The Evening Star. MONDAY, APRIL 24, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2553, 24 April 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star. MONDAY, APRIL 24, 1871.

Ws Lave received a printed copy of the contract between Mr. Vogel, Messrs, W. H. Webb, and B. Holladay for a Mail Service between Port Chalmers and San Francisco, and as the signatures are separately attested to be genuine by a notaiy public, even

to be thrown upon the scheme by an ingenuous critic. American papers are sanguine as to its results and speak in high terms of the sound common sense evinced by Mr. Vogel. Of course, this is one point on which our contemporary will be at issue with them. They have been so long accustomed to calling whatever he does wrong, that even when he succeeds, they pronounce Jiim unsuccessful. For our own part we anticipate good from this extension of our commercial relations with so enterprising a nation as the United States. We may, and most probably shall have men of capital and skill, coming amongst us, who will show us how to develop and utilize those enormous mineral resources that will one day render Otago one of the richest provinces in the world. It is amusing to read of the Vast works projected and in progress in California, and to contrast them with the contracted efforts that are put forth here. No sooner is there an opening for traffic than it is filled up. The Pacific Railroad has already been the means of establishing a new passenger route between Great Britain and Hong Kong, in which Japan is included, and which, with the facilities afforded by the British competing lines, is breaking down the prejudices of Asiatic exclusiveness; and we are told “ the Chinese and “ Japanese are beginning to travel.” Their inducements to do so are self-interest and opportunity. Only a very few years ago the sight of a Chinaman out of China was a rarity. Even in England it was something to be talked about twenty or twenty-five years ago ; and a Chinese in a tea shop was so great a curiosity, that it was a good advertisement for the tradesman owning such a treasure. Shut up within their own civilization, they had not learnt to value the products of other nations ; but now that commerce has developed new ideas, and induced new requirements, not only is there a demand for foreign goods, but for foreign education. These new felt commercial and educational wants are met by both British and American enterprise, and thus the foundation is laid of a commerce that must expand year by year, as it is with the most densely peopled nations of the earth. Even assuming that from this intercourse no direct advantage accrues to us, the indirect will be most valuable. Hitherto, all that has been attempted has been to make New Zealand, as represented by the City of Wellington, the port of call for American steamers. This was the pet idea of the Panama contract. Auckland and Dunedin were counted nothing. The inconvenience of this arrangement was sufficiently obvious. It was not to the advantage of New Zealand. It entailed loss of time, and additional expence in the transit of mails, passengers, and goods, and by making travelling dear instead of cheap, limited the number of passengers, or led them to take other routes. Although, at that time the only possible way across America, there were some ugly features in it from which the San Francisco route is free. There were districts and regions to be traversed in which yellow fever had its seat, and more than one of the limited number of travellers fell victims to its virulence. And with respect to Australia, there was an unnatural effort made to connect Wellington and Melbourne, without reference to existing commercial relations. The consequence,to a certain extent, exists to this day. Dunedin, the most important City in the Colony, even yet, so far as news via Suez is concerned, has to give place to Wellington, whose merchants and tradesmen would neither gain nor lose by a few days’ delay in the delivery of their letters. But now that Port Chalmers is made tire terminus of the San Francisco line and the port of departure also, increased interest is given to the continuance of the contract. If there be any advantage to be derived from passengers arriving from Australia eu route for Europe, or vice versa, we shall be the receivers of it. If there be any profit from coaling, or refitting, or provisioning, or repairing large steamers from America and Australia, wo shall have it. If there be any labor required in the transfer of goods and passengers from one line to another, our laboring men will have it. If in consequence of demand for labor and goods, trade increases and population multiplies, the Province will become richer and more influential, and squatters and farmers will find markets for their produce. It is not merely the direct pecuniary profit that is to be considered. Although it is absolutely necessary to have an. eye to it in the case of joint stock companies, it is different with a community. The indirect profit invariably far outweighs any immediate advantages. A railway or steamship company might be paying only very moderate dividends, while the increased facilities given to trade and commerce might be rapidly enriching all classes. Even our contemporary, in spite of the opposition he has shewn to Mr Vogel's contract, will share in

our sceptical contemporary, the Daily Times , is now convinced that it is a reality. This is unfortunate for its prestige as a prophet, but there is yet room left for abundance of cold water the advanced prosperity of the Province ; although we fear that the editorial eyes are as wilfully closed to the possibility of receiving benefit from the hands of that gentleman, as are those of the Browns and Shepherds and Thomsons of our Provincial Council. By the way, there is a similar breed of obstructives in the United States; but the Californian papers do not call them “ clodocrats,” but “ nar- “ row-minded backwoodsmen.” When, however, we read of their obstructivetiveness, we cannot help identifying the species, and mentally exclaiming, “ A “ rose by any other name would smell “ as sweet.”