SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4931, 11 January 1877, Page 2

SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH

DECEMBER-JANUARY, 1876-7. For irarmOri** Uf the P N.C.S. Ctjv of from Auckland, on «»« ICtft January, to Juurope, ■ via San Francisco. His Excellency the Governor and the Marchioness of Nonnanby have remained at Wellington during the month, , and. owin'* to the serious indisposition of the Marchioness of Normanby, the projected visit to the South has been postponed. The Marchioness, however, is'now much . bolter. , , A reconstruction ot the Government has been arranged during the month, and the Cabinet now is comprised as follows ; The Hon. Harry Albert Atkinson Premier and Colonial Treasurer. . , The Hon. Daniel Pollen Colonial Secretary and Native Minister. ■ The Hon. Frederick Whitaker xUtorney-General. The Hon. John Davies Ormond Minister o£ 1 üblic Works * ‘ . • The Hon. "Charles Christopher Bowen Minister ot Justice and Commissioner of Stamp Duties. The Hon Donald Reid Secretary for Crown Lands and Minister for Immigration. ■ : The Hon George McLean Commissioner of Customs, Postmaster-General, and Commissioner of Tele- ' It'wili be seen by the foregoing that Mr. Richardson has carried out his long . expressed intention; of retiring from the Ministry. In him the colony has lost a Minister of whom it has had reason to be proud While he held office, and whose services, now hehas resigned his post, will be remembered with gratitude. Taking office in .1872 with Mr. Waterhouse, just before the inauguration of the Vogel Public Works policy, and continuing to administer that policy till the present date, he has held the office of Public Works Minister in the colony at a mostcritical period—-at a time when practical knowledge, careful judgment, and thorough honesty were indispensable qualities in the head of . the department, in order to the successful carrying out of the great enterprise to which the colony was committed. In what degree Mr. Richardson possessed these qualifications let the unabated confidence of Parliament and the country reply. The errors and failures of his administration, as Sir Julius Vogel said in his farewell speech to New Zealand, are so few that it . would be very difficult for anyone readily to lay his finger on one of them; whilst the department, in point of honesty and purity, has ever been above, suspicion. Amid all the dirt throwing that has lately been indulged in, none had the hardihood to tax him with conduct other than straightforward; and no public man has ever retired from office with a cleaner i eputation than has Mr. Richardson. ■ We can only hope .. that should occasion require, and his private affairs allow of it, he may at some future time again become one of the Advisers of the Crown. His successor, however, is a gentleman who will have the confidence of the colony. ~ He has proved himself to be an honorable and efficient administrator; and occupies a very prominent position , in the House as a clever debater. The 1 accession to office of Mr. Donald Reid must be regarded with unmixed satisfac- _ tion, and the office he has taken—that , of Lands and Immigration—is one for which hia past career has specially .fitted him. The administration of the lands of the colony is one of the most important matters to be attended to under the new regime, and as Mr, Reid is known to hold very decided and liberal views upon this r his particular hobby, his presence in the office is a guarantee that the question - will not he lost sight of by the Government. As representing the. more practical phase of Otago public opinion, Mr. Reid .will bring much additional strength to the Ministry. \ | The holidays during the past month ■ have been kept up with eclat ; but for an account of these, and for information respecting the material progress of tile colony, we refer readers to the news columns which follow. One of the pleasing duties which devolve upon a journalist is that of chronicling from time totimethe progress and advancement of the country or colony in which he happens to-be resident; and, as a general "rule, experience has proved that there is no more certain or reliable test than an examination into the extent and value of jta exports, • with a view -to ascertain whether the production of the principal articles of export are increasing or diminishing; and we propose considering this" question with respect to wool, which we need not inform our readers may fairly be regarded as our main export, there being, we believe, more people engaged in producing .this, commodity, and more capital invested in this pursuit, than in any other in New Zealand. We are under the impression that these remarks apply with equal force to most of the Australian colonies. •We shall append at the foot of this article a return which is well worthy of careful study. It will be seen on looking into the figures it contains that the total quantity- of wool sent to London from the Australian colonies and New Zealand in the year 1874 was 651,885 bales, and from the Cape 163,860 bales; in the year 1775 the export, from Australia and New Zealand was 700,557 bales, and from the Cape 174,567 bales; and that for three quarters of the year 1876, from the Ist January to the 30th September, the export from Australia and New Zealand was 736,864 bales, and from the Cape, in the same period, 136,632 bales. In the year.lß74 the