The Flax Trade, &c.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 410, 20 March 1850, Page 3

The Flax Trade, &c.

In our kit we mentioned that great activity prevails on the West Coast, in the neighbourhood of Mana« watu, in preparing flax ready for market. In all probability the trade thus commenced will increase rather than diminish, and the native population throughout the district avail themselves of their labour and obtain the necessaries of life. For the last ten years all thought! have been directed to the flax. In days of prosperity, or time of depression, the cry has ever been the same — flax: is our only safety. Now that flax ii not our only dependence, when year by year our wool ii rapidly increasing, we find that a movement i'a made in a quarter which but a short time since was the scene of lawlessness and confusion. At the Manawatu, the seat of Rangihae&ta and his party, the flax trade has taken deep root, and those men who were formeily styled ' rebels. 1 are now peacefully oocupied in the manufacturing of an articla which is yet to be the main export of these islands. Such a fact is satisfactory. Within twelve months, the district extending from Manawatu to Wanganui — a country as fertile and extensive as any in the islandi, but which was considered as a sort of Ultima Thuk— has been added to this settlement. Our flocki and herds are rapidly filling up the Rantikei— settlers »re now located on a spot which a few months since was scarcly known — and at Manawatu and rivers adjacent we find peaceful industry instead of savage slothfuloess. And since so much has been done in this neighbor* hood, we may well call upon all out-iettlers to aid in the good cause, whether established on the Eait or the West Coiet, the Middle or North Island. We have a vast mine of wealth in the Native population. We have the means at our disposal of working it, and a ready means of disposing of the produce of the mine. Flax, Timber, Bark, Mutton-Shells, Wheat, Potatoes, or Maize, anything in fact which will pay freight, should be purchased at fair prices from the Maoriei. A little inducement in the first instance, regularity in dealing, and payment in specie, will ensure a constancy of native labour. The natives prefer payment in money. They begin to find ont that their Übour returns more in the shape of comfort*, provided they are paid in specie instead of goods. Parties OB the const, taking advantage of this hint, will find a trade ready to their handi, for the natives will certainly/purchase their tobacco and necessaries from him who pays their labour in money. There are thousands of natives on the East Const of this liland, and at Wanganui, who are novr almost idle, ldlensis breedi mischief. Cannot our out-settleri set them to work ? We feel confident that a little perseveraace would induce them to begin, and once employed we luve no fears of after troubles and annoyances. By all means induce the natives to employ themselves. — Itidependent, Feb. 2*7,

Flax and Wool Lashtng.— Since our last the Mary Ann has arrived from Manawatu with seven tons ofFl«x and Wool Lashing, and tome seven or eight vesielt have cleared out for the westward to load with the tame article. Most of the Merchants have quantities stored, and the value of the export this quarter I will be considerable.— lndependent, March 2.

Timber. — Several orders have been received from the neighbouring colonici. Our tawyeri will do well to work away with vigour, for they may depend upon meeting with a ready sale and good market.— /fa'ek

FtoUß.— This article if becoming scarce and dear, and as a consequence the price of bread has risen to sd. the 216. fdaf. It is a great pity that our millers do not pay attention to the preparation of Flour. If our Taranaki friends, for instance, treated, the wheat the same as millers do in the neighbouring colonies, we should have no need to look abroad for this first neecisary, for we are confident that New Zealand grown wheat is equal to that of any country. The fact of it being decried as inferior it owing to the carelessness of the millers, — or rather because sufficient time is not permitted for the flour to cool after the wheat has been ground, the flour being done up at once in bags and shipped. Thus the flour heats, and io people run down the article. We call attention to this matter in hopes that it may have the effect of awakening the millers to a sense of their own position. Turn out a good article, fthe New Zealand Flour will be conr turned iv erery house in preference to Colonial.— Z/ud.

