The Evening Star SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2172, 23 April 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 1870.

The telegraphic news from Europe affords little room for comment. Matters seem to be going on pretty smoothly ; trade is slowly reviving, and manufacturing industry recovering from its long depression. This is good news for the world at large, for the prosperity of one country influences every other in proportion to its population and wealth. To New Zealand the news will be welcome. The price of wool is higher, the demand is increasing, and thus one important class of producers in the Colonies will be benefited. It is to be regretted that New Zealand flax has not maintained the price realised some months ago. It seems that the reason given for the exceptional value it attained was the true one ; that Manilla hemp is" still preferred, and that, unable to procure it, New Zealand flax was merely sought for as a substitute. It is evident that notwithstanding the attention that has been given to its preparation during the last few years, something is required that has not been attained. The wide difference between “ part dressed” and “fine”—the one fetching .£l9 per ton, and the other £3l—is suggestive. Those engaged in preparing the fibre, alone can say which pays the best, but when it is considered that cutting, carting, packing, and every charge except manufacture, is the same on the low priced as on the high, the difference seems to indicate that the finer qualities are likely to prove the most profitable. There is evidently, however, great room for improvement, as the margin between the value of New Zealand flax and Russian hemp is enormously wide. From the bare outline of Parliamentary debates, as recorded in the telegrams, it is impossible to say what is the exact course of opinions in regard to the affairs of New Zealand. We gather, however, that no reversal of Earl Granville’s policy is likely. For our own parts we think it of very small moment ; for we always held the opinion that, if Northern settlement were properly conducted, the colonists of the North Island are quite competent to defend themselves. It is in fact unfortunate for the Colony, that it has ever

appeared before the eyes of the British public as a suppliant for help. Nothing can be more damaging than a bad reputation. Onr great need is population. For lack of this our industries are comparatively at a standstill. We have everything to tempt to investment of capital : rich gold mines, extensive coalfields, lodes of copper, rocks and sands containing iron, fertile lands, and abundant pasture ; but there is a handful of Maoris that frighten us. It is not that they are really such terrible fellows; for their chief tact in Avar is to make a savage raid on some outlying stations or hamlets, where settlement should not have been allowed, to build a pah, and as soon as they are attacked to blaze away at their opponents until they find their entrenchment is likely to bo carried, and then to run away. No doubt they are troublesome enough —all savages are. But our mistake has been in parading the Maori before the people at Home as a something very frightful; for nobody would like to emigrate to Paradise, if behind some of the trees in the garden tattooed savages lurked, armed with rifles, ready to pop at the first white man they saw, We, on the Middle Island, have this self-proclaimed weakness to complain of in addition to the umvarrantable expence laid upon our shoulders by our North Island connections. It is bad enough to pay the cost of quarrels in which Ave have no more interest than we have in Tirabuctoo, but Avhen to that injustice we have our characters blackened, the injury is immeasurably greater. It is no use to urge that immigrants in the Middle Island arc safer than citizens in the heart of London, Nbav Zealand is not talked about at Horae as we talk about ourselves. The distinction is not made betAveen North and Middle Island. No doubt there are those who know sufficient of geography to make it, but Ncav Zealand is generally spoken off as a Colony in which terrible scenes have been enacted, and where people live in peril. It is put in the front by politicians to slxeAV that its inhabitants are injured and suffering ; it is made the subject of comment for party purposes, and to suit these, its troubles and perils are magnified and enlarged upon, while nothing is said of the easeand wealth of the majority of those who have emigrated hither. So long as Ave give such prominence to the dark shades in the picture, no one will be able to discern the beauties that they hide. There are temptations enough to draw emigrants to America, in cheap transit and little loss of time. These are impediments to a preference being given to Australasia, and Ave present additional reasons for it Avhen Ave take such pains to proclaim our difficulties instead of revealing our strength and riches. Earl Granville seems to estimate them aright. He may not have been very choice in his style of dealing Avith us, but he seems very clearly to understand that it is much cheaper and better in the end that the Colonists should teach the Maoris their superiority, than that they should pay tens of thousands annually for a regiment of British soldiers Avhose only occupation is to look on while others do the fighting.