DECRYING NEW ZEALAND.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1834, 29 December 1888, Page 4

DECRYING NEW ZEALAND.

The following appears in the South Australian Advertiser : " TO THE EDITOB. " Sir, —As 019 who has lost the best 20 years of bis life by following that glamour of hope which the poet tells ua distance lends to the view, will yon allow me epuce to warn South Aus'troliane generally not to be too ready to rush away to New Zealaod under the idea that it is a paradise, aod that once there their troubles would be ended. Having lately left that country after neaily 20 years' residence therein I ought to know something of its positiorj, uiid I most unhesitatingly declare that however bad the prospects may be for the near future here, they are infinitely worse there. I would ask intending emigrants thitherwards to consider the following facts:—For many months past the steamers from Auckland to Sydney have been overcrowded with passengers leaving New Zsaland because there was no work, and no prospect of any, and on one occasion receutly over 50 would-be passengers by one of the U.S.S. Company s boats ware refused on account of the overcrowded state of the vessel. Three months ago there were 1500 smpty houses in Auckland and suburbs, while the number that had been ' sold ' out to the fire insurance companies would considerably BWell that number were they still in existence ; and houses'which three years ago were readily let at 25s and 30s per week.are now begging for tenants at 8s and 10s. At the Thumes goldfield a similar state of collapse obtains. A friend received a letter from Auckland last week in which the writer says—'You might almost fire a can Don-ball along Karangahape road during the day without fear of doing any barm.' About two years ago Karangahape road was the busiest thoroughfare outside Queen street. My own letters received fortnightly are full of news as to who has left, and who would leave if they could get away. About four months ago I saw a letter written by a gentleman in Christchurch (formerly of Adelaide) in which the writer gives a deplorable account of tbiogs in general there, and says, ' About 400 per month are clearing out.' In conclusion, sir, every wail in regard to depression, bod crops, &c, in this colony that appears in the Adelaide papers is faithfully reproduced and commented on in the Auckland ones, from whence it is again copied by other New Zealand journals, whose name is legion; while anything that might tend to favor this place is carefully excluded, so that New Zealanders generally are impressed with the idea that South Australia is little better than a veritable desert. My object in writing is not to disparage New Zetland in the least, but to warn those who might he misled by an article in a recent issue, and to advise them to think twice before they sacrifice they present prospects, whatever they may be, breaking up thoir homes and spending their money on a long and werisome voyage, only to reap bitter disappointment at the end thereof. ' 'l'is better far to bear the ills we hare Than fly to others that we know not of.' —I am, etc., " Caution." [The wiiter has forgotten oue thine. He ought to hnve charged Sir Julius Vogel with being the cause of all this.]