The Anglo-Maori Warder. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1848.

Anglo-Maori Warder, Volume 1, Issue 23, 28 September 1848, Page 2

The Anglo-Maori Warder. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1848.

The second meeting of "The New Zealand Advancement Society," will be held on Saturday evening next, at 7 o'clock, at Mr. Merriman's house in Cooper's Bay. The New Zealand Flax, and the establishment of a Fishery will form the main subjects of enquiry. It is gratifying to see the warmth with •which the original proposal has at last been taken up, and practically carried into effect. The first meeting, passing off so well as it did, placed what was before no better than a castle in the air, at once upon a solid foundation, every member who attended displaying the utmost willingness to co-operate actively, in immediate furtherance of the scheme. Many others, indeed besides those who were originally invited, have sinci- offered their services, which are gladly received, any sort of exclusiveness being directly foreign to the system it is intended to pursue. Any one is admissible into the society, under the distinct understanding, nevertheless, that he be willing to take an active share in its proceedings ; for it is efficient members that are needed; not a mere list of names. One great impediment to the advance of this colony in prosperity, from the very beginning, has been the general isolation of purpose among its settlers j the inclination which each man feels to act alone, to disconnect himself in every undertaking from all around him. This habit is naturally consequent upon the peculiar position of the settlers in a new colony, who mast all, of necessity, be emigrants likewise ; with whom those finer ties which linked them up at home with friends and relatives are broken, and those kindlier feelings dulled which might have otherwise diverted them from paying sole attention to the immediate interest of self. It is the chief cause of our seeing so many seemingly more anxious to keep back a neighbour, than to advance themselves ; like Nisus in the vEneid —though not with so amiable a motive—when he found that he could not win the race himself, tripping up his nearest competitor -. Nam use obposuit Saiio per Inbrica sargens; Itle antem Bpissa jacait revolutus arena. The very same feeling, so remarkable among individuals, is manifested on a larger scale among the numerous settlements of which the colony is composed j an evil, that the disjointed plan of their several sites —the original and still persisting error—has by no means tended to decrease. Each would thrive, if it could, at the expense of all the rest, and looks with grudging eye upon every item of government expenditure, that is not laid out upon itself. It is time that such narrow minded jealousy should cease. And to this end, the society of which we speak might be made to minister most efficiently. For in this very settlement, it has already induced some unanimity of purpose. Almost for the first time, do we see individuals working heartily together to accomplish a common purpose ; and we maintain that the good effect may be made co generalize itself to the extent of the evil which the scheme was framed to counteract. Let the society not be limited to Auckland alone ; let .the circle of its operations be extended over the whole colony. Corresponding members we have already, but that alone is not enough; rather let all the settlements be invited to form branches of one general association, aiding and encouraging each other in the working ont of a common end; for if unani- I mity of intention can be once realized with j regard to a single object, its final completeness 1 may be considered as almost secure. j It may be as well to subjoin some portions , of a report which was read at the first meeting,: touching generally upon the more important | resources of New Zealand, and upon the ob- : jects of the society. No details were entered j into, as it was intended to be suggestive rather i than of enquiry ; a bare outline of the subject j King all that could be at first required. i " The subject before us, divides itself into two great branches : the promotion of exports, j and the diminution of unnecessary imports. | These we will deal with separately, beginning ' upon the first, as the more important consideration. Let me first observe, however, that several of the suggestions which will presently be made may seem trifling, and totally unworthy of notice—mere drops of water in the sea. But that I believe to be a mistaken view. Our exports from this colony must necessarily be of a general nature, availing us more by their nnniber and great variety than by the individual importance of any single one. For it is difficult as yet to see one's way clearly to any one staple export of the country, like Wool from New South Wales, or Tea from China, unless, indeed, the Phorminm Tenax should become so. But every triflle seen at home with the New Zealand brand upon it, takes its part in bringing the colony into notice, and in keeping attention fixed upon us.

