THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, October 21, 1852.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume IV, Issue 100, 21 October 1852, Page 2

THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, October 21, 1852.

The singular energy and ability with which the native inhabitants of New Zealand have turned their attention to European habits and pursuits—the active industry which they have displayed in acquiring instruction from, and entering into vigorous competition with, the colonists who have cast their lot amongst them—is by no means one of the least remarkable events or the age we live in. It affords not merely a subject of rejoicing to those colonists themselves, but it has been laid hold of by her Majesty's Secretary of State as a fitting occasion to proclaim to the world what sort of people the New Zealanders already are, and how much superior they are likely speedily to become. We, who arc the daily witnesses of their industrial, intellectual, and religious progress, cannot but feel extremely gratified by the well merited eulogies of the Colonial Minister. It is an honest tribute fairly earned and justly expressed, and we sincerely trust that a very few years will elapse before we shall be able to contrast the present condition of the native New Zealaudcr with that which he may have then attained, and point to a progressin moral, social, and material prosperity of [.which his present slate is hut the happy prceussor. The great, —we might almost say the universal proficiency—attained by the New Zeala riders in reading and writing would confer distinction on the most cultivated people;—indeed, in this respect, wc believe they arc considerably in advance of the best educated of the European nations. No branch of instruction comes amiss to them : As seamen and farmers they arc steady and sagacious—as mechanics, the admirable stone wall which encircles the Albert Barracks will remain a durable monument of their skill. As sawyers, they contribute largely to one of the most valuable indigenous exports of their native country,—whilst as millers, the perseverance with which they have husbanded the means to enable them to purchase the requisite machinery has only been surpassed by the assiduity with which they have toiled until their mills (themselves cutting the races, constructing the dams, and performing all the laborious work) have been got into working order. The possession of a flour mill is an acquisition greatly and generally coveted. Large sums of native money have been expended on their erection. We confess we could almost wish that it were not so; because wc are of opinion that native capital might be invested in a manner which would prove much more profitable to individual native

proprietors, and more beneficial to Hie country At large. For horses, ploughs, and other agricultural implements the investiture of native cash has already been very considerable, mid with extended cropphigs will necessarily become much more so. Wheat, maize, oats, bailey, green food, fruits, vegetables, pi"s, poultry, lisli, constitute the staple articles of native supply. Butter, cheese, veal, and other articles or dairy husbandry, for the large production of which the Northern island is by climate, soil, and the richness of its pastures, and the abundance of ' its springs and water brooks, so peculiarly favourable, presents a mine of wealth, which 1»7,e deeply regret have no attractions for native industry. At an early period of the publication of this Journal, we compiled a muss of intelligence on the subject of Dairy Farming, and endeavoured to show to what great and beneficial results it would lead, if the native landed proprietors could be only brought to turn their attention to a branch of rural industry which, whilst it became the means of reclaiming and enhancing the value of their waste lands, would gradually pave the way for a great improvement in their cereal husbandry, whilst it would create a great and lucrative source of imniedia'e prosperity. The Northern island of New Zealand is peculiarly adapted for Dairy Farming. Its pastures are rich and nutritious in a remarkable degree. There is an ample sufficiency of moisture throughout the year to sustain and nourish vegetation, and we. need but point attention to a well known fact,— s namely, that the Tamaki meadows have throughout the year sustained 100 oxen on •100 acres of ground to prove the capabilities of the country, and to show if New Zealand in the production of corn, might be rendered the Egypt of the Pacific, that she might still more easily, and, we doubt not, much more profitably, become the Dairy Farm and Market Garden of the Australias. We have heard a want of cleanliness on the part of the natives urged as an objection to their success as dairy fanners. We. do not, however, consider the objection either insurmountable of fatal; because we are of a confident opinion that the native New Zealander needs but to be pointed and to feci himself on the way to wealth to adapt his thoughts and habits to his altered circumstances with surprising energy of purpose. We have ourselves, in fact, had proof of this. For nearly two years we had a native milkman in our employ; and whether in his own pc.son or in the arrangement of his milking vessels, no European could exercise a more scrupulous and habitual cleanliness than he. With Australia on our immediate confines—with the attraction of gold forcing her into a great and populous nation—avast demand for dairy produce must be the inevitable result. The small supplies hitherto shipped from hence have realized excellent prices and have commanded the highest character. Here, then, is u mine of gold into which our native yeomanry would do well to dig. The rearing and fattening of cattle would afford them ample and remunerative occupation; and whilst their wealth would yearly and largely increase with their increasing herds, their land would advance in value by the clearing off of the tee tree and fern, and -by the blooming and bountiful substitution of meadow grass and clover. And lo accomplish and pay for all ihcse lasting and remunerative improvements, their butler, cheese, eggs, bacon, lard, — (which ought also to be of large yearly increase) would provide the easyandabiiiidant funds. There is no wealth so natural or so easily attainable as that of which Dairy Farming and Sheep Farming may be made the immediate and fruitful source. We had intended to have drawn ihe attention of our native readers to the latter subject, but our present paper has already exceeded its due .'" flits. We must therefore defer the con- . Aleration of Sheep Farming lo our next, hopeful, in the meanwhile, that the way lo become rich and powerful which we have just indicated may engage the serious and early attention of our intelligent native husbandmen.