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DISAPPOINTED EXPECTATIONS.

We should think it unjust to our readers if we were to take advantage of our position to deprive them of the following letter, after having ourselves received the benefit of its perusal. As the writer proposes to adopt a course which he would have recommended to and had, it seems, expected of us, it would be the more unfair, lest we might perchance hereafter take advantage of the hints given therein without acknowledging them. Seriously, however, letters of this description put our courtesy and our sense of right to some trial. It is a rule with us to admit all communications to a place in the columns of the Examiner; but all rules have their exceptions; and there is one reason which makes- it doubtful whether there should not have been an exception in this instance. No honest man who should read this letter through, and find therein that the writer was of that highly imaginative class who left England, expecting to find " a Paradise on earth," " a country flowing with milk and honey, though cows and bees were as yet unknown — with pigs running about wild in such numbers as to afford a never-failing resource— potatoes by the bushel for asking — and a species of manna in the delectable and plentiful fernroot ;" and moreover find that even a gentleman with such large expectations arrives at the conclusion that we have " sufficient level and fertile land to supply all the wants of the settlers for generations to come," that there are *• in the country all the elements of prosperity, and all those things which can conduce to eventual eminence " — any sensible man reading all this would say, ' What a beautiful country New Zealand in general and Nelson in particular must be to allow of such a conclusion to such extravagant expectations.' When we meet with any grumblers, our first question — a question asked, usually, we must confess, with some impatience — is, " What did you expect ?" There is no need to ask our correspondent this question. He tells us what he expected ; and we must say that, under the circumstances, it is hardly fair for any gentleman who has a fancy for wearing such very rose-coloured spectacles to accuse all the world of rouging, because, when he takes them off, he discovers the sober-hued reality. To mention the reason which made us doubtiul of publishing this communication : We would remind " A Subscriber" that all the world are not honest, nor sensible. In this letter the commencement is really alarming; and it is only by reading it through that one finds the meaning of the whole matter to be that this is really a delightful place, has " all the elements of prosperity," only is not a " Paradise," as rose-coloured spectacles, now unhappily broken, had led the writer to expect. If he would always write so that each sentence should contain the antidote to the poison, it would be all very well. But suppose some caterer of abuse of New Zealand for the giant Times were to deign to look into our columns, and quote the latter part of " A«Subscriber's " first paragraph : we think that the Thunderer would make such a story out of it as would exceedingly shake " A Subscriber's " " perfect confidence in the good effects of the present course," as indeed the very thought of it does our confidence in the good effects of the course we are pursuing- in sending the letter to the printer. To the Editor of the Nelson Examiner. Sir — In hazarding the following remarks, which have been long withheld in expectation of being anticipated by your own pen, or by that of some one as greatly my superior in acuteness of observation and accuracy of reasoniug, I should be sorry to be supposed to intend depreciating this colony or country — a proceeding which, would be the more unfair on my part, as, not holding any land here, I am less liable than many others to any bad effects which such depreciation might produce. On the contrary, it appears to me that it would be far mere conducive to the real and permanent interests of the settlement that its actual situation and the true nature of the country in general.thould be known, than that it should oe any longer attempted to found its prosperity on the fictitious and already-tottering basis of fable and misrepresentation which has been hitherto so fauNfetigably spread abroad. . Is it not perceptible, nay, even palpable, Mttfc

