To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator. Wellington, 14th September, 1848.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 327, 16 September 1848, Page 3

To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator. Wellington, 14th September, 1848.

Sir, — The reply ot the Governor- in-Chief to the address which has been presented to him (omitting the notice of peculiar features in the address) seems to amount to this; — " Gentlemen, I have struggled during some years to advance your interests and to bring this Colony into a state of peace. This settlement has progressed and the condition of the settlers has greatly improved during that period. The natives are now at peace with us. To effect these objects I have spared neither personal toil nor mental anxiety. I have had to contend with difficulties and against opposition of a nature with which you are not in a position to be acquainted, and which to disclose would be to risk the failure of all my efforts. Leave me for a little longer to carry out my views, and when the peace of the Colony is permanently established I shall be but too happy to avail myself of your assistance in the government of it." His request for information from the Deputation seems further to imply — " In the mean time gentlemen, if there are any matters whicli impede the progress of the Colony and which, as you believe, Representative Institutions would amend, let me know what they are, and what the proposed institutions are, and, if practicable, I will endeavour to accede to your wishes." What endeavours were made by the leaders of the Deputation to improve the opportunity appears from the report which has been published. And whether Governor Grey is able to bring a Colony round and to establish its prosperity may appear from the extract which follows. Your readers will perhaps notice the number of acres under cultivation, because the prosperity of Adelaide has been attributed solely to the fortuitous discovery of the mines. It is hard that the burden of all the failures of colonies should be laid on the shoulders of Governors, ard the credit for their prosperity be given entirely to chance. At least such is the opinion of one who thinks an error may be better repaired than by persisting in it. I am, Sir, your obedient seryant, A Liberal. " Adelaide, August, 1848. " Our population at the close of last year was estimated at 31,153. Our experts last year amounted to £355,000. The quantity of land in cultivation is 36,0;)0 acres. There are upwards of 1,800 resident proprietors of land, five-sixths of whom were emigrant labourers, owning probably among them more than 350,000 acres, and few owning less than 80_acr,es. There are 54 places of worship; 9 Church of England, 40 Dissenting, and the remainder Church of Scotland and Roman. There are 54 schools, not reckoning Sunday schools, with upwards of 2,000 scholars, 27 flour mills, 15 steam, 784,000 sheep, and nearly 60,000 cattle, bread at ljd., and meat at from 3d. to 4d. per lb., and fruit is so* abundant, that one person alone sent 600 dozen of peaches to

market every morning for three -weeks, and grapes in any quantity may be procured at 6d. perlb. I have seen New Zealand, and I can assert that the original body of colonists there were folly equal in all respects to the original colonists of this place."