export from New Zealand alone was 140,952 bales, in the year 1875 it was 148,034 bales, and for three quarters of the year 1876 it was 157,877 bales. ' . It will probably surprise many people when they notice that the total export of wool from the united colonies of New South Wales and" Queensland, two very important dependencies—one New South Wales, the oldest of her Majesty’s possessions in the Australian group—was in the year 1874 only 134,555 bales ; in the year 1875 it was 147,127 bales ; and for the nine months of the year 1873,164,078 bale's, being less than from New Zealand in the years 1874,and 1875, and only 6201 bales more- in the nine months of the year ,1876. There can be little doubt, however, from the quantity of New Zealand wool offered for sale in the October and November sales, that at the end of the year 1876 New Zealand will still stand second on the list of wool-producing colonies, Victoria, of course, taking the lead. We shall probably be told that a large quantity of wool grown in New South-Wales is shipped from Victoria. We are well aware of this, but then it would only be deducting from the score of the colony of Victoria and adding to that of New South Wales and Queensland. It would nob make any difference to New Zealand; and looking to the rapid way in which the production >o£ wool is increasing in this colony, in the course of ten-years fwe regard it aa a mere question tOf time) New Zealand will probably stand, . at the bead of the list instead of second as she'does at present. It may be thought that we are taking a sanguine view of the matter, but we only require {o instance Tasmania as an illustration, ate older colony than Now Zealand, which

at one time produced more Wool than was grown in this country; and yet the table we are referring to shows that in the year 1874 the export of wool from Tasmania was only 15,751 bales, in the year 1870 it was 18,226 bales, and dunng mine months in the year 1876 it was 19,686 An examination of the tables will show that the import of wool to London from Australia and New Zealand during the first six months of the year 18*4 was 498 388 bales, and during the second six months was 153,497 bales; from the Cape it was 73,220 bales during the first six months, and 90,641 bales during he second six months. In the year 1875 the import from Australia and New Zealand during the first six months of the year was 550,990 bales, and during the second six months 149,567 bales; from the Cape it was 84,981 bales in the first six months, and 89,586 in the second. In the year 1876 the export from Australia and .New Zealand in the first six months of the year was 652,213 bales; and from July 1 to September 30, 1876, it was 84,651 bales; from the Cape it was 82,255 bales, and 54,377 bales. It will thus be seen that, excluding the Cape, where the difference between the two half-years is not very <rreat, the bulk of the wool imported into England from Australia and Now Zealand arrives during the first six months of the year. In the year 1874, out of a total of 651,885 bales, no less than 498,388 bales came to hand prior to the 30th June. In the year 1875, out of a total of 700,557 bales, the . quantity received up to the 30th June was 550,990 bales; and last year 652.213 reached London on or before the 30th June, and only 84,651 bales between the Ist July and the 30th September. The figures and facts which we have placed before our readers suggest a variety of considerations. Probably the first and most important is the magnitude of the trade and its rapid development. We fancy we shall not be very far wrong if we estimate our export of wool during the past year at 180,000 bales. Presuming it to be worth on an average £l6 per bale, that gives a sum of £2,880,000, close upon three millions. Surely such a substantial reality in the form of only one of our articles of export, and the knowledge that the production of wool is steadily increasing, ought to inspire confidence, and demonstrate in the most convincing manner the immense resources of the country we live in, which we may safely say are only now beginning to be properly developed. It is an admitted fact that there are immense tracts of country where at present there is; less than one sheep to the acre depasturing; and yet every acre, by the judicious expenditure of capital, could easily bo rendered capable of carrying five times that number. Another point which we have heard frequently discussed is whether the best plan is adopted in selling wool when it reaches the London market. We have shown very clearly that the bulk of the wool from Australia and New reaches England during the first six months of the year, and the practice has been to force it into consumption through the medium of auction sales shortly after its arrival. 