MR. HOLLOWAY ON TARANAKI.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 2297, 14 April 1875, Page 2

MR. HOLLOWAY ON TARANAKI.

Mr. Holloway, the Labourers' Union delegate, who a short time since was on a visit to New Zealand, wrote several letters to -England, in which he described the different parts of the Colony through which he was travelling. We have not the first letter — but in the one dated from Auckland, he gives a brief account of his visit here, and which we extract from the Labourers' Union Chronicle, copies of which have been forwarded to us :—: — "Auckland, New Zealand, Sept. 18th, 1874. Dear Sir, — This is probably the last time I shall be able to write to you from New Zealand, as (all being well) I purpose to set sail for England about the middle of October. My last letter was addressed to you from New Plymouth, Province of Taranaki. This Province has very appropriately been designated the " garden "of New Zealand. It is thought that this little province of Tarauaki suffered more than any other portion of the colony by the late long protracted war with the natives. But now that confidence has been restored, peace and prosperity reigus around ; and I am thinking that from it 3 beautiful climate, its salubrious air, and the general fertility of its soil, this splendid little Province is destined at no very distant day to become one of the most populous and prosperous Provinces in New Zealand. I don't think the Maori difficulty will ever again be a source of serious trouble in New Zealand. I have seen a good deal of them lately, and it is the general opinion that they ore rapidly melting away. For instance, I find from the census recently taken, that the native population is in both islands 46,006, that is. 43,408 in the north island, and 2,598 in the south island. From the above figures, which are considered to be a correct return of tbeir numbers, it will be seen that the native population are passing away. In 1812 they wore estimated at 114,000, in 1850 they were estimated at 90,000, in 1858 they were estimated at 35,790, in 1366 Mr. Fox estimated them at 45,000, in 1874 their actual number, ns correctly as can be ascertained, is 46,00(5. From the above statistics it will be seen that the Maoris have decreased since 1542 in number 67,994. If they decrease in proportion the next 32 years as they did in the last, there will not be a Maori to be found ; they .will have become extinct. Iv a few years the Maories will have passed away, and will be remembered only as a brave and manly race. While in Tarauaki I visited a settler of the name of Dingle, who early came to the Province, and consequently has had great experience in colonial life. He has brought up a large family very respectably, and although in the time of the war he had his house burnt, and much of his property destroyed, yet now, notwithstanding these drawbacks, he possesses a fine freehold farm, and has placed his sons in small farms, and altogether he is a line specimen of a successful colonist. I was highly pleased with the manner in which he described the position of the industrious farm labourers in England. Attending a meeting to welcome the first batch of emigrants to the Province, in his remarks he said that a labourer at home was like a good healthy plant, planted in bad, barren, and unproductive soil ; there was no" room for him to grow, thrive, and flourish, but he would remain stunted and poor all his days, without any prospect of bettering his position iv life. ' Not so, my lads, out here,' says he ; 'if you are sober and persevering you will resemble a plant put into good soil, which will grow and flourish amazingly ; and it will be your own fault if you don't get on and prosper in life, and eventually succeed iv placing yourselves in very comfortable, if nob iv independent circumstances. Don't fancy, my lads, that you can pick up gold in the streets out here any more thau at home ; but if j*ou como out here meaning to work, aud will avoid the drinking habits of the country, you will be sure to succeed bej'ond your most sanguine expectations.' I thought that was good advice. I could give you many such instances as the above ; but the advantages of the New Zealand Colony, as a field for settlement, is, in my opinion, not to be surpassed, if you send out the proper class of men." He then proceeded to describe Auckland, and concludes by saying : — " Tell the labourers of Old England never to give up while there are so many millions of acres of land waiting to be cultivated and peopled."