every thinking mind, that this state of things cannot last long ? — that a crisis, is at hand ?fand that the effect of ' such a '.shock as must ensue, if the true state of the case' be allowed to find its own way out thrdugh the cracks- and crevices of familiar correspondence, as it inevitably will if left undone much longer, would surely be far more prejudicial to the colony than if the shaking ruin of a fictitious Paradise on earth were at once boldly overthrown, and thereby the great and real capabilities of the country brought forward in a much more favourable point of view than they could be seen in if forced to struggle their own way through a mass of only half-demolished fictions ? ' It would be a difficult and an unenviable task to ascertain who the original author of these misrepresentations may be ; but that gross misrepresentation has been practised cannot be denied, even by those who, with shortsighted policy, may suppose that it is still their interest to conceal the facts, and to prop up the original fabric as long as ever the art of man can make it stand — thereby deferring the payment of a just debt, on which, meanwhile, exorbitant interest will be accumulating, only to render the eventual arrest the more inveterate and rancorous. The country is yet young; and though the extraction of this old and rotten tooth may now be painful and perhaps even dangerous, yet delay will only increase the danger and retard, perhaps distort, the growth of the young arflj vigorous one which is pressing on to supply its place. The country of New Zealand has been described in nearly all extant works in a most extravagant style. What is denominated undulating might fairly be called mountainous ground ; which, however picturesque, is but of little value in the speculative market. Why should this fact be so carefully concealed any longer — as if it were out of the course of nature to find mountains in an extensive country, or a very extraordinary fact that this country should be more hilly by far (as it must be allowed to be) than England ? Suppose this be left to work its ovyn way out : well, the speculators in England immediately jump to the conclusion that if the country be not the extreme it was represented to be, it must necessarily be the other ; all sales cease; emigration of labour and capital is at an end ; and the colony will have to undergo a severe trial before it is sufficiently established to stand the shock with impunity. On the contrary, let the crisis be at once brought about by a fair and open declaration, and the anticipated shock will be felt much less heavily, as being .prepared to meet it; just as a milder disease is induced in early life in order to guard against the ravages of small-pox at a more advanced period of existence. Have we not here sufficient level and fertile land to supply all the wants of the settlers for generations to come? Are there not in the country all the elements of prosperity, and all those things which can conduce to eventual eminence ? Why, then, conceal the fact that we expected to find more level land — in fact, that we hoped to set ourselves down (or rather up) in a country flowing with milk and honey, though cows and bees were as yet unknown — with pigs running about wild in such numbers as to afford a never-failing resource — potatoes by the bushel for asking — and a species of manna in the delectable and plentiful fern-root ? Why permit others to continue coming here with the same extravagant expectations, to meet with the same universal disappointment? — to grumble away six months chiefly occupied in writing circulars to England denouncing the whole affair as humbug/ after which time they begin to see the real beauties of the place, and to wish some of the effusions of their vexed spirit back in New Zealand with them, rather than themselves along with them in England ? It is of the greatest importance to the actual settlers here that these facts should become generally known with as great credit to them as possible ; and it is equally the interest of all, whether landowners or not, to prevent the run on the credit of the colony, if they do hacome known in any other than a, fair ana open manner. . " ' Let all then join, and at once throw aside the highly-coloured mask which has so long con* cealed the simple beauties of this country. Let them prepare all future settlers for the real appearance of the place, and thus save them all the discomfort which they themselves have had to endure. Rouge may give temporary aid; but, sooner or later, it will rub off, and only display the more plainly, by the force of contrast, the natural colour of the countenance. Better by far would it have been had it never been used ; but, since it has been so lavishly bestowed, the best plan is at once to remove every remaining particle, and not leave a single speck to be smeared off by the rough hand of Time. If I have gone too far in thus expressing my opinion, I hope that the freedom will at least be attributed to the right cause, namely, real interest in the prosperity of this beautiful place, and perfect confidence in the good effects of the present course. Hoping to continue the subject hereafter, if the present attempt be not greatly misunderstood, I remain, &c. A Subscriber.

Thb Agricultural Interest in Dan-GBR.^-The Parliament of Guernsey has been occupied with a memorial from the fanners of that island, praying for protection from the tparrom! The petitioners forcibly remark, " The ravages of the sparrows require no comment." H There exists in some parts of Germany a law to prevent drinking during Divine service. It suns thus:— "Any person drinking in an alehouse during Divine service ■ on Sunday, or other holiday, may legally depart without pay. ing."

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NENZC18421015.2.12

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 32, 15 October 1842, Page 127

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,758

DISAPPOINTED EXPECTATIONS. Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 32, 15 October 1842, Page 127

DISAPPOINTED EXPECTATIONS. Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 32, 15 October 1842, Page 127

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