1 No matter whether the quantity is large or small, or the demand brisk or slack; in either case it is offered for sale, and in nine cases out of ten, sold to the highest bidder. Now this may have been a very good rule to follow in past years, when wool was arriving in London during the whole year in something like regular quantities every month; but a great change taken place, and we are inclined to think the tendency will be to increase this evil, if it is one, as thanks to the introduction of the fine steamers which have nearly Superseded the old coasting vessels, and the construction of railroads and ordinary roads, the means of communication have been greatly improved, and wool is conveyed more rapidly to the various shipping ports than it used to be years back, and of course reaches London sooner. The same causes have effected equal changes in the Australian colonies, and brought about similar results. Whether these points have been sufficiently considered by those who arrange the wool sales in London, we are unable to say ; but we do know that there is a good .deal of dissatisfaction often expressed by the .growers, arid a very 1 general feeling entertained that the course followed in London ■might be improved upon. • There is anbthrir point to which it may not be out of place to' refer, and that is the importance of improving the quality of New Zealand wool. We are well aware that many growers are,doing all that lies in their power to effect this desirable object ; and we think it is very clear that wherever the country is adapted for the long-wolled sheep, they are the most profitable, they clip heavier fleeces, grow to a much greater weight, attain maturity earlier than the old-fashioned merino ; and when it comes to a question of having to reduce numbers by boilingdown, there can be no doubt they yield a rimch larger quantityof tallow. We know very*well that a great many people will differ with us, and be prepared to adduce strong arguments in favor of the finewoolled sheep, and we admit at once that everything depends upon the nature of the country. But what we are now about to say applies with equal force to the breeders of all classes of sheep. The first object should be by judicious culling to get rid of all the sheep that clip light fleeces. The difference between a flock producing on . an average 41b., and one producing 61b. or 71b. per sheeps is very great. On a flock of 20,000 „br 30,000 it would come to a very large sum, and yet we fear this is riot sufficiently considered. It should never be, forgotten that a sheep that produces only 41b. of woql eats as much grass as one . that yields 61b.; the cost of shearing being the same in the one case as in the other, an equal number of shepherds will suffice ; and the same rule applies to every other item of expenditure. It is very important; to produce wool uniform in type arid character, not mixed, some short, some medium, and some long. If this cannot be avoided, then the greatest care should be taken to keep each description by itself, and to pack it separately. Growers seem to forget that manufacturers require wool of different lengths and qualities, depending upon the branch of the woollen trade they are. engaged in, and that they will not buy parcels which are packed in such a way that only a portion of the contents of each bale is adapted for their purpose, the result being that what are termed mixed wools are only bought by the dealers at reduced prices; that they then sort and rn-class the wool properly, and by this means obtain its full value. Sheep-farmers frequently neglect to what is termed skirt their wool sufficiently, and when this is the case they suffer severely. When inferior wool, pieces and locks,, is found in the bales, whichare all opened up for examination! prior to the wool being sold, parties intending to be present at the sales with a view to make purchases, place a black mark in the catalogue opposite the lot in which wool improperly pocked is included,

and these lots are avoided by the best buyers and fall into the hands of the middle men or dealers, who are enabled to buy at a considerable reduction on current rates, simply because the grower has been foolish enough to leave a few pounds of inferior wool in the bales; they afterwards sort and re-class, and make a handsome profit. For the last twenty years, we cannot remember much further back, the alarmists have been constantly repeating the cry that the production of wool would .be greater than the consumption, and : that the time ; must come when it would i cease to pay to grow wool. We are happy. I to say that these doleful prophesies have never been realised ; wool has fallen and ■ risen in price, like every other commodity, : according to the supply and demand, but • still it has been found remunerative to , produce it, and from all we can learn • this will continue to be the case. Judgr ing from the latest intelligence from • England, trade is improving there, and . the stocks of wool were very light, so • that the prospects are fair, and there is I every probability that good prices will be • obtained throughout the current year. > We have always entertained the opinion r that mankind would- increase quite as . rapidly as sheep, that new markets would • be opened up in various parts of the s world, which would create, an increased t demand for wool, and prevent its falling i in price to such an extent as to stop the s production, and thus far experience has, i shown the correctness of: the views we . have expressed. , ) It may be thought that we have given I an undue prominence to wool as one of , the exports from New Zealand ; and if our > space permitted much might be said respecting other articles, gold for instance. i We find that the quantity exported i during the.financial year 1875-76, was 3 331,917 valued at 3 To this have to be added grain, timber, flax, oil, &c., swelling up the total value of our exports for the financial year ’ 1875-76 to £5,433,600 ; imports within the I same period amounting to £8,373,111.

