The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-03-13 00:00:00

NEW ZEALAND IN 1886.

Various circumstances, a correspondent If;
have conspired to make the year which has justi
one of special anxiety to the well-wishers °
colony. The low prices of the staple product°
severely tested the staying powers of mauf
holders, and the "cockatoos" have been in cle,
It is really difficult to say who have been duio'
good for themselves. The frozen-meat trade'r,
which so much was expected, has proved a Of
appointment. The wretched prices realised 136 ,
paid for the extra trouble of preparing the c3r,
and numbers of sheepowners are throwing tit
venture overboard. The steamship co mpall
happily doing their best to encourage the pr?ii
to keep up the supply by lowering the 01,
charges, but nothing can save the trade unless 6
figure is reached in the market. It seems 8,1
that such mutton as oars—incomparably the be.,
of England, if not even superior to your mucli4',l
Southdown—should only fetch from 4d. to scl.,ri,
There must be unfair play somewhere. I
advised Mr. Nelson, of the celebrated Hawke',
meat freezing and preserving works, to have de
the leading centres of population in England.
sure that any quantity of such beef and muttcf,
have on my table daily might be sold at hews
least Bd. per lb., and this surely would leave 100
ask for—viz., 3d. per lb. Wheat, I•suppose,
by the board unless we import cheap labour to t
fields. At present prices the more we grow thei;
we get. Dairy farming is rather more prouiol4
the droughts of our neighbours of Victoria 06,
South Wales send them over here for buttn
cheese. I think a number of the excelleuti„
farmers of Glo'ster, Somerset, and Devon roili

paid

•
well here. It is a sad fact that the majority ri
New Zealand farmers do not turn out good 130tf
cheese. Indeed, I am disgusted with the tlo
farming here, and should much like to see wlis
of my old Berkshire and Essex farmer-relativesil
do amid these splendid climatic conditions.
been riding through some half-million acres of ls',l
this North Island which is in the market at abeo
per acre. Surely it were better to be working so
thus cheap than to be paying that sum annuallfori
shape of rent. The business outlook is not Pi d
couraging than the agricultural. The free use
banks is disastrous to all but large capitalists.j
of the most startling disclosures possible woul"s
relation of our shopkeepers generally to the AI
banks. When it is remembered that bank a 671
dation has to be paid for at the rate of fron
per cent. per annum, it will be at once seen 11,
tradesfolk are. Thousands of them are at PO;
lute mercy of the bank managers. I question
the Bank of New Zealand could not shut up Pe;
business establishment of the colony next ve.
chose to do so. Still, with all that is depress,
baveplenty of money to spend on our whims 0(1.'4
More people go the opera and the races Ova
never was more betting going on. Mr. BouicA"
half a dozen other English caterers to our ainos
including the redoubtable G. A. Sala, are gonSo,
with their pockets full of our coin. Nor are ,
extravagant over our religous tastes. At
the other day, I saw a new Baptist Church vi"'
cost about £14,000. At Christchurch I found,j,
dral just built at a cost of £50,000, an" ,
Wellington I find a brand-new Presbyteritale
costing I suppose £lO,OOO or £12,000, and wi
gregationalists have bought a fine site Of,
church. Buildings of the most expensive C';
are rising in all the leading cities, and in maN
vast areas are being reclaimed from the sea,- to
covered with palatial buildings. Sucit,
buoyancy of this wondrous colony. A easua' f
would infer from the pessimist utterances o,f
appointed political veteran like Sir George Or;
we were going at a hand-gallop where the bei,s
horseback is supposed b get landed, . but km
comes, like our late agreeable visitor Mr. ci•
to realise that if we are going to the dogs ,
very fine form, and that we take our pl
ruin very jollily. In.. truth, nothing
or keep down such ti colony ,as this, Ant', t
hope the rumour is well founded whic'ti
our Government with the intention of repeat/

