New Zealand Times. THURSDAY, JULY 9, 1874.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4150, 9 July 1874, Page 2

New Zealand Times. THURSDAY, JULY 9, 1874.

It has been understood that the “ New Zealand Handbook,” edited by the Premier, and to be published in London, would contain a number of papers supplied by experienced colonists from materials that were either in their own knowledge, or had been supplied to them from official sources. In the compilation of these the great difficulty that had to be confronted was whether the authors should be allowed to maintain their individualities, or, by their works being re-written, these should be made to appear as the product of one pen. There was much to be advanced in favor of both these courses. Both are rich in precedent ; the Fortnightly and Contemporary Reviews furnishing instances where authors append their names to their essays and maintain their ideas, whether these clash with a general policy for the journals or not. On the other hand, it is the duty of the editors of many leading journals to keep intact the policy and spirit of their respective papers, and never allow a line to appear that departs from these. A perusal of the Handbook, and more especially of the introduction containing the editor’s reasons for allowing each writer to work out his own ideas, will satisfy that the wiser course of the two has been adopted. No one would expect from an official journal the light reading that a distinguished novelist, making a tour of the Colony, might be expected to furnish. But by adhering to the course we have alluded to, a magazine character has been given to it that could not otherwise have been attained, and that will considerably add to its interest. If we wanted to adduce proof of this we need go no further than the first three chapters written respectively by the Premier, the Hon. W. Fox, and the Hon. D. McLean, forming the introduction explanatory of the design of the book, an account of the discovery and early settlement of the Colony, and particulars respecting the Native race that probably only the Native Minister could furnish. In the introduction the editor alludes to the early colonization of New Zealand, its distinctive types even now exercising an influence on the people forming the different settlements, and the object he had of giving an idea of the Colony from the point, of view of those who know it best. He shows its diversified climate, rendering it especially adapted to the development of separate industries, and to the settlement of persons with various ideas of obtaining an honest livelihood—persons who would, by reason of this very diversity, trade with each other for the common benefit of all. It is, beyond doubt, of immense advantage, that the products of the loom, the factory, and the workshop, should be exchanged for the wheat, the wine, and the wool grown in the same country—for the manufacturer to be the employer of the artisan, and the customer of the farmer. Moreover, the special settlements in New Zealand , and the ramifications of its Government afford a choice to settlers that is not found elsewhere in the Colonies. There, one law runs throughout the land ; here we have laws many and administrations numerous. Perhaps this may be a cause of the attraction the Colony appears to have to those who have resided in it. The climate is equable and healthy, and the people are socially attracted towards each other. It is fair to say that the editor does not advise ne’er-do-wells at home to try New Zealand. There certainly are ne’er-do-wells in the Colonies, nobody’s enemy but their own, who are far pleasanter company than the orthodox welldoers, but it is doubtful whether they form very desirable colonists. Men and women who can either labor or employ labor, may emigrate hero with all confidence. They will find themselves lightly taxed in proportion to their earnings ; if they are yonner they will soon find homes of their own, and if they choose to invest money in land they can do so, at a price which will probably bo loss than its annual rental before many years have fled.

The first ten papers in the Handbook are, as will bo seen by reference to another column, of a somewhat general nature, and after them, is a description of the various Provinces into which the Colony is divided. Amongst the more general papers, that of the Hon. W. Fox, which stands first on the list, will bo perused with interest. Here, ho may be considered somewhat too prolix : and he has, perhaps touched upon some matters that are given with more precision by the Native Minister in a succeeding paper. But he has managed to paint the Maoris of our day, in his account of the early settlement of the Colony, more attractively than they frequently paint themselves. He does not seem to have formed a very favorable idea of the noble savage in his normal condition. Tho Maoris, he says, were literally eating their own heads off before civilisation reached them, and it is probable, that instead of them dying away when placed by the side of a white race, as all authority agrees Native races do, they were dying more quickly before. “ Their time,” says he, “ was almost wholly spent in planning or awaiting invasions of their neighbors, or in tho bloody struggles which resulted.” Human flesh was their almost daily and habitual food. “It was impossible that any people whose habits of life were such as theirs, and who lived within a circumscribed area, could long continue to exist.” There is doubtless truth in this ; but wo find it difficult to imagine that they did not increase after their arrival in tho Colony. From the circumstances attending the first settlement of _ Europeans in the Colony, Mr. Fox notices the altered state of things attending the advent of immigrants now-a-days. Now, instead of there being “ no house to shelter him, no friend or fellow countryman to take him by the hand, and uncertain as to tho reception he would meet with at tho hands of the savage race whose territory he was peacefully yet aggressively invading,” he finds “shops, cabs plying for hire, omuibusses rumbling through the street, hotels innumerable,” &o. Also, in towns, instead of meeting a stray Maori or two clad in a dirty blanket, or a rough flax mat, they are to be seen in broadcloth, adorned with jewelry. The settlers who arrive, “immigrate,” rather than “colonize.”

As interesting a paper as any one appearing in the Handbook is that furnished by tho Native Minister on the subjects of his peculiar care. He, as did Mr. Fox, alluded to tho early settlement of the Colony by tho Maoris. They were brave and warlike—in fact, too much bo; but in tho opinion of Mr. McLean they possessed some virtues. They have readily: picked up some of tho practices introduced by Europeans, and in largo numbers of instances adopt our customs. Disputes that always were settled with bloodshed are now peaceably dispotid of

in properly constituted Courts of law, and cannibal babita have been abandoned. They plough and sow, work for wages, and are anxious to have their children instructed, while they view the Government policy of opening up the country by means of roads and railways with approval. In the Native schools the use of the Maori language is discarded; and in the fortv-nine expressly established for them there are 1268 scholars . Not withstanding all this their numbers are rapidly decreasing. In 1820 the entire population was roughly estimated at 100,000 souls, but now it is set down at 40,000, of which 3000 are in the Middle Island. Elsewhere in the book we observe that Mr. Woodward, compiler of a Paper entitled, “ Notes, Statistical, Commercial, and Industrial,” says that the numbers were estimated in 1842-3, by the Bishop of New Zealand at about 100,000; but those who knew the Natives more intimately thought that 70,000 would have been more nearly correct. The last attempt at enumeration made them about 30,000, but this was several years ago, and it is probable their numbers at present do not exceed 30,000. Side by side with these figures, the white population is shewn to have increased from 26,707 in 1851 to 260,980 in 1871. This will show clearly enough what is likely to be the future of the two races. The law seems to be that wo must increase whilst they decrease. But it is satisfactory to know that whilst our wealth-producing power is every day being swelled, theirs, also, is ' infinitely greater than it was when the New Zealand Company commenced the work of colonization. The imports per head of the New Zealand population have averaged over £2O during the past six years as against £l2 17s. in Victoria, and £l3 10s. in New South Wales. The exports have been over £l9 per .head in New Zealand, as against £l4 lls in Victoria, and £l3 6s, in New South Wales. Mills, factories, foundries, &0., are being very rapidly established, the producing interests are being largely extended ; and it is probable the Colony will, at no distant period of time, be an exporter of coal instead of being an importer. On an average during the last sixteen years the sum of £355,700 has been expended by the community in the purchase of land from the Grown ; and in 1873 the amount so received was nearly double what it had been during any former period of the history of the Colony. In 1858 there were 141,0071 acres under crops, and in 1873 there were 1,042,042 acres. It is calculated that but for the high price of labor, even more laud would have been cultivated: but such progress is wonderful. On another occasion we may revert to some of the many interesting subjects to be found in the Handbook.