Hawke's Bay Times. MONDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1867. HAWKE'S BAY AS A FIELD FOR AGRICULTURE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XII, Issue 536, 23 December 1867, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1867. HAWKE'S BAY AS A FIELD FOR AGRICULTURE.

“*V.7///;v aJJic'iisjin-.r.-e i:i r-r'G nt.-yisfi'i.

Agriculture, we (li-ntrve with sonicof satisfaction, is at length forcing itself upon the public of this provider, and we are convinced that it mast do so more and nu.re until something be accomplished wliich will enable the settlers to retain among-1 themselves the vast sums of money which are now annuiily drained from them for tho imponati in of agricultural supplies; hut while we are so fa;

satisfied we view with a very different feeling the attempt made in certain quarters to convert the question into one of party interest—that of tin native landlords and those Europeans lidding leases immediately under them. An article on this subject which appeared in the Hawke’s Bay Herald el the 10th iust., has given ns much pain, as one worthy only of the pen of the most ultra philo-Haori, however its tendency may be disguised in language which appears to advocate the public good. The purchase of waste lands from the native or other owners at, thlow (?) rate of A 3 per acre, or tinleasing or sub-leasing of wild unfenced lands from the same owners, or those holding extensive districts under them at the equally low (?) rate of Gs per acre per annum, will not solve the question ; neither will the cropping and preparing of waste lands for pasture, to be exchanged for other waste! . | lands to be in their turn so prepared, for, as it would seem, the sole benefit! of the landlord or the great first tenant. The idea seems too absurd, and any one would suppose that instead of asking a rental of 6s per acre per annum for so benefiting the lands, holders would bs only 100 glad to have their

wastes turned into pasture free of cost to themselves ; or even we might suggest that they should have to pay a premium for instead of receiving a rental with the work.

With regard to the native proprietors “ who would thus be benefited bv having a permanent income from the

rents instead of selling their lands Lleck by block, and recklessly squau-

dering the proceeds,” their case seems beyond cure—certainly beyond any that such a schema such as that can I'/ff.-’cc. The “ permanent income” would be as recklessly squandered as are the “ lump sums,” and while they have land remaining to them to let and bring in rents they will continue “ to

exist in their present demoralized state of Inactivity,” as indeed was foreseen long since by those who could see a little ahead. The only hope for them is the necessity of hard work, and the mistaken policy of giving them a title to tho waste lauds of the Colony, has been the ruin of the race, and will yet prove the ultimate cause of its ex termination.

A nother great error in the Herald's article is the advocacy of the pushing the agriculturist outwards to the circumference of the circle of settlements and the occupation of the intermediate space by the grazier. The agriculturist must have facilities afforded him for market that the grazier does not so much require, and the grazier must himself retire to the circumference, nul leave the intermediate lauds for agricultural purposes, so far as they are fitted, and population. The true ilea of the grazier is that of a pioneer or openm-up of the country, who has to retire before the .-vlvamv ;of population and make way for tin* agriculturist; not that the agriculturist -mould first take the waste lands, and prepare them fur grass, constantly retiring before the increasing flocks and herds of the grazier. It is well '■trough known that much of the land acquired by the graziers in the immediate vicinity of the port front the Go. vernment, and, which brought but a paltry fis per acre to the Treasury, is of admirable agricultural qualities Let us compare tins with the price nowproposed to be demanded, as rental for lands not so eligible, being situated

:it mucli greater distances from a market. It seems to us that for a long series ■>f years to come, it is the sma!l fanner who must supply the agricultural needs of the Colony, and to this end the land which exists near at. hand to the several centres of population must

he used, for agricultural purposes, tht

extensive bh.cks of the Omaha, the Ngaruroro, and tlie Karamu in this Provin.ce for instance, having to awah their turn in the future of a largely increased and more extended population.

With regard to the mills that. “ stand idle great part of the year,” of course it is a pity it should be so, hut what is the reason of so nudesirah'e a state of tilings ? Is it not the re suit of that system of policy which endowed the native in his “demoral-! ! ... I ■ izing state of inactivitv,” re., lazy! | “> ' ’ J | ! Irunkeness, by giving him the land, instead of making it necessary for him te work for his subsistence ? and what else bus this demoralizing inactivity is it that hinders the mills from constant work? Nothing. They, the natives, have the mills and the land, they have also again and again been supplied with seed, but of course they prefer the “ permanent income” with “ de- ; moralizing inactivity,” to labor and its reward ; for “ imitative as we all know tlie native race to be,” as far as regards tlie vices and caves of the pakelia, experience too sadly proves that ike supplying them witli a permanent income is not at all likely to “ induce a spirit of emulation in them,” or “ impart an agricultural tendency

to their pursuits, and raise them up,” but r :t!ier perpetuate tueir present demoralized state of drunken indolence, into which they have been suffered toj fall, by a false and mistaken policy,! which has oppressed and destroyedj them under the specious pretext of] justice and humanity. I

THE ADDRESS TO HIS EXCELLENCY.

I’iiE adjourned meeting was held on Friday evening, when the following address was brought up by the committee, adopted, and numerously signed : To Lis Excellency Sir George Grey, K.C.8., Governor of New Zealand, Ac., tie, Ac.

Yora ExccLLKxcr, — We, the nnder-igned inhabitants of the Province of ll.uvke’s Bay, in the colony of Xc-.vZealand, cannot allow your Excellency to take your departure trom this colony, where you have been so long a time our Govern ar, without preenting you with an espre-t-don of our sentiments. Called suddenly, as you were, from the Cape of Good Hope, (where you enjoyed the cmfidence of the inhabitants, and were daily witnessing the beneficial results o’ vonr rule) to undertake a second time the Government of New Zealand, in consequence of its then ci ideal state ; your Excellency without hesitation responded to the confidence shown by her Majesty’s Governm *nt in your character and ability, and i;i your previous experience and sue cess in New Zealand ; and, with a generou-self-sacrifice which wi;l always command oar admiration, you promptly retmu-d to our shores, nobly purposing to devote your energies to the arduous task of extricating the Colony f ora its difficulties.

Aher a protracted struggle of sis years under very trying chcumstane s, your Kx cellency now leaves New Zealand a second time; wi.h the satisfaction, however, ol seeing the Colony in a great measure relieved fr in many evils which threatened it, and which were among the chief impediments to the development of its great re sources; and also of knowing t hat it is now in a nini.lv advancing condition ; that, though the difficulties with the natives arc not yet entirely overcome, very great progress has been made in their abatement, and that toe great body of the natives are now )h ing in quiet and in obedience to our nil s and laws, and ou friendly termwith tic c. 1 >uhts, for whose manners and luoiie of living dicy are dady evincing a greater inclination and aptness. All this great good your Excellency has die satisfaction of knowing, and also o( leaving behind wit It u viand «t the same da-.e of ivci ivirg tnnii all parts of the Colony repealed min Testations of tin-hid’ regard in widen y ou i.rc held by those for whom vouhavc so lung and sopersaveringh labored.

Tins Province, which is answering more and more to your .i'Acvilency’s early pre diction eft e importance it would attain to, iiojoviilly indebted to tout Jvx- - «' 'eiicy *or > no in! crest you have ;d« ays siiotvn i'i it* well ire, p.-irli.-ulurly for the military protection, which it eminently owed to your ! xec.leacy's ready perception of the dancer to witieh it was likely to bs exposed through the enemy in the Waikato being driven southw >rd directly upon it. And so we, ti.o inhaoitants of Hawke’ liny, lieurtily wish your lixcelleucy all prosperity and happiness.