Let it be observed likewise, that nothing so much tends to encourage immigration, as a tempting display in the mother country of our great variety of indigenous productions, the surest proof to intending colonists of the fertility of their promised land. " The first and most important export, beyond a doubt, is the New Zealand Flax. For it is peculiar to the country ; it is secure from foreign competition ; whoever wants it has no choice but to send here for it. And that importance will probably be infinitely increased should those attempts which are even now being made to grow the more valuable species artificially, and likewise should Mr. Whytlaw's experiments, with regard to finding a solvent for the troublesome gum that adheres to the fibre, prove to be successful. " Upon this portion of the question it is needless to dwell, as it will form the subject of a specific investigation at our next meeting. It may be observed, nevertheless, that the root of the Phorraium Tenax contains an exceedingly strong bitter, which might very possibly be turned to account in dyeing. " The next in importance, I conceive to be the produce of our fisheries. I do not so much allude to the whaling, as to the curing fish, salted, dried, or smoked for exportation on an extensive scale. China, Manilla, and the Western coast of America, wouldbe the market. " As to the mineral wealthof thecountry.we do not yet know how great it really is. Copper —now much increased in value by the establishment of smelting works in New South Wales—manganese, lead, tin (at Cape Colville) iron, the curious black sand found in such abundance on some parts of the coast, particularly at Taranaki, supposed to be Titanite of iron, and which has been already turned to account by Mr. Dawson in Sydney, are sufficient to indicate the importance of this branch of our colonial resources. "Sulphur, which has been anxiously enquired after from Van Diemen's land, where sulphuric acid is employed as manure, we have in abundance ; Fuller's earth, Pumice stone, and a very beautiful porcelain clay. " Of spars there is little occasion to speak. They have been already made the most of, but still can hardly be rated as a permanent resource ; the difficulty of dragging them out of the bush—as those which grow most conveniently are cut away increasing year by i year; Rickers, lumber, plank and scantling, on account of the greater facility of transport, \ ' may still prove an enduring source of profit. I Fire-wood to South America will always find I a sale, the precaution being taken of sending ! none but what will split readily, like the ' Manuka. It is burned there always in small | billets, and a cargo of Pohutakawa, for in- I ! stance, would be utterly unsaleable. j " Furniture wood has been sent to England,! and it must be allowed, that but little has been j hitherto made of it. But when we look into | the reasons for the failure, it will be seen to have been accidental only. The London Cabinet makers ha\e always large stock of i wood on hand, the value of which might be ! depieciated by the general introduction of a novelty, and therefore found it their interest to set their faces against it; not to mention the risk they isust have run from the uncertainty of its endurance, on which account they very reasonably declined throning away valuable labour upon materiel on which no certain dependence could be placed. There is a story extant of an Oxonian, who saw a fellow collegian drowning, and regretted much that he could not take the liberty of rescuing the gentleman, not having been ever introduced. The English upholsterers are very grand gentlemen in their way, and seem equally to have stood upon the formality of an introduction, being determined to tolerate nothing that had not been properly ptesented to their notice. " From this we may learn the lesson, that the general introduction of any new commo= modity is a work of time ; that it w ill not do, in the matter of exports, to wait until we are absolutely driven in self defence to make them, hoping then to be able at once to get rid of whole cargoes of whatever we may think fit to send, but that we must be early and actively in the field to prepare the way, introducing our productions—providing for the future—sending away small quantities, even samples—more with the hope of eventual than of present gain. " For gunstocks, 'spokes, and trenails, all of which might be exported ready made, we have several woods peculiarly adapted. " Tanning bark, if any could be found of stronger quality than the wattle which is rrsed in New South Wales, would be extensively used in that country. A large quantity nas orrce sent to England, but for the same reason as that already given to account for the failure the furniture wood, it remains unsold, I believe to this very day. " Attention should be given to vegetable oils. Among others that might be mentioned, I may observe that the seed of the rib grass (plantago lanceolata) is in this country peculiarly oleaginous ; it is a larger and bolderseed than that produced at home, and in quantity, more than three times greater. " Wish the medicinal qualities of New Zealand herbs we are as yet but imperfectly acquainted. Yet the herbal of Apothecaries' Hall might be much enriched by our contributions.

