NEW ZEALAND OF TO DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 17 August 1907, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND OF TO DAY.

There appears in World's Work for July an interesting article on "Xew Zealand of To-day," from the pen of llr K. Way Klkingtan, i.B. ' The author is a VMilLondoner, who studied for thi> medical profession, lmt instead of following Ihat calling he went on the Stock K\ehange for a time. (Jetting tired of lugs and figures, lie bailed f.-.r New Zealand in 1S!!1, and tried gold and gum-digging, cuttle-driving, and journalism. 110 left this colony in !,Si>7 to l;il<c uji a position on a Sail Francisco newspaper, and a year later travelled | across America; then returned to London, wltere lie litis contiuued journalistic j work. ile is the author of rj.eral j 1 looks, including "Adrift in New Zeai land" and "The South Seas." .Mr El- , .kingtou's latest contribution to the Press ~ is of a highly complimentary character j as tar as this colony is concerned, and in that respect must be looked upon as i a good and cheap advertisement. In j the second paragraph of the article the I writer points out that; before reign of "Jung Dick" New Zealand was thought to be a place a long way off," where laboring men had a good time of earthquakes usually shook up the rest of the inhabitants, "but beyond I these two facts hardly anyone took the ['lace or people seriously; in fact, many only remembered it 011 account of the tussle our Imperial -forcer experienced in trying to subdue the .Maoris." Continuing, Air Elkington says: "JJut though little was heard of the country alter the Maori war, it was going slowly ahead and keeping very ijiiiei. till one day it wakened to the knowledge that the Mother Country did not consider it of much account. For years it struggled along through desperately hard times, knowing full well 11ml. the time would come when it would not only be recognised as a power, but as a school of .modern thought, and with this ideal before it, it went 011 and on, never losing sight of its goal, and to-day it cau safely be aid that. Sew Zealand is both; and it will be surprising to sonic to liiul that commercially and politically New Zealand is miles ahead of many of our other colonies." '! l;s» writer 1 '.><■ : proeiv.!- ....-r a veiy general niisinipvcssion that exists about tlic respective merits and progress of Australasia and Canada, lie remarks tliao many people a'e under the impression that L'anad he world's granary, that Canada as u outter manufactory beats the world, that Canada's banks have the most enormous reserves, and that the productiveness per head of Canada is greater that that of any other country. In disproof of such ideas, Mr i'ilkington quotes a number of statistics. In 1004 the export of wheat from Australasia was 23,340,000 bushels, whereas from Canada it was only 10,770,028 bushels. In IUOG Australasia's export of butter to Great Britain was 51,313,0001b5, whilst Canada only exported 33,301,000 lbs, and the United States only 0,075,000 lbs. The deposits in the Australasian banks amount to £130,752,000, against Canada's £110,921,000. Taking the exports in bulk of the two countries it

will be seen that Australasia's exports amounted to .€11,000,000 more than Canada's in 1904.. "We Englishmen, too, in our tight little island," says the writer, "hug the idea that in our couutly the producing power per head is greater than most countries, but figures again upset those ideas: for Australasia leads the world." Productiveness ; per head. •£ s d Australasia 23 0 0 Canada l(i 0 0 United States .... ... .... ~A la 0 U Great Britain .... « 718 G

Everyone knows that wool is the staple industry of Australasia, but few realise .its enormous production of that commodity, or that in the year 1904 she not oniy beat Canada, but the United States and Canada put together, by 151),OOO.OOOIbs, and towards this total New Zealand supplied 134,047,3761b5. From these figures, which anyone can verify, it will be seen that Australasia is nearer being the world's producer than any other country; and when it is further remembered that the lirst steamer and iirst batch of emigrants only arrived in .Sew Zealand in 1840, its rate of advance is almost incredible." The writer next proceeds to give an idea as to the probability of success for an industrious man in this colony, with a view to answering the question of hundreds and thousands Li the Old Country, "Where shall we emigrate?" To Mr lilkiugton the greatest claims of New Zealand are its glorious climate and its wonderful scenery, conditions which are favorable to one's peace of mind and to good work. Ilei'ercnce is made to the current rates of wages, hours of labor, prices of food, statistics of population and stock, j sportsmen's attraction, and industries, |particular emphasis being laid on gum production, timber, ilax, fruit and farm produce. •

In concluding a very laudatory article which, by the way, is profusely illustrated, Sir Jilkington says:—"Though It is said that New Zealand is the 'Work-ing-man's X'aradiso,' which undoubtedly it is, it could not be so if it were- not fur the capitalists, and though the Government is practically a Socialistic one, it recognises this fact and does not. as many Mippos;:, object to capitalists arriving. It does, however, tax them heavily, but all the conditions of the 'country are in tlieir favor; all that J«ew Zealand needs to guard against is xweati'.ig ..ltd l:'..sts. U aim !:::, iiua lor general prosperity, and not* individual luxury; and in this it has succeeded. Its progress, though not slow, has been dead sure. With its present Premier, Sir Joseph Waul, K.C.iiG., at the helm the country saould sail merrily