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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4152, 11 July 1874, Page 2

It is expedient that in noticing the contents of the “New Zealand Handbook” we should follow the course taken by the Editor in the distribution of the papers withwhichhe had to deal, andnot hop about them in a haphazard fashion. Mr. Gisborne’s contribution on the present form of Government is a miniature of a few clauses of the Constitution and other Acts. Strangers in England will gather from it that if New Zealand is not a wellgoverned Country, this is not from a lack of the necessary mechanism. There is the General Government, the Provincial, the Municipal Councils, and Road and Health Boards ; and should these not be sufficient “there is ample power in New Zealand to regulate and adapt them from time to time to the growth and progress of the Colony.” Dr. Hector, in describing the climate and resources of New Zealand, has contributed a valuable paper ; the climate he shows to be more agreeable than that of England, the agricultural capacities to be as great, the timber to bo fine in quality and vast in quantity; its mineral resources to be unequalled, there being gold, iron, and coal in abundance, all pointing to the certainty that it will be a great manufacturing as well as producing country. Of its fruit and flowers, Mr. Travers wrote in glowing colors ; and he also told how successful had been the attempts to introduce game of various descriptions. We have on a former occasion alluded to some of the figures supplied by Mr, Woodward ; and with the latest statistics, making the entire population of the Colony 299,228, our readers are familiar. Mr. Knowles shows what the Public Works Department has been engaged in superintending during the past three years and a half. In the North Island 1150 miles of road have been constructed, besides 500 miles of of bush tracks intended to be roads. How valuable these must be to settlors whilst they convey their produce to market, may be imagined. Several hundreds of other miles are in the course of construction ; and throughout the Colony there are 1020 miles of railway either open or in various stages of progress. On these from 3000 to 4000 men are employed, and in the future more will bo required. Also large water races are being constructed, that will permit of the employment of thousands of additional gold miners ; and it is anticipated that as soon as the railways to the coal mines are open thousands of men will bo wanted for these. The last general paper to which we allude shows the success that has attended the various devices that have been adopted for settling the country, both generally and specially. The population introduced is everywhere thriving, employment is abundant at high rates of wages, and the immigrants write with one voice soliciting their friends in England to come out and share the prosperity that there is in the Colony. Several very interesting extracts from these letters are given, of which the following is a fair sample ; —“ I hope you will make up your mind to come to New Zealand at once ; it will be the best day’s work you ever did. You will bo sure of immediate employment at good wages when you land. Food is cheap, and wages high; you will be able to save more every week here than you are earning where you are now. New Zealand is a fine and healthy country ; no one can help but like it. Any man may do well that will work.”

The paper on the Province of Otago, prepared- by Mr. Molndoo from materials furnished by the Superintendent, is the work of a man to whom praising his own Province has been a labor of love. He points out how completely results have eclipsed the expectations that were first formed. At an early period of the history of the settlement, it was believed that the country was only fit for cattle, and that every loaf of broad must be made of imported flour. Now, “ to the very places from which it was intended to draw the supplies of breadstuff’s, Otago sends out of her abundance.” The second epoch in the history of the Province was the discovery of gold, of which up to March 31 of this year £12,762,892 in value lhad been exported. We have no doubt that Otago, with its great natu-

ral wealth, its magnificent resources, and happily-developed' institutions, deserves every word of praise that the writer of the paper, with a pardonable pride, lavishes upon it. An intending emigrant, reading the book, would be tempted before perusing further, to take his ticket for Otago; and this we suppose was the object of the paper. Occupation is promised to all descriptions of laborers. If they understand farming they are to work for a year or two, and then become peasant proprietors. It is at their option to either buy or rent land. If they are coal or gold miners, Otago exports the one and intends to do the same with the other. If they would like to fish, there are rich grounds for them to go to work upon. If they are foresters, they will be astonished at the splendid timber of the Province. They will find manufactures every day springing up around them. Provision has been made for the recreation of all comers, and for the education of their children. “ The peculiarly healthy character of the climate is attested by the fact of so many strong active children seen in all directions, their stout limbs and ruddycountenances forming a subject of general remark by strangers visiting the Province.” Working men are assured of short hours of labor, with high pay—“little to do and plenty to get.” They get the sterling advice, “ Take great care to save the first hundred sovereigns. It is far more difficult to save the first than the second or any subsequent hundred.”