great Public Works policy of the last deco'
far from regarding our public debt as an evil
rejoice to see it doubled—provided only
money was spent on railways and other renie,
works. After spending a couple of months
ing all the chief towns and cities of the Coloef'
reached the conclusion that instead of beieg„
out New Zealand has but commenced he
course. What the older England has bell
northern hemisphere this "England of the,
is destined to be in the southern-La vast iner",
farm, and a centre of, civi'ising influences all?
Not the least significant of the "new depart
the multiplying local industries. •I went ell
one of the half dozen woollen factories of tb,eo
the other day--,the celebrated Mosgiel, near),
Nothing could.look healthier, and the varied I
of these factories as they were display .0
Exhibition here a few months ago, and e!,bo
be displayed in the forthcoming London XIV
speak for themselves. No finer products 0,;i0
was ever seen. Right and left intiustries orAi
are springing up, and there can be no doubt r-,0
the multiplication of these industries will 001:3
era for the agricultural interest. These 10101
means produce consumers, and with a
our very farm gates we shall be independel4l
14,000 miles.off. If I could gain the ear of
pressed, heavily-rented British farmers,S,
advise them to take advantage of the P'doe,
pressed state of agriculture here' to get polkile
the soil. Never probably will land be etledie
it is to-day, and never, thanks to the splelleori,
steamer services, was New Zealand easier r
had almost forgotten the very important elk
taken by Government by way of encoureg
farmer emigration in this direction.
the passage money to the extent of ..E.luiios
will, I fancy, decide many a small capitib
his steps New Zealaudwards.

SATI7III

Film■misno..NEN

ATHE

"41kts 77u
Crint

And all
They ha'
And one
Ettuzztrrow-mr
or village rath
stowed the c(
7damp bedewed
matter-of-fact
the place. Lo
tants can almo
rain it raineth
Not many m
towns and villt
mills and millv
factories that
stream that rut
to the dwellers
that stand am°
Literally "in
melancholy-100
luxuriance.
On an excep
down in strear
triumph from t
smoke from till
stream from th
thing looking
degree, two yot
inn in the plac(
smoking their
tediousness of
The name of
and its crgaky
vivid coloured
bottle; but the
known as " Pu
a very modest
the Lancashire
• " Purrini
to his fathers,
become respect
name stuck as c
Drizzleton igno.
old name.
It was a ram

fortable in its
young men sat
colour. Variou
adorned the w
a portentous bo
smiled down ul
place.

That is to sa,3
. her countenanc
obscured now I
which the hook
which seemed t
the whole room
and the printinl
every line had (
it, sflowing pret
advertised lacki
It set forth that
Theatres Royal
introduce to the
pany, culled frc
shining lights N
and a favourite
Cock and Bottle
arrived yet, hoN
barn-like apartr
state of pristine
The playbill I
two young men,
of it during the
"There's corn
the two. " Otn
bad, and here's
you can't stand
revel in the chal
Bushes," at the
"I've seen CE
Augustus Whiff
laugh. "I'm n,
is sure to come
North! I thinit
Such rain, such
curiosities in ti
"So are we.
Purring Bill tell
we were 'swells
tened his nose a
look, thinking r
of fabulous mon
is an interesting
doubt of that."
"It ought to '
of it comes you
"My dad's, y(
does pretty well
gold mine;but i
pater would cot
"And not btu
Ambleside, and
bright eyes, eh
"Nonsense."
No, it isn't not

and all the rest
"No, you dou
and I have neve
I don't suppose
"Oh tell that
friend of your
better. I wouh
mill yonder that
will be, if not th
But Leonard
patient " Pshaw
though he was s
to get rid of so
The two your
from boyhood.
officer in a caval
younger, Leona
pressionable-100l
owner of the niil
transact some bi
ward. Mr. Ath
indeed, and resh
Grange,' in We.]
maining child oi
father's idol.
Outwardly, M
showing no affei
Clinging woman,
.for her saturnin
chilled to death
her, and her son

, been dead man]
her but a fine pi
rather faint rem
son's mind; and
which had whit(
lines to his face,
closed over her.
A marble tabl
her virtues, and
Shadow down ur
in the pew on S
Atherstone was
her boy's mind.
if it had. Perlin
mother's gentle
might have turn
he did no wrong
and distress.
Bruce Carnal
Flora Bickerstal
The senior Mr.
lady he had foul
looked with mu(
was growing ur
Miss Ifickerst;
daughter to bool
much sought afi
owner to see thr
Leonard had sp(
word of love ha
justice, he had]
was a very nice
Years yet for hit
only just twent3
him.

He was out fc
tour, on which
taken Drizzletn,
papers ti) the in
telegraph to his
necessitated stop
Bottle, and putti
Drizzleton evenh
They were rat
Augustus Whiffi.
What seemed ine
"They don't s
to the landlord, v
•sunamer, it was
shire. "Are thE
Public?"
" Lor', sir, th
• the landlord re'
They'll be here f
Money to pay ti
come on the lug,
being fool enoug
TI
Won't
nt‘
"Will le'll
I am
tvgwoeceu,tol,
elmtr
amihieayi. nvork
"Sure of it.
en
have
"Then
Ogars," said his
that they come."
" Each actor
to the window, a
mortals came up
"They'd have
ance I fancy," B:
about right. Ca