We understand that the tenders accepted by the Commissariat yesterday, for supplying H. M. troops stationed at Wellington and Porirua for the ensuinS twelve months, were at the rate of 4d. per lb. for fresh meat, and 3d. for the loaf of bread 2lbs. weight. The price oi meat has hitherto been kept up by the butchers in Wellington at the rate of 6d. per lb. to the publi c, although persons killing beaits in the country districts in the neighbourhood of the town have lately been selling meat at 4d. per lb. As the contract price for meat has generally in some degree regulated the price charged to the public, we hope soon to see a very material reduction in the price of meat in Wellington) particularly as it is well known that for some time past the butchers have not given more than Sd, per lb. for the carcase to the etockowner. The tender for supplying the troops at Wanganui with freih meat wob at the rate of 3|d. per lb.— Spectator, March 2.

Denominational Statistics of the United STATEs.-r-The Methodists in the United Strtes, including the Church north and south, and those denominated Protestants, number in their body 1, 178,026 member's., The Protestant portion number but 83,fi00 of this largo aggregate. The number of Methodist Churches is not reported in the tables from which these statistics are compiled. The number of ministers in the episcopal portion of his body it 5,080. The Baptist, including the regular, antimission, free-will, and others, have 11,266 churches, 6,598 ministers, and 813,921 memhers. The Presbyterians, old school und new, hare 1,027 churches, 3,264 ministers, and 334,453 members. The Congreg&tionalists have I,BGB churches, 1,912 ministers, and 193,093 members. The Episcopalinni have 1,192 churches, 1,494 ministers, and

67,550 members. Here are 212 more ministers than churches. The Lutherans have 1,452 churches, 599 ministers, and 149 s '6'2G members. Tbe Associate, Reformed, Cumberland, and other-PresbyterUns, together with Reformed Dutch and German Reformed Churches, have 2,052 churches, 2,091 ministers, and 241,740 members. The Roman Catholics hare 907 churches, 917 ministers, a 1,199,700 members. The Unitarians have 244 churches. The number of ministers and members not reported ; but the number of ministers doubtleis as large as the number of churches, if not larger. If the churches contain, on an average, as many at the Orthodox Congregational Churches, the aggregate number would be 27,532. The number of churches |of there several denominations, exclusive of Methodists, which are not reported, is 21,981. Allowing the Methodists 10.000 churches, the whole number would be about 33,000. The whole number of ministers in these denominations is 22,808, and the whole number of members of churches 4,127,141. Supposing the population of the United States to be 20,600,000, it would give one professor of religion to every five of the population— not including the children, one to three and a fraction. How many of these professors of religion are not possessors we may not presume to say, but undoubetdly the Omniscient One would make a very material deduction. The Baptists have the largest number of churches and ministers. The Catholics have the largest number of members. The Methodists have the largest number among the Protestant denominations* The Old School Preibyterians have 725 more churches than the New School, 162 more ministers, and 23,953 more members. The Old and New School Presbyterians together have 2,160 more churches thadthe Congregationalists, 1,052 more ministers, and 141,360 members. — Presbyterian Ad' vacate. Father Mathew and Slavery. — (To Massa Punch.) — " Sar, Him see by de Times' correspondent at New York dat some gentlemen, members ob de Massschussets Anti- Slavery Society, wait on Fader Mathew in Boston, and ask him to tend annibersary in celebrashun ob de obolishun ob tlabery in de British West Ingis. De hery reberend Fader say " no." Cause wy ? P'r'ps you tink him at work at him Fledge and him Pump ; not a bit ob it, massa. Dii de \r«y him trow him cold water on abolishun : 'He abruptly dedined the invitation, observing to the committee that he was not aware of any passage in Scripture forbidding the existence of slavery.' Bogging pardon of Massa Mathew, de great dime, me tink dere am passidge somwher dat tell you • whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.' How Fader Matbew him like to be slabe ? whose nigger, tink you, him. wish to be? — Your humble serbent, Sambo.— Punch.' 1