NEW ZEALAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 611, 15 September 1858, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND.

It is useful occasionally to know what-our neighbours think of us, and jeveff when their opinion is depreciatory, the knowledge may be salutary and beneficial. It is more gratifying, however, to find ourselves becoming the subject of approval, especially where approbation is so sparingly dispensed. These remarks refer to the favourable tone lately adopted by the Australian press in. their occasional notices of New Zealand. In a late issue we published the flattering expressions used in reference to this province by the members of the Sydney Legislature during their debate on steam communication. Writing, on a similar subject,—that of establishing a line between Melbourne and Wellington,— the 'Argus* comes out with a long article from which we give.the following extract:—

New Zealand has at different times attracted some little attention from the people of this colony, and of late rather more than it had previously done. Most of the early settlers were from New South Wales, and with Sydney have all their associations been preserved and their intercourse maintained. Sheep have been taken to New Zealand from Victoria by a few of our old squatters and stockowners retreating from the advancing wave of population, which in some parts of this colony has so interfered with pastoral pursuits. In New Zealand there is little fear of a cry for the unlocking of the lands being raised for many years to come, so that a thorough sheep farmer, determined to be nothing more, may calmly contemplate from a. safe distance, and without fear of interruption, 1 the far too progressive state, according to his ideas, of things in a gold-producing country like this. Steadily, however, and not so slowly as many imagine, are both islands becoming populated with Europeans and their descendants, and stocked -with, sheep and cattle. Although the trade with these colonies has hitherto been confined Very much to the importation of stock, which can be supplied better from the larger territory of New South Wales than from here, general business, of which we ought to have.a share,.is now fast increasing, and must continue rapidly to increase. So ready is the Maori to appreciate the' advantages of civilisation, that his wants are becoming more numerous every day. Thus the native population, as well as bur countrymen there resident, have to be supplied; and with these growing wants there is also an annually augmented ability to pay for what is required. IWe have been too much accustomed to consider New Zealand as a slow sort of place, inhabited by a rather intelligent racebf sarages, together, with a moderate number of Europeans, who<jan, without much difficulty, raise an abundance of food for their own use, but with no prospect of ever becoming more than well conditioned farmers, living in a state of rude plenty. We have been told that the Southern or Middle Island, as it is called, contains a vast extent of open, well grassed land, capable of feeding some!millions of sheep and cattle, and that English grasses are gradually superseding, the allpervading fern of the Northern Island, and yield a, pasturage richer, and able to sustain more stock to the acre than that of the mother country itself. But on these points many are still incredulous. Facts, however, are now before us, or rather, the figures symbolic of these facts, which show that the pastoral worth of New

Zealand is already equal to what Victoria could boast of not many years since, and that this is rapidly increasing. From the Blue Book lately presented to the General Assembly, containing the statistics of that colony for a period of four years, ending with 1856, >ye learn that during this short period the number of sheep had increased from 233,043 to 990,988, the number of honied cattle from 24,787 to 91,928, and the number of horses from 2,890 to 9,243; and be it remembered that these figures only represent the quantity of, stock owned by Europeans, no returns having been made of those in the possession of aboriginal natives. The latter own large numbers of live stock of all kinds, but especially of horses, of which they are very fond; and in many districts of the Northern Island, they have lands in cultivation exceeding in extent and value those of the settlers. In population the increase has also been great, the numbers of Europeans exclusive of soldiers and their families, having only amounted to 26,707 in 1851, while at the end of 1856 they were 45,540. Accompanying these statistics is an appendix giving much information as to the influence of the climate on health, the mean annual temperature, average fall of rain, as well as the range of the thermometer and barometer, which is very limited. The peculiarities of meteorology alone would require an article to themselves, so we must leave them for the present, with the remark in passing, that the results of long observation prove the high general salubrity of the colony, and that the comparative mortality among Europeans from diseases of the lungs is very low.

Looking at this question from a business point of view alone, it is wise of the mercantile part of the community to seek the establishment of a speedier as well as direct communication with New Zealand; and there are besides other reasons why we should try to have this port made the point of departure for the branch line of steamers. If none else were to be found, it would suffice that the islands possess many 'curious natural features offering to the tourist many scenes of interest. Each year there is a greater desire among those who can afford it, to escape for a time from the wearying routine of their ordinary avocations; and if good steamers were placed on this berth, many would avail themselves of the opportunity of having a few weeks' change of scene and climate, so that a trifling outlay now, for the purpose of securing to our port an advantage which belongs to it of right, would doubtless prove a most beneficial expenditure, by tending much to increase the legitimate trade of the colony, besides opening up to our sometimes overwrought politicians and men of business a new source of pleasure and healthful relaxation.