■I A very full report of Mr. Donald Reid’s ; recent speech to his constituents is given' in the Otago'Daily Times of the fifteenth instant. We much regret that the space at our disposal is not sufficient to permit 1 our reprinting his speech in extenso in ' these columns. It is eminently straight--1 forward and sensible, and whilst quite ■ free from party bias, having no leanings ■ towards the present Ministry, is yet in its i honesty and candor the severest blow the Opposition have received. Mr. Reid I gave a complete account of his conduct ■ during last session, and expressed himself perfectly willing to resign his seat if his constituents were not satisfied after I. hearingthat account; A unanimous vote of : confidence was passed in him, which came, i- it is satisfactory to note, not only from ! those who had been his consistent sup- ■ porters in the past, but from many who 1 had hitherto been opposed to him, A furious onslaught on Mr. Reid has since been made. in ; the Otago Guardian, but has not in the least affected, his position. Of course, the onslaught arose from the fact that Mr. Reid was honest enough to confess that after going as. far as any rightminded and sensible man could with Sir George Grey and his followers last session, he felt compelled at last to abandon them, because the only policy they had to offer' was that of obstruction to the public business, and an utter recklessness of the interests of the country. In ’giving the reasons which compelled him to abandon the leadership of Sir George Grey, Mr. Reid let ' a good deal of light < into dark places, and placed the secret machinations of the Opposition plainly before his hearers, with l the result of showing how utterly selfish and regardless of the public good they were. Mr. Reid defended the Canterbury members from the base aspersion cast upon them by Sir George Grey, and showed that the only disgraceful overtures to purchase their votes came from the Opposition leaders, at the time the question of renewing the pastoral licenses was on the tapis. Said Mr. Reid — I wish to tell you here, in regard to these licenses,,' that the matter came up while the question of abolition was under consideration. ■ When the separation resolutions—as .they were called—came up; but. they were not separation' resolutions at all, they .were, federation resolutions—the party with which I have been acting interrupted business in order to get delay, and when I asked, why there should be delay I was told that this was’made a lever, with which to move votes. 11 scorn such an argument as that. I am glad to say that the Canterbury members, though I differed from them upon many political questions,' were actuated by far higher motives , than that, and they, in their turn, declined to have the licenses extended to them upon such-terms. I have heard so' much and so many statements In regard to these runs that sometimes 1 have really felt vary much put out.W find snch statements brought forward. I put it to one member, who is a prominent member of the Opposition, “ Why.takq this action? Why do you hot deal wlth:this matter upon its merits? You are far ‘more likely to get. upright, honorable,. and: straightforward meh with you.” I .pointed out that people who had nothing to do with politics might be ruined, because I know as a fact that the Loan Com-, panics when they-found action was being taken.in regard to runs which were heavily mortgaged, as some of them were, issued instructions that no renewal was to take the money was to be called up at the beginning of the year. What must the position of those men be?. Not only would.public companies refuse tojrenew the mortgages, but private individuals would be afraid to do so, and the properties would be sacrificed and the holders turned out ruined men. When I put this argument .to that member of the Opposition, he said, "Do .what Samson did. He pulled down the pillars of the temple, and he and his enemies were all smothered together” That Is outside conversation; still it shows the careless and rash, feeling which, actuated members In dealing with this question, ~ . , . . That was a nice expression ; to come from a member of the patriotic Opposition. , To be content to; ruin; themselves so long as they could: involve the rest of the State in a common mini; Mr. Reid admitted that at the last general election the people had fairly answered the question lof abolition against the Opposition ; but whilst’there was hope forgetting any modification of the Government propo-

sals such as would suit the Provincialists, he opposed abolition ; and it was only when Jiis leaders desired to resort to the basest tactics that he was: compelled to leave them. What these tactics were we let Mr. Reid tell himself as follows It was getting well on in the session when Sir George Grey’a .Federation resolutions were disposed or. i was then really ;in hopes that we would get through some work. There were important measures to he passed, and I was desirous of getting to the work of the country. I saw no good to be gained by obstruction or delay. But to ray great surprise and regret, I found that Sir George Grey, as well as some members of his party, were desirous of delaying the business. I could not find out what object was to be gained by it Ido not think lam betraying any confidence in referring to a meeting called about this time by Sir George Grey, or by the member acting for him as whip. Although I recognised that all ties winch bound me to the Opposition as constituted in 1875 under Sir George Grey’s leadership were broken wlien the question of abolition was disposed of, I still thought it my duty to attend the meeting and if possible to work with the