NEW ZEALAND AND AMERICA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 53, 27 January 1872, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND AND AMERICA.

Mr Alfred Saunders, formerly Superintendent of Nelson, and who has been absent in England for about five years, delivered a lecture in Nelson the other day, in the course of which he made the following remarks upon the relative attractions of New Zealand and America : " So far as I felt, instead of being too much in love with America, after seeing it, its institutions, its governments, its habits and its climate, I say give me New Zealand in preference to all America. (Cheers.) It seemed to him (he continued) that Americans were almost destitute of veneration, of reverence, and did not hold much sacred that we were in the habit of reverencing, He said this with no hostile feeling, for they were a people of great power and enterprise, and weie advancing with rapid strides in material prosperity. It was decidedly a great country in extent, in power, in physical grandeur; and we ought to be prepared to profit by example in its successes and its mistakes. Nothing struck a visitor more rapidly than the fact that, by some means, the best description of persons have turned away from all share in the Government of the country. There is a strong disposition among the best men of the country to avoid politics ; to avoid all argument and reasoning about them ; and to allow a kind of brute force—if it may be so termed—to rule. They have lett politics in the hands of men who are not the best of men that should deal with them, preferring to secure a quiet life, although misgoverned. Now this was a mistake; politics is the business of every man who lives in a young community ; and that man fails to do his duty if he neglect to take his proper position, and if he sees anything wrong, either in his representative or the Government, to do all he can to stop and remedy the wrong, no matter what it may be. America had recently carried out the system of protection to a large degree, and was exceedingly fond of it; so fond that a friend of his, who wished to purchase a suit of good warm woollen clothing, found that the cost would be £3O. This came of protecting wool and woollens. Then in shipping a like result had followed —English bottoms were now carrying half the amount of American goods. Farmers were calling out for protection for the raw material, while the manufacturer asked for protection for the manufactured articles, and that the raw material should come in free. As to which of the two parties would first get tired of this he could not tell; but he did not think it would last long. Prices were otherwise very dear. He always got his drink cheap, and could not tell what price was paid for liquors at the bai', but on the train a cup of coffee was 50 cents (2s Id): and a dollar (4s 2d) was paid for a grey compound called soup."