" TJic mangrove ash, so rich in potass, has been already turned to account. The fibre of the Ti tree, or tree flax, as we call it, about the preparation of which a paper will be presently read to you, is a better stuffing for mattrasses than even horse-hair. The fibre of the Raupo root is as soft as silk, and of a very beautiful quality; it might be found available, in the place of gut, for fishing lines. Arrowroot in large quantity is separated from it in the process of preparation. " Of the Orchilla weed, a dye has been produced almost equal in brilliancy to that which is used at home ; which would possibly equal it, were experiments taken from the plant every month in the year, so as to ascertain the true time of gathering. The search, indeed, for dyes, can as yet be hardly said to have been made at all. " Wax will presently be produced in great abundance ; sw arm after swarm of bees are now beginning to take to the bush, where they find in the flower of the Manuka food which they are partial to. " It will not be supposed that this is intended for a complete list of exports ; it is meiely as much as can be called to mind almost on the spur of the moment If it only prove suggestive, and cheering to the prospects of the country, my end is gained. " Mention may here be made of the discovery of lime stone, one of the necessities of a civilized country —after having for so many years supposed it to be wanting ; of marble, to be found at the Bay of Islands, of coal, of lignite in plenty, could i only learn how to make use of it, and of the very fine building stone, I believe not generally known of, between the islands of Rangitoto and Motutapti. Agate, garnet, and chrystal, it must be con- ' frssed, are hardly worth the mentioning. . " Dismissing the question of exports, let us see •«hat can be done towards doing away with unnecessary imports. In this, of course, the encouragement of Colonial manufactures is involved. Mr. PHt once said, that the colonies i had no right to manufacture any thing at all —not even a horseshoe nail; that the mother country must be considered as a kind of uni- . versal patentee. His dictum is now of less : value than it was half a century ago, and is at all events openly challenged by certain enter- . prising fellow-colonists of our own, who have ' given it a practical refutation. I allude more | especially to our Auckland tannery, to the i soap and candle manufactory, to the rope walk, j to the breweries, and to the paper mill which | is to be, the machinery having been already i ordered from England. This is by no means I a bad beginning, for a place which at home would rank as a tolerably large village. A blanket manufactury we may hope presently to see, and the wool supplied by the Natives themselves. As to distilleries, e\en were they permissible by law, I should speak as yet with some hesitation, not being able quite clearly to i see my way. Yet there is no doubt that the ' saving to the country in that single article. | and the advantage to the producers of grain, would be enormous. " With regard to agricultural production, I do not touch upon wheat farming, for there is little chance of its remaining permanently profitable. The Natives will advance with us, pari passu, and must necessarily undersell us, because their time is of little \: lue to them, and their living costs them alt lost nothing. But there are many other productions of the Northern hemisphere which give good promise, some of which have been acclimatized, and others which ought to be, in the growing of which the European would not for yeais to come be interfered with. " There is the European flax, of which Lord Stanley's mention may be remembered, the success of which is supposed to be certain ; yet I can call to mind the time when Messrs. Brown and Campbell procured a quantity of the seed, which they offeted at invoice price, without being able to get rid of a single pound. So at least, it was currently reported. I " Garlic and onions might even constitute ■ articles of export. The vine, the fig, and the ', olive, which may be said to constitute the fat , of the land, hate been all three too much neglected. For Maori winter stores, the two first are invaluable. And heie let me obsene, that | there has been hitherto among us a carelessness in such-like matters that is very inexcusa- I ble. Seeds of edible plants, selecting such , as will take care of themselves, should have ! been long ago distributed in the bush, by every i one who had occasion to go up the country. ' Had very traveller carried a few seeds in his j pocket, the face of the country might have i already borne a different aspect. | " With regard to the hop, I will read a letter from Taranaki, where it has been chiefly gtown, written by a gentleman whose experience was acquired among the hop gardens in Worcestershire: My dear Sir,~l wish to correct a statement made by me yesterday respecting the quantity of hops grown in the Taranaki lust year. I am informed by b fellow settler, the hops grown by Mr. Cutfield, of Taianaki, when gathered and dried, only weighed 50 pounds. 1 sta.ed to you that five hundred weight was grown in our settlement last jcar. Now I attribute this great foiling off to the po'ing; the poles, instead of being from sixteen to twenty feet in length, were only eight, or at the best only ten feet long. The greater portion of the bops uere totally lost for want of exposure to the sun, beiog shaded by the great mats of bine or wire. I may say with eonfidenee, that had theae plants been poled with ttuce poles of sixteen or tKEDty feet lons to a itock, and tiro wires to u pole,

with the tops of the poles set as far apart as the tops would allow, there woold have b*en more than fire times Iho weight of hops grown to the same number of plants. Yod are probjbly aware that in England fcopi ore generally propagated by cutings from the roots of strong and healthy plants, and art poled the first year with a pole five or six Icet long ; the second year two poles are put to a stock, and tiro wires to a pole ; the third vear the plant is considered to have attained perfection, nud three poles are put to a stock; and if the land is strong, three wires are plsced to a pok- of eighteen or twenty feet long;, ft is considered injurious to the hop jard or garden to over pole; that is, to have too many poles, or to allow too many wires to a pule. If too much nutriment is drawn from the plant, is i 9 weakened tc: tl.e ensuing season. The phnts "row so luiuriantly in New Zealand, that lite grower may with safety place three poles to a plant the second year. The hops crown by Mr. Cutneld were of good colour and pleasant flavour, hut strange to say, nero fiee from seed. I remain, &c. " The principles which we should always bear in min<],\ue home production, and the [ effectual brining- of Maori labour into play. My creed hqs alleys been that they are ihe most valuableV>rtion of the Colony, not only to the it) ourselves. But it can hardly be expected, that for another generation at least, they should settle down to steady work. The transition from their former mode of savage life would be too violent. Haoits are acquired but slowly, and must be inbred after that; must be transmitted at lea: father to son, if not to grandson, to be c< ed, and in any wise depended on. Li but hear of a feait, and they uilla' you, be it in the middle of harvest. \1 make the best n"se-'w*can of them,; confident of ultimateisiKipess ; but it i: teaching them to bßak stones on the to their civilisation is to be effected." We have been obliged to curtail tl report very much, but it will suffice to gives an idea of the proceedings at the meeting. But let us once again warn our readers against too implicit support from home. And if his Excellency be the shrewd man we take him for, he will take warning, too. All is quiet enough now, but fce quiet is owing to tha soothing influeilte if erarmons sums of hard money poured mtoSheFcolony. " Doth the wild ass bray |he%ath grass ?or loweth the ox over hisfoddlr V There is no better anodyne than the renjedy Lord Grey has prescribed ; although it was likewise a narcotic effect, which seems to have lulled us all to sleep.