party, because he did not know but that something might occur which would enable us to modify the whole policy and to get some modification of abolition. I attended the meeting. Sir George Grey was in the chair, and of course I expected him to explain what action he intended to take. He did .that, and to. my surprise it consisted of this; In the first place he expressed a hope that the party would still keep together, and certainly I thought that would be very desirable if there was anything to keep together for. In the second place, he said he had some questionable land transactions to bring up, amine intended to move for a select committee to enquire into them. In the third place, he desired that we should oppose the Estimates. Now, it would bo a very easy matter to waste time for a whole twelvemonths in opposing the Estimates, but was that a programme to put before a party/ My soul sank within me when I heard ; such proposition. I felt that we were humiliated indeed when that was • the only thingvto keep us together and to work for. I immediately'rose and reminded Sir George and those present that when the party was formed in 1875, the only question we formed upon was to prevent abolition. Although I became a member of the party to prevent abolition, I foresaw that there were many matters/befciyeen the Auckland members and myself we could not be united. As to asuing for a' committee .to inquire into land trausactions, I told-Sir- George Grey that I thought there had been quite.sufficient committees inquiring into these transactions, and that if the statements made in regard to them were true, a Court of Justice was the proper plate to inquire into them. As regarded talking against time, I said it would only .bring ignominy and disgrace upon any party which would take such action as a party, unless for a well-delined and feasible object, and I would never stherwise consent to it. Having made that explanation, I said that perhaps 1 had better retire. Howftver, the party said there was no use in doing that, and that I might remain. A general conversation then took place, and I never went to any more meetings of the Opposition. I told the members of the Opposition that whenever any question came up. affecting the alteration of the Constitution, I would act with them—that I was not a changeable man, and they might always know that my vote would be there on such occasions. Mr Reid in his speech justified his support of the second reading of the Counties Bill, and in doing so made a strong point against Sir George Grey., He showed that whilst that gentleman, an ardent provincialist, declaimed against cumulative voting, it was a fact that, with the exception of Nelson, the Provincial Councils of New*Zealand hadiin their ordinances established the system., As to the deterioration of tone in Parliament, which in many individual instances was plainly perceptible, Mr. Reid remarked: — I regret very much the deterioration of tone that has taken place in our House of Representatives. My highest aim would be to make our Parliament a bright example to be followed by others. But I regret very much to say that latterly some members in the House cannot rise to make a speech without hurling the grossest charges of corruption and jobbery against their opponents. They take advantage of the privileges accorded to members of the House, and accorded I believe in the public interest, so that no man need be afraid of exposing abuses—but accorded, I take leave to think, in the belief that they would be used only as one gentleman should use them towards another, and that when, charges were disproved there would be a retraction. I say that this is a deplorable state of affairs, and instead of attracting high-minded and honorable men to the Legislature, it will have the effect of repelling them. If In addition to the arduous duties of a representative, a man has to run the risk of having his private character ruined by such statementsnas were very common last session, you will not And many suitable men seeking the position of representative. I must express my deep regret that such a state of things should exist. As for the wild phantasy of creating Otago a separate colony, Mr. Reid most effectually disposed of that. He showed that; the future of the country would not be benefited by separating Otago from it, and that from that time Otago’s prosperity would - certainly be doomed. Assuming that the people .of Otago obtained separation, he pointed out that next Oamaru and Southland would demand separation from Otago. “ Where,” he asked “would disintegration end?” We are glad to see that in its most extended view Mr. Reid is against disintegration of the colony; for he said that he would at all times, as far as possible, oppose any proposal for the separation or division of the colony of New Zealand.

SUMMARY OF. IMPORTS OF WOOL, 1874. To Date ending Total Australian Queensland and N.S. Wales. Victoria. Tasmania. South Australia. West Australia. New Zealand. Cape. Bales. Bales. Bales. Bales. Bales. ’ Bales. Bales. Bales. Jan. 30 498,388 97,414 235,797 11,118 83,939 5,111 65,009 73,220 Dec. 31 153,497 37,141 30,486 4,633 4,613 681 75,943 90,640 651,885 134,555 266.283 15,751 88,522 5,792 140,952 163,860 SUMMARY OF IMPORTS OF WOOL, 1875. Jan. 30 550,900 108,213 266,187 13,373 88,006 5,328 79,883 84,981 Dec. 31 149,567 38.914 24,478 4,853 12,943 228 68,151 89,586 ' 700,557 147,127 280,665 .18,226 100,949 5,556 148,034 174,567 ‘ TOTAL IMPORTS OF WOOL TO 30tli SEPTEMBER, 1876. June 30 652,213 136,240 ■ 276,358 14,142 92,180 7,192 126,101 1 82,255 Sept. 30 84,651 27,838' 15,974 5,544 3,445 74 31,776 1 64,377 736,864 .164,078. 292,332 19,686 - 95,025 7,266 157,877 I 130,632