THE PRESENT POSITION OF THE COLONY.

Southland Times, Issue 1052, 6 November 1868, Page 3

THE PRESENT POSITION OF THE COLONY.

(From the ' New Zealand Advertiser,' 23rd Oct.) At this moment, to those who are acquainted with the affairs of New Zealand, nearly everything connected with this Colony appeal* to be in an unsettled state. The Q-eneral Assembly has closed its doors and delegated to the future the settlement of the great political questions in dispute between tbe two dominant parties which constitute the " House." The native question remains to be settled by the extinction of the native race as a power in these islands. Even nature itself, as represented by the weather, is singularly eccentric and opposed to quietude in the waters and the winds. The solid land refuses to be quiet, if we may judge from its recent activity here, and its still more lively energy at Nelson. The Canterbury Pilgrims don't grumble quietly at the utter stagnation of business they complain o£ The canny Scotchmen " down South," in the great city of Duriedin, are very restless about the prostration of business there ; and, as for unruly Auckland, they are not satisfied, and never will be, until they become the head-quarters of and possess all the troops — Missionary establishments — goldfields — Panama Companies — Banks — all steam and coal joint stock institutions in the country, and also the seat of Government, and the lion's share of all the public and private pickings in the Colony. The Panama Company, too, has lost, but for a time, we hope, its financial equilibrum, and the Wellington Steam Navigation]) Company is out of joint. Add to this that Provincial Governments are going to the dogs, and we think that some men will admit that things in general have come to a pretty pass. " Croakers" will say, " "What ia become of us ? private and public financial embarrassment and ruin stares us in the face on all sides." These doleful ditties of men who have made fortunes, and a few who have lost money, are the wailings of men without the good sense, spirit, and energy of Englishmen. " "What is to becoms of us" ? — a quarter of a million of English, Irish, and Scotch — men in possession of a country estimated to contain sixty-eight millions of acres of land, yielding gold, wool, and wheat in abundance. Is not this evidence that we are embarrassed with our riches ? The people of this Colony, as a rule, have been, during the last few years, fast in living, fast in trade, and fast in speculation. The true resources of an English community are agriculture, manufacturers, and trade. The latter springs from and is maintained by the two former. We have always considered that agriculture could be well and successfully practiced by the small freeholder, who had a little capital and sturdylabor to bestow on the cultivation of his land in this Colony. This class, and the laboring class, complain of bad times and j scarcity of money. They need not be ao short of cash if they grew their own wheat. They might make money if they grew tobacco for sheepwash, instead of importing at Is to Is 3d per lb. It will be said that wheat-growing will not pay. The secret is our farmers know that it requires care and toil to grow wheat, and on some land the yield is only from 10 to 20 bushels per acre ; but this is better than nothing. They will admit that it is easier and more profitable to produce butter and wool, but this argument only held good in the days of high prices for 'pastoral produce.' These days of high prices, we fear, have passed away. Stern necessity »ow stares tib in

the face, and bids ua produce — if wo can do so with a moderate amount of success —what we now import and pay nard £s&h for. If all be true of what we have heard of the" fertility of the lands about Wanganui and" itf Bangitikei, Manawatu and the Wairapara, we' may fairly expect that they should grow enoufgb of wheat or sheepwash tobacco for their ctwti eon--sumption. As regards manufactures, when population congregates itself in towns, facilities — in the shape of labor — present themselves. It may be now said that it is time for this colony to set about I establishing domestic manufactures, of its own,' in eases where it produces the raw materTaisltfettesaaryJforsuch purposes. In 1866 the value of candles imported into this Colony amounted- to' tbe large sum of £80,000, or thereabouts 1 . Why should we not make our own candles? The same may be said of spirits, tweeds, woolpaeks, furniture, and all coarse woollen goods. "We shall have importers object to this. They live by it, but the country would prosper through it. The main source of a country's greatness, revenue and prosperity results from, and is in proportion to its extent and population. In an old and densly peopled country, with mines of coal and iron, we should be free traders, In a new country' we are not supporters of a protective system, but we don't object to give ' encouragement to native industry.'