The Anniversary of the Colony. 29th of January.

Auckland Times, Volume 2, Issue 55, 30 January 1844, Page 2

The Anniversary of the Colony. 29th of January.

“Was an occasion upon which mu c h hilarity might have been expectedthe less we say about it the better.” This is a quotation from the supplement to the Mangle of this week last year; and it is rather melancholy to repeat that this year's birthday of the Polony is, if possible, more flat than the last. We have not even a regatta, which is the more to be regretted, because it deprives us of the opportunity of quizzing the Port Admiral. There is no dinner—no ball—no cricket, that we have heard of,—but there is to be a meeting of unemployed emigrants to arrange the terms of their agreement for the occupation of land, Bcc. from the native chiefs, as will be seen in another of our columns.—But the encouraging, the substantial and lasting feature in the recollection of our present anniversary is this, that we are in a land of plenty, created by the bounteous hand of Nature, and in a climate where earth and sky show no caprices of maternal kindness, drought and flood are alike unknown; and if the Colonists of New Zealand aie willing to be ready Colonists, there can be no doubt but that peace and plenty, innocence and happiness, wi j dweli in our adopted land. We English people have become too much imbued with the overwhelming principle of commerce; we have furo*otien that commerce is only ministerial to luxury, wipe the plough is the real creator of wealth, and the on v genuine “commissariat” for the ranks of mankind. Tnis is the season of harvest, and it would indeed be ungrateful if any emigrant or settler should pass over the anniversary without a thankful heart for the abundance which has attended the early efforts of the sett'ers. We have heard of no disappointment among a scene of much sanguine industry an d experiment; but on the contrary, hav# heard on every hand that labour and industry, with a little capital to set us going, is all that is wanted to make us a happy people. In the mean time we may leave the political economists, the advocates of free trade,—tbe chartists, —the dreamers of manufacturing interests,—the land gamblers,—and all and sundry who would be guilty of the folly of putting old heads upon young shoulders, to the enjoyment of their castles in the air. We congratulate the Colonists upon their favorab'e prospects, we insist upon the duty of the English Government to support the infant efforts of the Colony, and we hope we shall be able on the next anniversary to give a favor able account of the result. > «:•