SIGNS OF PROGRESS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 337, 26 January 1889, Page 3

SIGNS OF PROGRESS.

Captain Ashby expressed pleasure afc being invited to attend a meeting of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. Afc Ihe same time, he was noi aware until he lead the advertisement in the paper* Lhul he would be expected to make any lcmarks. Before doing so he should like to mention that he was a member of the London Chamber of Commerce, and to state that as he was travelling privately be did not \\ ish to be mixed up with the London Chainbor ot Commerce in what he should say. He arrived in Auckland on the 9th, and was* much struck at seeing the long lank faces of the habitues of the wharf. They were no recommendation to the city, but then he had bince found thab these were the faces of men who lived on the wharf and did nothing, and weie no erood either here or in any other country. To see that there had been px ogress dm ing the last seven years that he had been away, he had only to look at the noblo buildings and stations. In his opinion it could not have been a time of depression, but of prosperity. It was a good deal their own fault that the colony had a bad name. He got 50 colonial papersand they were hung upinliis office for the people to consult who wore thinking of emigrating. Well, some of the articles and letters in those papers were enough to make anybody cry down the country. The statement at fii st might not be very large, but like the snowball it grew as it was kicked about, and it got pretty big before the Home^papers had dpne with it.