The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 1870.

Dunstan Times, Issue 405, 21 January 1870, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 1870.

Beneath the Rule of Men entirely just the pen is mightier than theswoP.D

The proclamation in the Provincial Government GazMe setting forth one hundred thousand acres of land lor settlement at Martin’s Bay, and a similar quantity at Preservation Inlet ought to be sußicient evidence that the Provincial authorities have determined upon giving effect to the Otago Settlements Bill passed during the last Session of P uliament. We perceive by the Daily Times that public attention in Dunedin is to some ex.-

tent directed towards these proposed Settlements, as should sufficient inducement offer, a vessel will be laid on there immediately. In till newly settled ''countries there is always a largo restless population eager for change and ready for a move at almost a'moments notice, whenever in the absence of excitement anything presents itself that appeals any way new or novel, and it is better that we should provide that novelty at home arid so retain (hose wandering spirits amongst us. This class of a population as a rule seldom do much good for themselves, they are the early pioneers (f society, and their adventurous spirits and love of enterprise generally prevents them from remaining sufficiently long enough in one place to d i so, nevertheless they are a very valuable body of colonists, and there would be great difficulty in getting along without them It would

not do for all of us to bo careful and plodding and desirous to get rich at no risk to ourselves, iu which case things would soon come to a stand still, as there would be no one to go ahead and point out the way, so that others might follow. We each seem destined by an all wise Providence to fulfill our particular mission, and the not less adventurous spirits amongst us appear to be specially sent to pre pare the ground for those, who wili make the most of the situation. The gold digger of Australia and New Zealand, and the back woodsman of America are living exam pics of this class, and we all know bow fully well they have performed their appointed task. The solitary and almost impenetrable foiests of the "West Coast of Otago promise not much longer to remain a terra incognita, these wild solitudes now so seldom visited will soon be made serviceable to the purposes of man, the wild cry of the seabird will soon give way to the sharp .ring of the axe, and'the cattle of the husbandman will be browsing upon the hitherto untrodden hills and ' alleys. Martin’s Buy and Preservation Inlet offer many considerable advan tages for settlement, and it is a matter for much wonder, that population had not found its way there and peopled those wilds long since. In the first place there exists gold in pay ing quantities, sufficient ui.-y not bo obtainable to make a rapid fortune, but enough can by an ordinary amount of exertion ! e procured, to make a coinfort«bluliviug,wher the necessaries of life are obtainable at anything approaching to a moderate cost. This scorns to be the opinion of all those who have visited the West Coast in search of gold, and tln re is no reason to doubt but when proper and systematic trials of the ground arc made, very rich patches will be hit upon. The forests abound in splendid timber eminently suitable for either ship building or other purposes for which timber is applied, besides planking, spars are obtainable equal to any iu the world, while the belts of iron wood which fringe the shores will supply the very best material for ships knees, cart naves or felloes, and there are also numerous ornamental woods applicable to the purposes of the cabinet maker and upholsterer The mountain streams which come tumbling down from the snowy heights above are capable of furnishing unlimited motive power for machinery, and the great monarchs of the forest may be readily sawn into marketable proportions at comparatively little cost and (rouble The deep fiords or sounds which indent the coast carrying the waters of the sea far inland furnish magnificent and secure harbors for shipping, and the principle adopted in North America with so much success, of building a vessel, preparing a cargo of timber for her at the same time, loading her and making sail for the nearest Port, where there exists a market, and there dis posing of both ship and cargo could he here prosecuted with advantage Australia, India, or China would always be customers for such exports, and a very valuable branch of industry would thus be opened out. Fish are extremely plentiful on the Coasts, and in the harbors, and nowhere else in New' Zealand are the finny tribe to be procured in such abundance. Here lays open another source of profitable industry in the curing of fish, the demand for which is practicably unlimited, Australia, India, and China would hero again he ready mar kots, for it must be distinctly understood that the flesh of fish caught in temperate zones is vastly superior as

an article of food to that caught within tropical or semi-tropical climates, and if properly preserved it cannot fail to find a ready sale at remunerative prices. In climate the West Coast of Otrg) may certainly be humid in character, but there seems no reason to doubt but, that cereal crops can he grown sufficient for the purposes of population, even if not for export. Information on this point is certainly very vague, but like in the generality of eves upon making a trial many seeming difficulties cpiickly vanish. At Preservation Inlet there exists enormous deposits of coal, said to answer well for steam vessels, and even were tliis not the case, an extensive export trade for household and manufactuling purposes must eventually spring up in this material. The advantages offered by the Government for settlement in the shape of grants of land are upon the nvst liberal scale. There is a free grant of one hundred acres upon conditions of a two years residence, and more may be procured at from live shillings to ten shillings per acre. With Settlements at Martin’s P>ay and Preservation Inlet and a direct line of communication overland through the Province from the eastern to the western sea-board, an enormous field for enterprise would be open, ana we should have considera bly increased advantages to offer the immigrant who might seek our shorts, it is very clear that wherever fields of profitable industry are open to population, it will always of its own accord rush in and occupy the vantage ground. All that is necessary is to inul work to do, and people will soon come and do it. We do not of course ad\ise those who are already settled down to legitimate occupations to pack up and leave for the West Coast, but for those who have nothing definite to do and a small capital to-work upon, the opportunity is a good one. The proposed Settlements will confer benefits upon us here nevertheless that we are distant from them, and the more we can extend popu at ion over the Province—never mind in what direction—places already settled will be sure to reap some advantage. Population we want above everything, and to induce it to come and make its homo amongst us, it is necessary that We should provide a wide field for the exercise of its energies, it likes plenty of elbow room, and does not care to be circumscribed in its movements It is the unlimited area open for enterprise in America, which makes that country so spe dally attractive in the ryes of the European Emigrant.