Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

" ENGLAND'S OLDEST AND POOREST COLONY."

NEWFOUNDLAND. BY THE SOCIOCRAT. In his interesting series of articles on " The British Empire," now running through the .Witness, Sir Charles Dilke in a recent instalment devoted some space to Newfoundland. Quite recently I received some very interesting notes upon that island and its people from a much-travelled correspondent whom I have never spoken to nor yet seen, and with whom I became acquainted in a peculiar "way. I had written an article for an American magazine, and, following the American style, had signed the article, and attached my place of residence also. This article was seen and read by an English wanderer, and he straightway wrote me thereupon. That was some 10 years ago, and within that period I have received many interesting traveller's notes and impressions from him. The strange and unusual feature abemfc the whole correspondence is its onesidedness. He is ever changing his abode, he never supplies an address, nor does he ask for a "reply by the return mail." In Vfuly last my correspondent was in St. John's, Newfoundland, and from there he wrote me to the effect quoted underneath. " You will perceive by this," he writes, "that I have at length quit connection, at any rate temporarily, with the American Continent, and am once more an ' insular ' having taken passage from Halifax (U.S.), Canada, for ye ancient colony — England's oldest and (alas !) about her poorest. The passage, occupying three days, was made through fogs and mists, and past huge floating remnants of the once-majestic 'bergs of the Far North — now shorn of much of their former grandeur of aspect, but of none too much of their chilliness upon the surrounding atmosphere, at all events to please the good Newfoundlanders, who attribute to their unwelcome presence the semi-winterly climate even now experienced hereabouts. Such weather in July! What would they make of it 'way down in Dixie? The glorious Fourth 'midst ice and snow ! I rather doubt whether your beautiful New Zealand embraces such a contrast 'twixt north and south as is shown between Tennessee and Terre Neuve, though no dcubt, with your grand snowclad mountain peaks — which are nowhere to be equalled in Eastern North America — you have contrasts at close quarters which are here unknown. "But if Newfoundland is poor and frostbitten, it is certainly a grand, old, rugged country— a sort of New World ' Caledonia, stern and wild,' that would have delighted the heart of the immortal Sir Walter had he tripped over here (a la Cook or otherwise). In close vicinity to St. John's Dame Nature reveals the most startling freaks in wild grandeur. It is hard to realise the possibility of such ' desolate solitudes existing right close at hand, and almost within sound of the city's din. But I have seen, I have explored, I have been amazed. St. John's itself, with its 30,000 inhabitants, isn't a very prosperous looking capital ; but it must be , remembered that it has had two terrible ordeals of fire to pass through, the latest only some seven years ago, when the best part of the city, including one of its two big cathedrals and most of the business houses, went up (or down). Some of the ruins still remain much as the fire fiend left them. The Anglican Cathedral, half-wrecked and partly patched up for use, looks quite an Old World ruin of the English abbey type. It is melancholy to see so "much evidence of the smash the poor old city underwent, but there are lots of signs of plucky enterprise. ' Never say die ' seems to be the motto of many of the sturdy Newfoundlanders. The people deserve a better fate, for they are a nice sort of folk. " About the only fault I have to find with the Newfoundlanders is their hostility to the Canadians. Popular feeling seems flat against union with the great North American 'Dominion, to which, it seems to me, they rightly belong. But the wearer is the best judge of the shoe, so let us hope their policy of ' splendid isolation ' is really the correct one for them. Maybe the case is somewhat pt'iallel with that of the attitude of the people of New Zealand towards Australia, for I see the union question down your way is far from settled. Well, it tlok the North 'American Britishers some little time to adjust matters ere in '67 the Dominion came into existence, some of the colonies — Nova Scotia, for one-opposing the scheme violently and • finally entering half-heartedly, being jockeyed ' in, as some of the old-timers have it. Yet to-day not one of the divisions would entertain the idea of returning to the old system of each for himself. At the same time, I am bound to say that while in New "Brunswick and Nova Scotia (the 'maritime provinces ') I did not observe near as much 'Dominion' patriotic sentiment or such enthusiastic observance of Dominion Day (Ist of July) as in Ontario, the great central province, the most popular and go-ahead of them all. Everything in good time, perhaps. "I trust matters are better in a business .•way with your colonists than with those over here. Certainly, should your colony hf'ppen to have a surplus of prosperity, any small contribution forwarded to either of the igreat North American countries, to say nothing of this lesser one, would be most acceptable—and you can't send it along any too coon, either.' 1

— There havebeen over 60 lions in the Zoo during the last 50 years, many being presents from the Queen or members of the Royal family. BUFFERED FOR FOURTEEN TEARS. I have been afflicted with rheumatism for fourteen years, and nothing seemed to give any relief. I was able to be around all the time, but constantly suffering. I had tried everything I could hear of, and at last was told to try Chamberlain's Pain Balm, which '1 did, and was immediately relieved and in a short time cured. lam happy to say that it has not since returned. — Josh. Edgar, Germantown, Cal. For gale by all leading Qhemijta.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW18980922.2.189

Bibliographic details

Otago Witness, Issue 2325, 22 September 1898, Page 59

Word Count
1,013

"ENGLAND'S OLDEST AND POOREST COLONY." Otago Witness, Issue 2325, 22 September 1898, Page 59

"ENGLAND'S OLDEST AND POOREST COLONY." Otago Witness, Issue 2325, 22 September 1898, Page 59

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert