely it will " pay" the cultivator to have the means- of living in his hands at preseut, by which he will be enabled in Comparative comfort, to wait for " better times," and fully avail himself of the advantages of such whenever they may arrive. Ido not mean by this, that persons should be satisfied with producing "just sufficient for themselves. •' He who makes two blades of grass grow v>here only one grew before, is a benefactor to his country." It would be foolish to expend capital in cultivation if there be no reasonable prospect of profit by the operation, but it would be at least equally foolish for the man, who having five acres of land, and obtaining enough for his family out of three of them, should therefore confine himself to the cultivation of those three. " A store is no sore," and if at the year's end there should be twenty bushels of wheat to spare, and that wheat will sell but for 2s. 6d. per bushel, still by selling it, 50s. will be literally produced — added to the individual and the national wealth. Now, although ss. per bushel may be needed to " pay" him who has to pay for every thing done upon bis land, so that he might regard the surplus as anything but profitable, yet, surely, the profit is real, and therefore desirable to him whose sole expenditure has been his " thews and muscles," and if instead of realizing at the moment, he holds his produce for a favourable opportunity, he has all the other colonies for a market, in one or other of which, local circumstances will produce temporary demands, that a holder of grain can take advantage of. The commerce of Sydney, the minerals of Adelaide, the wool growing of Australia generally, coupled with the uncertain — if not generally scanty produce of grain in those places, will necessarily throw corn lands out of cultivation, and if New Zealand be preparing, she will ere long, realize the sanguine expectations of those who called her the " the granary of the southern seas." — I remain, Sir, yours, &c, J.