MAIL ITEMS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 206, 22 October 1880, Page 4

MAIL ITEMS.

The following are extracts from the Auckland Herald's London letter. The Press in this country is still pourino; n j'itilesa hail of criticism upon New Z:alanJ end her affairs. ludeed, in all matters non-political, the English Press seems to testify with almost the h»rtnouy of 8n orchestra. The Times strikes tbe key note, and firat the Lod-

don, then the Provincial papers follow suit, and that the Times ha? a " down" opon New Zealand, has been too plainly pvident for a long time. In tbe Dailp News there was sn article the other day affirming that New Zealand securities can no loDger be regarded aa first-clase. The Economist lately severely animadverted upon lha New Zealand Government for fostering by relief works the absurdly high rate of wages clamored for by tbe working c!aß6es io the colony, by creating work for the " unemployed," wbile on (he and in oiher parts of New Z°al»rd laboring men were earnincr 8s nnd 10a per day, and intimate that Euglifeh investors could not be safe in Bend ing money to New Zealand to be epen* in ibis way. I ccc a paragraph from ihe 6an)p article in the money column of (he Daily News, 7 heap London editors probably have little idea of the ieolat'on of many parts of (be colony, and of the difficulty of gettiDg the un employfd to the psrts wher9 pood wages are to I c lied— but this does noi Ipsaen their power of mischief. I fear that the adverse comments upon New Zealand rffairs in the English papere, which, co far us I have the weans of knowing, are all but unanimous, are likely to do; the colony more harm than the last bad harvest. They an doing their best to frighren away from New %-talanri juat what she moat needs — the English middle-class oapilalisi and investor. Meanwhile America and Canada are making most strenuous effor.s to secure the Fnglish farmer. I have before me «n English agricultural journal, on c sirgle sheet of which are eleven different advertisements stung fortl> as many schemes for traneportiog thf British agriculturist to wes crn soil, all of which schemes have offices en<i agencies in this country. These baits are exceedingly taking. " The finest land in the world.*'—" 160 acres free, or by purchase on easy terms." " The Scottish American Land Company " offer improved farms in lowa for £2 to £3 per acre on defeired paymeut. ''Genial olima'e, fertile soil, abundant water, convenient maikets," and J know not what besides. Kansas offer? 2,50O;OO0 acres of the richest agricultural aßd grozing lands at 15---to 40a per acre, 33£ per c-^nt. discount for cash, or eleven yearb' grace if payment 1 y instalment: and Canada calls (or 4000 egricuhural laborers, en ' offers them assisted ppssasres. As compared with these priefs, New Zealand land appears to the English farmer to be very dear, and Canada is qiji«tly absorbing ship-load after ship-load. Itis singularly unfortunate that just at thifr juncture New Zealand should be under » financial cloud, and the AgentGeneral ebouH have his bands tied behind him, lam sure that many of these farmers could be secured for New Zinlend, if wel!-3e!ected blocks ol Crown lacd were plnced in the Eoglieh market at £1 to £2 per acre, upset phcp. Nor could tbe New Z?Bliind Government invest a few hundred pounds better than in buying 6000 copies of Messrs Grunt and Pcser'e report for free circulation nroonp Kogltah farmer?, I am glad to koow that it is circulating well at its resent price but I should like to see it on sale at every bookstall in the Uniteo* 'Kingdom for 3' per copy. New Zealand oats which are arriving in London are making a considerable impression here, in a quiet Way. A gentleman brought some to me the other day, ; which lie had picked up in the docks — the leakage from sacks of oats which were being taken out of the ships. He thought such corn had never been Been before. I met another gentleman from Mark-lane, who brought the same-re-port as to the impression New Zealand oats were producing there. lam told that they are selling at more than 30s .per quarter. With such a quality of oats as these, I do not see why oats should .not pay to ship to England as well as jwheat. That is, if anybody can be persuaded to sow oats again who has once had to sell them at Is per bushel ! At any rate, to send corn home is indirectly a great benefit to the colony. A few samples going about the country are capital emigration agents. And as they Jwill soon bo eaten up, they will escape the pitiless abuse which usually falls to the lot of any< ordinary mortal Who tries to do good in that way !