A NEW PAPER IN A NEW WORLD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 46, 22 November 1851, Page 2

A NEW PAPER IN A NEW WORLD.

[From the Times, July 5 J

A slice of England, cut from top to bottom, was despatched to the Antipodes in the month of September last. A complete sample of civilisation, weary of the difficult fight for bread within the compass of these narrow isles, took ship at Gravesend in search of less crowded markets in New Zealand. The step was enthusiastic and of doubtful practicability, but by no means wild. It was not a blind helter-skel-ter rush from known trouble at home to more painful hardships to be discovered abroad, but a deliberate, long considered,, solemn, and devoted pilgrimage to a temple erected by nature for the good of all comers blessed with strong limbs and courageous hearts. Greece in the heyday of heathen glory had given her picture in little to the colonies she designed to establish. Why should not England present a miniature of her own Saxon face to her new-born dependencies ? Noah's ark did not more completely treasure up specimens of the creature world than did the ships bound for the Canterbury Settlement preserve casts from all the old moulds left behind them in the mother country. At the head of the pilgrims stood an actual bishop, behind him were working clergy, working school masters, working landlords, working labourers, workers every one! Between deck and keel ' were the elements of a college, the contents of a public library, the machinery for a bank, yea, the constituent parts of a constitutional government. The adventurers stepped on board as British subjects, with British feelings, British associations, and British habits, and let them be drowned or disembarked where they might, they would carry to the bottom or to any other landing place the British character as emphatically impressed upon their persons as the effigy of Britannia upon their familiar halfpence. It is superfluous to add that the enterprising voyagers took on board with them type, a press, an editor, a reporter, pens, ink, paper, and a determined resolution to start a journal for the enlightened public of New Zealand at the very earliest opportunity. No English traveller is rash enough to deposit himself even in a railway carriage without his newspaper. John Bull could scarcely be said to be represented at the Antipodes, unless, with his day's work done, he could be shown with a pipe in his mouth and his feet under a table, deliciously absorbed in " the latest news," and the exciting, conflict of his local politics. It is certainly not a matter of astonishment that the Canterbury settlers should settle upon an organ half an hour after they werefortun.ite enough to reach their distant home ; but it is really worthy of remark and admiration, that all the conditions of " a highly influential journal " should present themselves in an instant to an antipodean contemporary, on a desert coast, quite as readily as to the journalist in the centre of this ever restless city. It is difficult to glance at the first number of the Lyttelton Times, now before us, and to associate its existence with a community not quite a month old. So far from being ashamed of our namesake, we are positively proud of his acquaintance and enviou^ of his power. If the editor of the LytteltorC Times can create so much out of nothing, what could he make out of such a breeding heap as this of London ? There was no need for such a man to travel in search of bread and cheese as far as New Zealand. He should have stayed | at home, where geniuses are still l^re, howeve; I much the market of mediocrity be overstocked. " The settlers on board the "first Canterbury fleet," says a London writer, " have taken possession of a lonely land—a country which has yet scarcely had its natural lineaments modified by the handiwork of man." That writer has not seen the LyUelton Times. Lonely forsooth. " Lineaments not modified by the handiwork of man !" Why, the settlers have not yet recovered from their sea-sickness and found sleeping holes for their children, and yet there are three whole columns of advertisements, every one smacking of the true old world fla--

your, and indicating the handiwork of man as busy at the other end of the sphere as it is at this moment in Cheapside. There is " a three year old filly, unbroken," for sale in one corner, a " card" from " Bichard Beamish, general commission merchant," in another; here the well-known " undersigned," who has been " fortunate enough to secure the co-operation," &c; there the announcement of Mr. Alport, " who has had the honour to receive instructions to sell by auction," &c.; now the notice that " the price of advertisements in this paper is 3d. a line for the first insertion ;" now the warning that " all persons found cutting or damaging timber or underwood on lands, &c"; and novv the intimation (for what British advertisement list, either at home or abroad, would be complete without it?) that the subscription set on foot for the widow and children of an unfortunate brother is still open waiting1 for donations, which will be thankfully received on behalf of the bereaved ones.

An antipodean paper that is to reflect the journalism of the mother country must, of course, have its column for accidents and offences, though the paper be but an hour old and the community to which it belongs just as young. English newspapers, like the British constitution, have grown gradually into their present strength. In the Canterbury settlement nothing begins from the beginning on principle. Society, journalism, laws/institutions, are all eighteen hundred and jfo'rtytone years old at starting. If the child in this instance is not father to the man, the child is, at least, as old as his father. Under the head " accidents," we are sorry to learn that " during the afternoon of Sunday last, the sth instant, a large party, consisting of, &c."; were " returning on board from attending divine service, when a squally breeze from the north-east, &c.;" but we are happy to state that, " with the exception of some fatigue no inconvenience has resulted to any of the party." The " police report" gives us* no murder, which is on the whole satisfactory, but " Joseph Bennett," knowing what is due to the mother country, from one who has undertaken to represent her institutions in his own proper person, gets drunk, and is accordingly fined ss. (the very price in Bow Street.) "Eli Salt was charged with having stolen a door, the property of the Canterbury Association, of the value of 55.;" and Eli Salt, not having the fear of the bishop before his eyes, reveals his origin, and vindicates the national genius of his class, by assuring the bench that "he had bought some doors of Mr. Gartner, the storekeeper to the association, and he thought that the door he had taken was one of them." There is no doubt Mr. Hardwick would have given Eli Salt, notwithstanding his ingenious defence, one week in the house of correction. Seven days incarceration is the fac simile sentence of the Canterbury magistrate. Heading the leading article, stands the orthodox " Notice to correspondents," without which, the Lyttelton Times would certainly have failed to complete its mimic mission. It is very true that no correspondent has, as far as we can see, rendered the slightest notice necessary ; but, lest he should at any future period, he is very probably reminded that "no communication will receive any attention unless accompanied by the name and address of the author"—an intimation, we conceive, somewhat unnecessary on a spot where " the lineaments of nature are still unmodified by man," and where one general " address" answers pretty nearly to every living soul in the place. To say that we'have a "Poet's Corner" is but to add another instance of the daguerreotype fidelity of our Canterbury shadow, who will* inevitably turn their settlefinent into a second London, ages before Mr. Macaulay's promised New Zealand chief ruminates upon the decay of civilization at the foot of the new London, or any other metropolitan bridge. Our eye glances with natural avidity to the Lyttelton Times "leader." Is our contemporary for protection or free trade ? Does he call Lord John Russell a miserable incapable, or heap vituperation on the the head of Mr. Disraeli ? Is he for an extension of the suffrage, for all the points of the charter, and for the repeal of the act of 1829? Our ingenious brother is evidently nonplussed. He and the whole family of colonists are wrecked upon the leading article. They have carried all England out with them, from a dignitary of the church down to the domestic fowl, but they have left the ingredients of the leading article behind them. Had they these, their stock of national

