Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-05-31
Description of New Zealand.
BY REV. JOHN FRASER.

THE THREE IsLANDS-TRADITION-
| COzERY-COLONIEs -CITIES-CLIMATE
AND OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
| PRISE-HOSPITALITY.
line ingenious and truthful author of
'KnickerbOcker's History of New York"
| introduces that standard authority by ex-
/ pressing his regret that Noah hadn't four
sons to settle the four quarters of the globe
as it would have saved antiquarians a
world of trouble in settling disputed points
But the patriarch would have needed
| fifth for Australia. If this is the Europe
of the Southern Hemisphere, (being about
land is the "Albion." Unlike "the fast
anchored isle" it is subject to earthquakes,
especially about Wellington, the present
capital; but the inhabitants accustomed to
| them regard them as mo great shakes"
The islands evidently are of of volcanic
origin, and the natives have tradition
that one of their gods fished them up out
of the sea.
Its name indicates the European people
who first visited it, The Dutch were then
the common carriers and colonizers in this.
quarter of the globe. Tasman, who gave
| his name to Van Dieman's land, discovered
Australia and the adjacent islands. Just
a century ago it was visited by Capt Cook,
who formally took possession of all these
lands and islands in behalf of the kingdom
of Great Britain. 1t is but a short century
since the Anglo Saxon race entered on that
full career of empire in America, India,
Africa and Australia, which has already
made such wonderful progress. Providence
is through their commerce and colonies
revolutionizing continents. Cook was a
true representative of the old Mortimer
sea kings. His name is fit to go down to
posterity with those Of Wolfe and Give.
New Zealand consists of three islands
Thesouthern, called Southland small and
cold, is valuable chiefly for its lumber
The middle island embracing Otago, Can
terbury, HOkitiki and Nelson Districts, is
chiefly noted since the gold discoveries,
though also valuable for agricultural and
pastoral purposes. The northern island
which Is the seat of the native war, has a
genial climate and fertile soil. The whole
stretches from northeast to southeast 500
miles and 100 or $50 in breadth. 1t is
from 81 to AZ degrees southern latitude,
and from l61 to l79 east longitude. There
are lofty mountain ranges; Mt. Egmont
being 1000 feet high. There are prairies,
as at Oamarn and Canterbury, where they
use the steam pillow. Its valleys are deep
ravines, its rivers mountain torrents and
It's woods impossible thickets, which has
done so much to Drotract the war.
In the extreme North is the Bay of Is
lands, the early capital, still the resort of
} whaling ships and which has the finest
: climate in the world. Auckland, further
south, was recently the seat of government.
1t is a city Of -, 600 inhabitants. Wei
lington on Cook strait the present capt.
tai, has 5000 or 10000 inhabitants The
buildings are one story and of wood be-
cause of the earthquakes. Nelson, a sleepy
hollow sort of town, boasts 4 saiubriOu@
climate and fine schools. Canterbury was
a church of England colony Its port is
Littleton. Gold was lately discovered at
HOkitiki on the west coast, when a popu-
t lation of 10000 focked in. They have no
good harbor, and are destitute of fuel. the
country around being bare of trees They
) have Governor and common legislature
as well as local legislatures, and superin-
tendentS, much as in Canada. This double
: system Of government tends to multiply
, offices and increases the burdens of the
people
Tabular statements supplied by the Brit
ish army statistics, would show the climate
of the northern island to be the most fay.
orable in the world for persons of a con
sumptlye habit, supassing even the Cape
of Good Hope From a popularity o.
: soil and climate it also yields a larger re
- turn of wheat than the best wheat growing
countries. 1t has besides the finest fruit.
D of the tropics as well as temperate zone
Induced by such considerations as these
had intended making it my home, but wa.
f hindered by the Maorie war, which brok,
out afresh lust before | reached the Islands
: The weather in Otago | found harsh, rough
Y and changeable. At times the four sea
sons seemed to come within the compass o
4 twenty-four hours. And generally til,
seasons were so badly mixed there was n,
telling when to look for summer or winter
Il The wind often blew with such fury tina
n the place seemed given up to the prime
Of the power Of the air Then there Wer
0 Scotch mists, against which the CaLed6ni
ans fortified themselves with their "mOun
tain dew \ temperance man like M
i would have preferred a more temperate
2 climate ! told them that | liked wei
enough their bringing their scenery alonj
!, with them, but | thought they might hav
6 left their climate behind. They liked thei
weather, they said As well as their minis
tiers, and would settle me for life, and hav
e me live and die with them | coul
n only reply that As to the latter, we NIGH
: be likely to die with them any day if
If would do any good. but | thought it bet
n ter to try and live somewhere else.
o Yet | was reluctant to leave such goo
h society as we enjoyed in New Zealand
% has not been my lot to meet with an
q more quickening or cultivating elsewhere
1t was composed mainly Of young men
n and the older inhabitants were sea captain,
v farmers, traders, and professional mer
! many who were poor, had moved in goo
\ society at home They had been all owe
h the world. They knew much of life. The
n read the newest books and daily paper
~ and didn't allow the mind to stagnate.-
- They were eminently social. There was
= reading room, every public measure Wa
,s discussed at a breakfast or tea meetin.
+ The frequent holidays we spent at picnic,
10 Never since | left the seminary have | ha
~ such exhaustive theological discussions
A. with mill owner there. And for all tn
i latest works, both bearing on Christianit,
y and for the fullest treatment of the whoI
10 subject, | had only to visit captain VIII
a. belonged to my congregation.
II To show their enterprise a few facts wi
10 suffice. As there were two or three churcl
or es at the Port on my going there, and onl
=, two or three COngregatiOnalist families
had no idea nor had other ministers tn;
there was room for another church. Bl
after preaching two Sundays was informt
W that five gentlemen had subscribed qua
rantee fund of $1,000 and that | migl
IT. feel easy about pecuniary matters. The
20 also rented the best hall in the place. I
the congregation increased a neat meetir
s. house was built and nearly paid for. Tho
"A who gave had also a mind to work III
~ young men constituted themselves a con
to mittee to take care of the church and ril
the bell in turns A parsonage, or mans
p as they call it, was needed, so one your
IF merchant advanced the money to purcha
building material whilst some half dozc
~ mechanics did the work by laboring chez
H. fully without pay after their days work
Is it any wonder that in little over a We
W there were a church of nearly forty mer
bers, a good congregation and Sundi
School, a parsonage and meeting hous
w and that when | was obliged to leave thu
en- got another minister and were not a sing
day without preaching? Yet people he
eS will speak of them as heather And allc
ay that | speak English pretty well for +
- turned missionary
lp- Like St. Paul | was cast on certa
tn. island and the barbarous people show,
me no little kindness" | am tempted
nd transcribe from my adventures and expe
ar fences some curious instances of their be
" pitality. As one good man spoke of q e
We Pertaining angels unawares, [ was fore
rk to reply, No, mo- my dear sir, am
angel l assure you. You will not get
rv- by mere show of entertainment. | ha
too good an appetite to live on smoke al
make-believe. But you will at any "a
have the merit of feeding the hungry al
ra1 iav;po, actual Aasb o,5 I,looJ - T IL: