The New Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 243, 27 September 1848, Page 2

The New Zealander.

He just and ienr not: Let all the' ends tlion ainib't at, be tliy Country's, Tliy God's, and Truth's.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1848.

We learu by the Harriet Ljethart, arrived on Saturday last, at Manakau, from Hokianga, that the barque Fanny had sailed from the latter port with a full cargo of timber for Hobart Town — that the Ganges, with a like freight, was off the bar, ready to sail for Sydney — and that the Indian, with the most choice cargo ever shipped there, comprising about seven hundred loads of timber, amongst which there are sixty prime contract spars — was ready to sail for this port and would leave on Friday or Saturday last. It is gratifying to be able to record the prospeious continuance of this indeginous expoit of our northern shores, but we trust that patience and perseverance, and a better land system, will, ere long, enable us to find other and richer sources of industrial traffic.

Amongst the commercial productions of England, Saddlery and Glovery occupy no inconspicuous place ; whether as manufactures for home consumption, or commodities for foreign or colonial exportation. The superiority of English harness, of all soits, is so well established, that it were idle to discuss its excellence now — but, admirable as it is, it is to English skill, rather than to English materials that its celebrity is due ; for if we consider the substance of which the best saddles are lavgely constructed, we shall find that hogskin forms no insignificant portion, and if we pause to inquire from whence the supply of hogskins is diawn, we shall be told that llussia is the country from whose shores they are mostly imported. French gloves, or, at least, French kid gloves, are held in more esteem than English. That aiticle of British manufacture is, nevertheless, neither inconsiderable in quantity, nor despicablein quality, since we learn thatat Worcester alone, the annual produce of kid and lambskin gloves, is estimated at about 500,000 dozen pairs, of the value of some £370,000. There is yet another article of English commerce, in high repute as a material for costly hookbinding, and, also, as an elegant fabric for ladies shoes — we mean, Morocco leather, originally, it is true, brought from the Levant and Barbary States, but now prepared with equal success elsewhere. To what purport tends this treatise on arts and manufactures to us in New Zealand, we think we hear some of our readers impatiently demand? To this! We — in conjunction with every true lover of our adopted country — are earnestly considering how We may best promote the interests of the colony, by developing her latent resources, and by pondering from what means, or from what materials an available export may be drawn. With this view, and looking to the large quantity of hogs slaughtered, in the New Zealand Islands, we consider a source of profit at once presents itself. Toughness in the texture, and substance of the skin, is, we presume, a principal recommendation for its conversion to saddlery. If this surmise of ours prove correct, we apprehend it will be freely admitted, j that in toughness, substance, and closeness of grain, the skin of the New Zealand hog may fearlessly compete with that of any of the swinish multitude. We profess our entire ignorance of the trade. We but know that saddlery being in universal and extensive demand, imitation hogskins are frequently substituted for the genuine article. We know, also, that of hogs there are here a large comparative supply. Upon the quality of skins in general, climate, likewise, exercises a consid.erable influence — and, looking to all these circumstances, we feel disposed to entertain a rather sanguine opinion that hogskins might be rendered a source of profitable export. At all events, a speculation to a limited extent might be attempted ; and, to give trial to that, and to any other article of probable commeicial value, it might be of vital impoilance to originate some society, with funds, to make purchase of feasible exports — a patriotic undei taking to which every Colonial Government might reasonably be expected to render liberal encouragement, as well as partial pecuniary aid. In New Zealand goats are not less prolific than hogs, and they might be xeared in any numbers. Independently of their skins, they might be boiled down for their talloii , if properly fed and herded. The annual impoit of goat skins into Englaod is nearly 400,000. Of these the largest quantities are furnished by the Barbary States and the Cape of Good Hope, the export from the former reaching to about 150,000, from the latter to some 100,000

which they aie applied aic 111 the monufactiuc of Morocco and Shammy, or Chamois lcathci. The impoitation of kid skins is considerably more extensive, 600,000 skins being about the average annual amount. Of these Italy and the Italian Islands furnish upwards of 520,000 — Spain and the Balearic Islands 44,000 — and Fiance 31,000. We call attention to these three items of British commerce, because, in New Zealand, they abound, and with common cave and industry they might be made to form an expoit of which the colony stands so greatly in need. We may be told that the amount would be limited and the profit small — so small, perchance, as to he almost beneath consideration. To this objection — presuming it to be raised — we would merely reply that no traffic became , great on the instant, and that a source of industry, beneficial to other countries, could not be utterly beneath the consideration of New Zealand. The staple trade of New South Wales — Wool — sprung from a very humble source. Two hundred and fifty pounds of that commodity, but a very few years since, being, if we rightly recollect, the first shipment of an export which now affords .annual employment to many thousand tons of Bntish shipping, and which has supplied to these Colonies the means of purchasing millions worth of British manufactures. We may add, moreover, to those who would cast a damp upon first attempts — if any such there be — that to their ingenuity in making the most of unconsidered trifles, that great commercial nation — the United States — owes much of its go-ahead progression and prosperity. Of this we may be certain that we shall never i{ Advance New Zealand" by folding our hands and turning a deaf ear to every undertaking devised in a spirit to promote her welfare. We must make trial of projects ere we superciliously condemn them. We have, in all humility, submitted a theme for the wise and speculative of our community to discuss — and, for ourselves, when we look to the Leather trade of England, the third or fourth of importance ia her gigantic list of manufactures, and estimated at an annual value of Sixteen Millions sterling — we confess a strong inclination to exclaim with the honest currier — Nothing Like Leather !

Active preparations are on foot to have Mr. Nathan's house ready for the reception of His Excellency the Governor-in -Chief. On Monday one hundred men of the 58th Regiment were placed to work upon the track conducting from the crown of the Cenietry hill ; and three hundred Maories in addition aie to be employed forthwith in the construction of a good street connecting the road to the Cemctry with Queen-street. We are glad to see this, as it will not only add to the embellishment of the town, but prove as essentially conducive to the comfort and convenience of the citizens as of the settlers in the district of Mount Eden.

iNaUEST.— On Monday an inquest wai held by Dr. Davies, at the Victoria Hotel, on the body of an American coloured man, named John Williams, who had been a teaman on board Mr. Maxwell's schooner. It appeared in evidence that the deceased hud been drinking at Tutty's, Ship Inn, until between ten and eleven o'clock on the night of Thursday lait, and was seen leaving the beach about eleven o'clock in a small dingy, and putting off towards the schooner. It was blowing fresh at the time, and he was not seen afterwards until his body was found thrown up on the rocks at Smale't Point, on Suuday morning: A ginger beer bottle, neaily filled with rum, was found in one of the pockets of the deceased. Verdict— Found Drowned.