NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5027, 4 May 1877, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH

For transmission by the P.M.C.S. City of Sydney,-from' Auckland, on the Bth May, to Europe, via San Francisco. Since tho publication of our last snm'mary there have been but few striking events to record. Happy, however, it is said, is the country whose annals are vacant; and so far as any very important local occurrences are concerned, the record for the past month is nearly blank.

His Excellency tho Governor, accompanied by Commodore Hoskins (tfhose vessel is now lying in Wellington Harbor), is at present on a visit to the southern portions of the colony. .His reception has been most cordial, notwithstanding that a few of kho roughs of Dunedin, encouraged by one of the newspapers, and abetted, we regret to say, by a member of Parliament, Mr. Robkut Stout, endeavored- to get u.p something of a demonstration against his Excellency. The Governor is now in Southland, but is about leaving for the beautiful sounds on tho West Coast of tho Middle Island. On their 'way back to Wellington the viceregal ; party will call at Christchurch. This annual trip has "been made much later than ordinarily this year, in consequence of the ill-health of the Marchioness of Normanby. We are glad to say, however, that her ladyship's health has much improved of late. The Government is steadily, and all things considered, successfully, administering the new Local Government Acts. At a banquet given, to the Premier, the: Hon. Major Atkinson, at New Plymouth on the 20th instant, that gentleman made a speech, in which he gave an outline of the' ministerial'policy, which we think will be very generally regarded as satisfactory. A very clear and accurate report of the speech was telegraphed by the Press Agency the same evening, and appeared in our issue of,the following morning. ' A full report of the speech will be found in another column. To complete the establishment of local self-government, promote settlement, maintain a good understanding with the native race, provide a general system of primary education, and to push on the construction of the main lines of railway, whilst at the same time reducing as much as possible the expenditme on public works, are objects worthy of a statesman'; and when Major Atkinson tells us that such is the policy which the Ministry intend to pursue, we feel sure that he is in earnest, and believe that'the great body of the people will be prepared-to support him: As to the financial position of the colony, the Premier • said that there was little to add to the statement made last year, except the fact tha* the Customs revenue would not. quite come up to his estimate ; but although the position was one ..of difficulty, the '. Government ' had grappled with it, and so dealt with it, he. thought, as to satisfy Parliament and the country. They had reduced expenditure, and had obtained at their own doors . loans . which would prevent the necessity of their borrowing in the Loudon market ; for at least twelve months, and they had moreover so arranged with the banks that an additional half million would be placed at the disposal of the Government if Parliament approved. This is certainly most encouraging, and is the best answer that can -possibly be given to the croakers amongst us who prophesy impending ruin to the colony. The ministerial speech of Major Atkinson will, we think, tend to increase' the confidence placed by the House in him and his colleagues. It is moderate in tone, sensible and practical, and that its promises will be kept, if Major Atkinson remain in office, none •who know him can doubt. We have heard and read many, post-sessional utterand some of them may have gone more into detail than Major Atkinson's, but taken as a whole ■we regard this as one of "the best that has ever been,brought under oo.r notice, and we are confident thatit.will be generally so regarded. v There, are of course some people who find fault with it, —that' ■will always be the .case with anything that anybody can say or do, —and the fault-finders in this instance say that the speech is meagre 1 . ; We certainly do not regard it in this light. On : the contrary, it appears to us a very able and lucid. exposition of theministerial policy, and calculated to meet with very general approval. There have been two elections during the month-: one for Totara; which was left vacant by the death of 'Mr.: G. H. Tribe; and the other for Auckland City West,. rendered necessary by the resignation 6f r Mr. B. Tones. ' For the former, the' Hon. Mr. Gisborne' was chosen. This gentleman is. a veteran' in. public life iri 3New Zealand, and when iri office has been looked upon, as'a hardworking administrator, but' as a politician he has never particularly distinguished himself; As an undersecretary •or as a ' chief clerk Mr. Gisborne is a capital man, but he is incapable of initiating new schemes or measures. He will give the Government a general support. Auckland City West of course 'has'returned a thorough-going Oppositionist, a gentleman- named: Dr. Wallis." ■.,■'. In a late number of the New Zealand Gazette issued" areturtr is : given of agricultural statistics of the provincial district of Wellington in February, 1877. The return shows the number of holdings to be 2210, made, up as follows.:—Freehold, 1450; rented,' 653 ; 'part freehold and part rented, 198. ' The Rangitikei-Mana- 1 watu districts show up well; in this'list," whilst the number of freeholds in. the. "Wairarapa is nearly double that of any other locality named. In connection with this, however, it may be ' remarked en passant that thejfigures given for Rangitikei, and-conseqttently for tho provincial district, must be considered as liable to a slight alterationpas;it is still doubtful whether- 1 the--ledllector ' for Marton has taken account of the full number of holdr ings. -The" "ditent of■., land throughout the district'-broken up, but: not under crop, is 370f> acres. In wheat, acres sown for grain .only, ' 2126 ;r the estimated' gross produce being 54,386 bushels. In' oats, acres sown for-green food Or hay; 2031 \ ; for grain, 6754£ acres, the ; estimated gross produce of grain being 156,367. .In barley,- th'q number of'acres sown for grain only amount to 263£; estimated gross produce, 6311 bushels. In hay, 5690 J, the estimated gross produce from which is 9030 tons. . The number of acres in grasses, after having been broken lip, including such as in hay, is estimated at 97,431|, and 474,202 J acres of grass sown lands not previously ploughed, including such as in hay. The produce in potatoes is estimated at 8760 tons, from 13282 acres. Finally, in other crops the return shows that there are 674 J acres ; the total number of acres under crop, including • sown grasses, amounting to 884,811£ acres. The increase in tho crop produoe for the year 1877 is shown to be as follows: _ ,':.',■ _3?™- 1877. Increase. TTheat, bushels .. 27,386 64,880 27,000 Barley, „ .. 4841 63U 1970 Potatoes, tons ... 0038 8760 2722