produce would be complete. It is a painful and humiliating confession to make, and it takes two columns to arrive at it, but there is no concealing the fact, " parties and party distinctions are among the products which the Canterburycolonists must raise by their own industry." They cannot, with the best dispositions to do so, begin to squabble, the moment they land upon their virgin shores, about the abstract theories of government, about radical reform of abuses which do not exist, about the venality of a government which is not formed. Achilles was weak in one point. This is the vulnerable heel of the Anglican colonists. They set up a newspaper complete in all parts but that which is deemed at home essential to its life. But for one gleam of hope, happily visible at starting to the editor of the Lyttelton Times, he would sink from envy and despair. "No doubt," he cheerfully writes, '; various objects of local interest will spring up, calling forth discussion and creating division, and parties will form themselves, clustering round the apple of discord which time will throw among them." He knows his people, and he relies upon their instincts.

Materials for a telling " leader " were, unfortunately for the editor, cut from under him on landing, or he might have remedied his case at once. According to the custom-house regulations in force on the arrival of the settlers, high import duties were charged upon goods brought out for the purposes of the settlement. Before the pilgrims had landed, a council of colonists was held; resolutions were passed, and a letter of remonstrance was addressed to the governor of the island. Fortunately for the settlers, but, as before said, unluckily for the writer, who looks for various objects of local interest to arise " calling forth discussion and creating division," the governor was within reach, open to reason and blessed with common sense. His Excellency was pleased " to issue instructions to the custom-house that the most favourable construction should be placed upon the custom laws of the country as regards all goods brought by the first settlers for their own use ;" the chattels of the colonists were landed duty free, and the " apple of discord " to which our contemporary so feelingly refers, was for the moment dashed from his lips.

Reports of public meetings are not wanting to complete this microscopic picture of true British life. England would not be England without its parish vestries and the constant exercise of the right of unrestrained discussion. The Canterbury colonists had been too long pent up in their floating prison houses not to relieve themselves at once of their accumulated eloquence and to proceed to business after the manner of their fathers. Meeting No. 1, on board ship, we have before referred to. Meeting No. 2, of land purchasers, took place on shore immediately afterwards. The site of the capital was then decided on—a vote of thanks was passed to the chairman, "and the meeting separated." A few days afterwards we have meeting No. 3, when a communication is read from Mr. Godley, who receives the thanks of the assembly, and the assurance " of entire confidence in his integrity, ability, and judgment." On this occasion the council of colonists resign their functions into the hands of cheir constituents, but express their readiness to re-accept the trust if called upon tore-assume their duties. Thereupon Mr. Crompton moves, " That the present council be requested to retain office for two months from the present date ;" Mr. Pollard seconds the motion, but an amendment follows upon its heels, extending the two months to twelve. Seventeen are for the amendment, ten for the original motion. The council have British bosoms beating under their waistcoats, and are bound to act up to the well known patriotic standard. In the teeth of such a minority they have no option but to resign. They will hold office only until a new council is appointed. " Cordial thanks" are proposed and carrried, and this meeting separates like the rest. Meeting No. 4, brings graver matter on the table. Dr. Selwyn, the Lord Bishop of New Zealand, desires to address the assembly! Silence for his Lordship ! A rumour had got abroad that the Bishop had been opposed to the dismemberment of the diocese of New Zealand. Nothing could be further from the truth. He, the bishop, had actually written to Lord LyUelton to propose the dismemberment. (Hear, hear.) "He wished also to mention to the colonists that he found the clergy had come out with only very limited incomes guaranteed to them. He hoped that as soon cs the clergy were settled in the

various districts the colonists would, by some voluntary additional aid, make up for the time a sufficient income," On both subjects the meeting expressed itself to the perfect satisfaction of his Lordship, who "thanked the meeting for a vote of thanks," and then retired, as did the meeting very shortly afterwards.

And so proceeds our grown-up son at the antipodes, in laudable imitation of his weatherbeaten but tough old sire. Who shall say that the boy is not the very image of his father ? Who ever doubted he could run alone? If we have any lingering fear that he may stumble, it is only because we cannot choose but remember the difficult paths through which the old man has beaten his way to his present greatness, and be conscious that there is no royal road to civilization, or to any other goal that demands patient self-denial from the beginning of the journey and gradual development of power and resources on the way.