The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, MAY 8, 1866.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 55, 8 May 1866, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, MAY 8, 1866.

Tee attention, which, in consequence of the discoveries of Mr. M'Millan and others, has been draw to the subject of the indigenous flax of New Zealand, is likely to result in great benefit to this colony, but more particularly so to Auckland and its vicinity, where a variety of causes hare tended to produce a most unsatisfactory state of things — such as the withdrawal of the British troops from that city, and the consequent cessation of the large military expenditure there, which have, producing dulness of trade, thrown a large number of people out of employment. To find occupation for these at some productive pursuits if only for a time, until the province rights itself, and things return to a normal state of prosperity is a great desideratum, and this Mr. M'Millan's discovery promises to do., According to the Auckland journals, by the aid of the rudest appliances, a man can earn from 4s. to ss. a day ; if so practice and careful observation will teach other methods, whereby a much larger sum can be earned, and the pursuit thus rendered remunerative. s There are also round Auckland, on the Waikato and at other parts of that province, large numbers of military and other settlers, who have but a short time since entered upon their land. These men doubtless had but small means whereby to stock their farms, and to bring them into a state of cultivation, and unfortunately many have been depending largely upon the Government assistance, which has since been withdrawn. The military settlers too, hare been deprived of their rations much earlier than they had anticipated, and are put to great straits to obtain food and clothing for themselves and their families. The wild flax which grows so

abundantly around them will provide an occupation to which they can turn their attention at those times when they can be spared from their farms, and so enable them to keep the wolf from the door, until those farms furnish them with the means of support. There is also a large native population who formerly contributed largely to the prosperity of Auckland, but whom the recent war has both impoverished and demoralised. Before the advent of colonisation, these people used to prepare the flas in a rough manner, and large quantities of it were exported in the trading vessels which then frequented these waters. From some cause this occupation of the native race has long since ceased ; but if the pursuit of preparing the flax is entered into energetically by the settlers, it will act as a stimulus to the natives to resume that occupation, and so have more effect in weaning them back to peaceful pursuits, than all the proclamations in the world.