In barley the return shows a decrease for the year 1877 of 10,464 but the increase in other directions is very marked, and is no doubt attributable to the fact, of which we are daily obtaining fresh and convincing proofs, that the Rangitikei and, Manawatu districts are admirably adapted for agriculture. We may also note that the amount of barley grown in the Rangitikei District, as shown by the return before ns, exceeds that produced from any other locality in the provincial, district, the estimated gross produce-beingl 2684 bushels, the Wairarapa.coming next, with 2310 bushels ; and, Wanganui, 1016. Thus it would seem that the return i 3 one upon which we have a right to congratulate ourselves, as indicating no inconsiderable amount of progress in an allimportant industry in every country. A man named Moffat has just been sentenced {at Wanganui to two years' imprisonment, for having made and sold large quantities of powder to the natives in that district. We look upon it as a most fortunate thing that Moffat's career has been stopped as it has been, ,and we have no doubt that the Government will cause a searching investigation to bo made with a view of discovering if there are any others of his kind in the neighborhood from whence he was taken ; or indeed, in any other part of the country. We should not be at all surprised if there are. The manufacture of powder is not a difficult art; there is evidently a : demand for it amongst the Wanganui and Waikato Maoris, and the trade must be profitable. Under such circumstances, there will no doubt be found people sufficiently unscrupulous to enter into it. We cannot think that ■ Moffat is the only man who has been engaged in making and selling gunpowder to the Maoris lately, and probably some of them can make it for I themselves. The matter is certainly worthy of the attention of the authorities. ' For some years there has been profound peace between the two races, and the country has flourished. We don't want to see-any more native disturbances, even on a small scale, and one of the best means of'averting such catastrophes is to prevent as' much as possible the accumulation of warlike stores in their hands. We were glad to hear on Wednesday that the Ohinemuri and Te Aroha natives had settled their little differences, and that "the blockade of the river" had been raised. We should also very much like to see other rival tribes so arrange their disputes that the road from the Waikato to Taupo could be made throughout,-and additional'faci-' lities for settlement in and near the Hot Lakes afforded to those who regard it as being at no distant date one of the favorite resorts of visitors from all parts of the world, and so long .as peace is preserved, things are gradually advancing iri this direction. In Hawke's Bay our dusky friends are, going tolaw with the pakeha instead of 'fighting him, which is j. a much more constitutional proceeding, although we regret to: see them throwing" away their money in this way. It is only towards the King country where there can ' appear even to be: most .apprehensive danger of any outbreak. The hunting out and bringing to justice every .one engaged in supplying ammunition and arins to the natives, is a step in the right direction, and.having, succeeded in capturing Mr. Moffat,' we hope the authorities, aided by every loyal and peaceable colonist, whether European or Maori, will spare no efforts to put a stop to a trade which is calculated .to do a vast'amount of injury, and to stir up hostile feelings where' previously, very likely, none existed. '' .' !