THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1878

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 1001, 21 November 1878, Page 2

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1878

Facts and Figures are indisputable argurueuts, and the tables whicli we publish to-day bring still further important evidence to prove that, if (as the ' Scotsman ' says) New Zealand is " magnificent m the way of "debt' — -if she has entered largely on publio works, and the expenditure consequent upon theni,-— she has at the same time progressed iv equal. '.ratio m solid settlement. The, tables which we publish elsewhere are full of interest and suggestion. With the new system of classifying returns — under the head of " Counties," iusfcead of "Electoral " Districts " as heretofore —we have no opportunity v of comparin_r the increase of this year as against thab of the previous one m the case of particular districts, but must be content with the comparison of the advance of any one Provincial district, or of the colony as a whole. And m this, the colonists of New Zealand have every reasou to be proud. The rapid stride which the; colony is making, promises, ' before another lustre, to place her inthe front rank of the Australian colonies as a producer. In the Auckland Provincial district, for instance, the advance m occupied holdiugs is from 4,002 to 5,565. The acreage under wheat has increased from 2 ; 334£ to -4,540; of oats,for grain, from 3,505£ to 5,198 ; of barley, from 252 J, there has been a decrease to 185 ; of potatoes, au increase- frira 3,351 acres to 4,580. The returns from other Provincial districts are equally satisfactory. A new feature m the years returns, is that of foresjb. tree planting — over thirteen thousand acres having been planted iv the colony : a return, probably, m a great measure, owing to the encouragement afforded by the legislature m the bonus of land offered for every acre so planted.

It ia, however, to the increase which has taken place m the cultivated lands, and stock m the colony, during the period concurrent with increasing debt and expenditure, that we more 'especially wish to refer—, to go back to 1869, before the colony had entered on its career of public works and immigration. Its population then was 226,618; it is how 4U,1 71. Then, the number of hold ings was 11,932; the number now is 20,205. In 1860, there were under wheat 64,517 acres ; m the return just published— 226,354 acres. Oats have increased from 85,056 acres to 204,254 acres. Barley does not seem to be a favorite crop m New Zealand, and the inorease since 1869 hat only been from 15,427 acres fco 21,795 acres, but the potato crop has almost doubled — having risen from 11,557 acres m 1869 to 18,875 acres this year. If we look again to our permanent grass land, ifc is there, however, we shall find the most remarkable advance In' 1809, there weie only 783,435 acres sown m grass — to-day the pastoral estate of the colonists has grown to 3,523,277 acres. With such . an acreage of sown grasses we may rial u rally expect to find a laigo increase m the various descriptions of stock. In JSTew Zealand we have a fertile climate, fertile of animal as of vegetable life, and we are free from the continually recurring droughts which m other colonies decimate flocks and herds, and materially check their natural increase. Our readers will, therefore, be the less surprised to learn that we have not only outstripped the older colonies of Victoria and South Australia m acreage broken up and under crop, inoluding English grasses, but have likewise gone beyond them m the increase of our sheep. Last year Victoria maintained 10,111,267 sheep, and S^oufch Australia 0,098,350. The sheep return for New Zealand, this year, numbers 13,009,338. Enough, we think, is shown from the comparisons above made, to put on record the tact that the colony during the present, decade, while ifc has largely increased its liabilities, has still more largely ii.weased its powers of enduring them ; and that the expenditure of vast sums on public works and the iufroducfciou of immigrants— the chief element, indeed, iv the scheme of 1870, has succeeded m planting a largely in-* creased population on the lands of fche colony, which m eno-aire.'! m fche rapid development of ifc-i vast natural resources.

'Jj[K Oif.v of New York arrived iv the Waiternatii, nn Tuesday aftev-i.io-in, from Sa i Franc sco, en >otte tof Syduey, having on board the

Australian cricket team, returning' home from thir visit to Europe and Ajjagrica. The people ef Auckland ipfd^he easel yes honor m accordiug a truly English welcome to their fellow who have so nobly upheld j-tihe credit of colonial youth, and : ;^pwri%hat sous of old England, though they may change the sky undei' which they dwell, preserve the niauliness, the skill, the physical endurance and the mental pluck that have characterised their race for ages, and made it alike feared, loved and respected throughout all parts of the globe. And really, when we come to review their progress through England and I Scotland, Australasia may be well proud ot her sons. Of thirty-nine matches played iv Great Britain, eleven were drawn games, and of the balauce the Australian team won 17. No.wpndur, when Ihe fatigue of travelling from place to place is taken into account, thab the members of the team were more or less physically exhausted with downright hard work, so muoh so that atone match, it is stated, one of them fell asleep on the ground while standing bat iv hand, ready to take the next turn at the wicket. The Australian team were entertained on Tuesday evening at the Auckland Club, and yesterday left by the mail steamer for Sydney, where they are to play 15 of Sydney on the 29th 30bh inst,, and 2nd proximo.