ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the New Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 664, 25 August 1852, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the New Zealander.

Sir, — It has been said, years ago, that a canal would he cut to connect the waters of the Manukau with those of the Wsiitemata, and it seems — judging from the various wanls of the Colony and outward indications-i-that the time is at hand that such an undertaking is absolutely necessary for the well-being of New Zealand generally. For much has been said and much is doing to promote Steam Communication from the Moiber Country to Australia, by the Panama route, by

which great expectations are entertained here of a call on their out. If that route is adopted, as I have no doubt it will be, the Steamers, probably, would call at some convenient port at the North Cape to deliver their mails, and so proceed on their voyage without any loss of time ; the mails would then have to be re-shipped on some of our coasting vessels and perhaps be detained several days before arriving at Auckland, the capital of New Zealand, a point whence should proceed all communications to the various Settlements round about. Now if the aforesaid canal were cut sufficiently wide and deep to allow the said Steamers to pass through at high water, on their way to Sydney, there would need little other inducements to be held out to them to call at Auckland. The key would thus be turned to open up the country to the southward ; and supposing a Company was brought into existence to work the Coal Mine at the Waikato, the English Steamers could be supplied with any quantity ; and to cut a canal across the Awaroa Portage and so open — in one sense — the country to that fine alluvial soil of Avhich we have heard so j much, and I need hardly say facilitate the communication to New Plymouth. "With a water carriage to Auckland, an immense amount of produce could be brought to market by the native population resident on those fine rivers ; and instead of our Auckland friends sending the Governor Wynyard, steamer, to the diggings, there would be ample employment for half-a-dozen to j commence with. If we wish the Steamers to call here, (the English Steamers) Auckland must put her shoulder to the wheel and help forward the great movement, and so help herself. For my part I am not for giving large sums of money annually to the Company to induce them to call here. I should sooner spend the money on local improvements, and try to make the distance to Australia as short as possible, and to convince the Company that they would actually gains by going through New Zealand, at Auckland, to Australia. Let us have cheap land, and such a mode of carriage, and I'll answer for it; there will be no lack of emigrants of the- right sort. After the very true and comprehensive Chapters, and Notes of Tours lately published in your paper, I think we should try to step off with the right foot, for in my humble opinion there never was brighter propects for the country than at the present time. What if a few of our shopkeepers are leaving us I and crying out times are dull — they and the floaters are the only class that are going — I don't know of any of the settlers moving, and the reason is plain — the climate is good — the land is good — and the prospect is good — for I have always considered there has been too many disposed to live in the town to obviate this tendency. Let us try to get the country opened up in every sense, and Cheap land, with restrictions on speculators. Such are my humble views on the present crisis, and if you think they are worthy of a corner in your valuable paper, you will oblige A Constant Reader. Auckland August 16, 1852.