EARLY RECORDS OF NEW ZEALAND.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2683, 21 September 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

EARLY RECORDS OF NEW ZEALAND.

• ♦ . At a time, when the northern colonists are thinking of celebrating their national JubiIte, it is interesting to look back upon the questions which agitated the minds of tho first generation of settlers, and to compare the position of the infant colony with that to which it has attained after fifty years of trials and struggles. It will be fouud that the difficulties of that time, though, in comparison with our own, insignificant, were of a parallel kind. There was already a vigorous public opinion, the Government wero attacked then, as now, for errors of policy in regard to tho administration of the land and settlement ; there was a national debt thought to be very grievous, and tho incapacity of Ministers was the subject of severe criticism. The early Press, represented by the New Zealand Herald and Auckland Gazette Dubli-ibod in Auckland, and by the Bay of Islands Observer published at Kororareka, the first seat of Government, were decisive and radical in tone, the parent of tho extensive and Liberal journalism which is a distinguished feature of the New Zealand of to-day. Many of the opinions expressed by our pioneers and the intelligence found iu tho pages of the old papers read like the history of a distant ago and not of one yet within the memory of many a man still comparatively young, and go to show how rapid are the strides of civilisation and modern progress. There is much food for reflection in these old records of a young nation first introduced to the light of day and then inarching on, step by step, side by side with other leading nations of the world, and forming an important integral part of the mightiest of Empires. We take a few extracts from an old file of newspapers, kindly placed at our disposal by Mr W. A. Graham, of Hamilton, himself a New Zealand-born colouist. The first is from a leading article in tho New Zealand Herald of 31st July, 18-il, commenting on a speech given by Sir George Gipps, Governor of New S luth Wales, on tho meeting of the Legislative Council at Sydney, which was considered a most important ono, "on account of its announcing the islands of Now Zealand, as a separate Government, and for the remarks it contains in the state of the pecuniary aud commercial affairs iii New South Wales, tit tho close of the last year, and which still coutinues to depress and paralyse every undertaktug in that colony." It refers to tho "excessiveimportations of English tnnnufactures on speculation, and the consequent sale of them on undue extension of credit and, a rapid influx of capital into the colony, which may have hsid a tendency to eneourago hazardous speculation, and the employment of money, in investments not yielding any immediate return."

Most people who read that statement will say that fifty years of experience has taiiiibt us little wisdom, for that has been amongst many of the evils produced by tho last fifteen years of borrowed money in Now Zealand.

"We would ask if tho recent and present state of New South Wales is, not mainly if not solely, attributable to that baneful system, so long pursued, of land-jobbing? We would suggest two causes for the four of Sib Gkokgk Grrrs : —

"First. —An excessive sale, and high price of land in 183S and 1800, by government, unci cm-sequent drain of specie from the colonv.

Re-silcs of land at extravagant prices, on bills of long date, with great interest to persons without capital, and who purchased solely for speculation " These aro tho real causes—So long as the system of fictitious value for land, and false credit could be kept in operation, tho impending evil, and its ruinous cou-quence.-i, wero delayed, but delay only increased the future mischief, and now that the crisis has arrived, it will require time and very great discretion, on the part of the cokmists to restore their affairs to a found and wholesome state."

How truly do tho above words, written nearly half a century ago, apply to the present position of New Zealaud, Auckland people especially can say ? Of a truth, history merely repeats itself.

The following sound < 0 intel was given by our early predecessor, svith what effect, tho present generation knows only to well. The writor must have had in his mind views akin to those recently promulated by Henry George ; there is a vein of land nationalisation in the following passages.

" We would urge, therefore, upon tho early settlers in this colony, to profit by these disastrous events, and not to be led away to give extravagant prices for land —prices which cool reflection and sound calculation will prove to be merely absolute sinking and sacrifices of oapitiil. We assert that it will be far better for th e settler, as well as for the future prosperity of the colony at largo, that land, both in the towns and country, should be sold at moderate prices.

"It is very problematical whether the extraordinary high price of tho late town allotments will not militate agaiust, tho rapid progress and ultimate prosperity of the colony. It may be that the coffers of the Colonial Treasury are deeply replenished, but it is equally true that tho majority of the present population of

Anckland, arc proportionately impoverished by such a large drain and abstraction of their active capital.

" Lot the government receive fair, but not immoderate compensation for their right in tho soil, so that iu the towns, the necessaries, aud ordinary comforts of life arc not daily taxed to pay for high rents, occasioned by the enormous sum paid to fhe government, and iu the country, so that the agriculturist and the farmer may expend their capital in cultivating the land, and bringing it into abundant and cheap production."

There is genuine statesmanship and foresight in the succeeding sentences. Is not the same doctrine still being preached by the press and earnest well-wishers of the colony ? It is the true policy for the colony, and the government, in systematically ignoring such first principles, are travelling from the safe road that lends to national prosperity and honor. The warning given of old was nnheaded, and we have felt the blighting curse of speculative robbery and monopoly to the fullest extent.

"In the present state of the colony, it is tho bounden dutv, ns well us the most obvious policy, of the government to induce direct emigration by every possible means. But the present system of small sales of land, is inadequate to the real pressing , wants of tho settlers already arrived, and with long intervals between them, is tho most certain obstacle that could be devised to deter settlers either from tho neighbouring colonies, or from England, from coming to this colony.

"The government by not offering sufficiont land for sale, and by allowing a long interval to elapse between the sales, becomes an auxiliary to (ho schemes of jobbers and monopolists, a class of men, who until of late years were unknown in the colonies—men who go from ono new settlement to another, as they aro formed, with the avowed purpose of monopolizing and jobbing , , and enriching themselves at tho expense of the permanent and industrious settler. It is to the schemes and operations of such men, that much of the lato mischief in New South Wales, is to bo attributed.

"To counteract such designs in this colony, lot tho Government therefore be watchful and bo prompt to moot, or rather anticipate, the wants of new settlers for land of every description. They will thus prevent active capital from

being abstracted colony by jobbers and monopolists—they will insure immediate and numerous emigration, and they will preserve both the agricultural and commercial interests in a wholesome, sound, and prosperous manner."