EFFECT OF THE WAR IN AUCKLAND.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 406, 13 September 1861, Page 3

EFFECT OF THE WAR IN AUCKLAND.

It has been hastily alleged that New Zealand, and Auckland in especial, has little cause to regret the war, because of the financial benefits accruing fromanenhancedCommissariat expenditure. They that entertain such an opinion have but casually considered the question. Let us sift it, and see how the case really stands :—Few, we opine, will be found to say that the actual condition and immediate prospects of this province are anything like in the flourishing state in which they were on the unlucky 28th of February, 1860, when the 65th regiment embarked for New Plymouth. At that date, population—capital and labor—was setting in upon these shores like a spring tide flood, immigrants to acquire and convert the wastes arriving at the rate of from 300 to 400 souls a months: At that date the Commissariat expenditure was but for a garrison of 400 men, which, as the war proceeded, was speedily reduced to some fifty or sixty regulars, and then only restored to something like strength upon the arrival of the 14th regiment towards the close of November.

£ ro"? February, 1860, until April, 1861, the bulk of Commissariat expenditure was at Taranaki, not at Auckland; but in either province, the war having obstructed the cultivations of both natives and settlers, and bread-stuffs and other supplies requiring to be imported from abroad, the kernel of Commissariat expenditure has gono to enrich the settlers of New South Wales rather than the struggling colonists of New Zealand,—as witness the importation from thence of horses for the artillery and land transport corps, of maize and oats

to feed them, of wheat and flour from Adelaide and San Francisco, of coals for the war steamers and fuel for, the troops at Taranaki, and of numerous other items it would be a wnste of time to enumerate. From this it must be plain that the modicum of Commissariat expenditure derivable to New Zealand is chiefly that which is acquired by publicans, and retailers of soldiers' necessaries. Can that, then, for one moment be set against the heavy los 3 that Auckland has sustained by the stoppage of an immigration which was populating and reclaiming her soil, adding rapidly to her agricultural, pastoral, and maritime wealth? Besides, it is only within the last four or five months that anything like a body of troops has been concentrated near Auckland ; these at the utmost, do not exceed four thousand men, and for these and other military and naval protection and the contingent charges of the war the colony is being called on to contribute its shave. Under such circumstances, what man of reflection will venture to assert that our financial position has been improved by an enhanced Commissariat expenditure ? Even the unshared profit accruing from furnishing the centre supplies of 4000 soldiers would be but poorely compensated by the extinction of an immigration which was annually bringing us fully as many, or more, colonists, with skill aud enterprise to promote our prosperity and develop our resources, and who were introducing capital to the extent of many hundred thousands a year. To us, it is clear, that the soundness of our financial position rests upon a much more substantial basis'than an increased Commissariat expenditure of which we much question if we derive onetenth.

Governor Browne.—A farewell' dinner was given to the Governor.by the Hibernian Benevolent Society. The meeting was one of the most pleasing kind, and the Governor in a feeling speech, said that he 'felt proud as an Irishman, to have stood in. the position as patron of the society.' A farewell concert was likewise given at the Odd Fellows' Hall to his Excellency and Mrs. Gore Browne. The Governor has presented the Auckland Volunteers with a handsome silver claret jug in memory of their zealous service in the public cause.

Governor Grey.—Auckland has followed the example of Wellington, by an address of congratulation and welcome to the new Governor.

Auckland Mail Steamer.—We are happy to say that steam communication direct between Auckland and Sydney is to be forthwith resumed, and that, this month, the new contract which has been entered into with the Intercolonial Steam Company, will re-commence. The arrangements for this service were concluded upon terms which, we trust, will be found conducive to the interests of this community.

New Settlement.—We learn that the project of forming a special settlement on a large scale in this province, which has been for some months past in process of maturation in England, may now be regarded as having taken a definite form: The Secretary and Manager to ' the contemplated colony of non-conformists in New Zealand' has long been in correspondence with the Provincial Government, and it was announced, we understand in the last advices, that the agent for the new settlement was about to set out for Auckland to select the site and to make the necessary provision for the reception and location of the immigrant party. About two hundred families, numbering one thousand souls, will form the first swarm. A ' council of reference, 1 comprising names of clergymen and and others of high respectability, has been appointed in London, and we observe that our old friend and fellow colonist, Mr. Joseph Newman, is named as ' Corresponding member of the council in New Zealand.' The elements of success— capital and labor—will be combined in this scheme, and it needs only a suitable site for the new settlement to ensure its progress. In finding such a site we believe there will be no difficulty.

Ida Zieglab.—The clipper ship Ida Z iegler, Captain Reynolds, arrived in port on August 21at. Though not altogether realising her (antecedents,' she has nevertheless, accomplished an excellent passage of 90 days from the Lands End to the Three Kings. The Ida Ziegler is a ship built at Bremen upon the Aberdeen principle, and from a design furnished by an eminent builder of the Scottish City. She is 204 feet in length, with 34 feet beam, and measures 860 tons register. There! were neither births nor deaths. She has come into port in very clean and creditable condition, and her passengers seem to have been so well satisfied with ship and ship-master that they have bestowed a weighed testimonial of their approbation.