MAJOR DANE ON NEW ZEALAND.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2526, 18 September 1888, Page 2

MAJOR DANE ON NEW ZEALAND.

Major Dane gave a lecture at tho Y.M.C.A. Hall, Sydney, on "New Zealand, the Wonderland of Oceania." There was a large attendance. The lecturer first presented a picture of the country, as seen by him in a year's journeying from tho North Cape to Southland, and from coast to coast. He saw at once that 110 was entering a scene of great beauty. In all his journeyings he had never been more amazed. Some of the people delighted to call Auckland tho Naples of New Zealand. It had no resemblance to Naples, but there was a striking resemblance to Cnrinth. He extended his journey carefully and slowly, and examined everything for himself. New Zealand was unique in everything —in soil and in climate. Tho great evil was that the people did not know what they had ; they hardly knew what riches there were to develop. To sail up some of the rivers in the north portion, one could almost think one was sailing 011 Italian lakes. There was at least 100 "foreign ports " in New Zealand, but they would ultimately have only one. and that would bo Auckland. Australia would have one, and that would bo Sydney. Commerce only knew one thing—its own advantage—and you could not turn it away. (Applause.) They had tried to do this in his own country and had spent millions in doing it, but had always failed. To Sydney and to Auckland, as the natural ports, the shipping of fifty years would come. They heard that New Zealand was ruined; b»t ho had seen his own country ruined three times—abso lutely wiped out. Yet they were in a fairly healthy condition to-day. New Zealand ruined—they might as well tell him that the sun was ruined because .1 cloud was across his face, (Applauso.) AH she had to do was to develop a country that would carry 15 millions of people. With her climate, her soil, her mines, how could she be ruined ? Why, one cauld can as much fruit as California, and tho world's market was waiting for it. But it was said that she had not got the manufactories that America had. Neither had America in his boyhood ; but it was not manufactories that made the country what it was, but the agriculture behind it. Everything was in New Zealand to please the eye, and charm the soul, and all that the land was crying for was men aud women lu corny and it.