The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-05-01
Interesting Facts About New Zealand.

THE following is report of talk
with Mr.. G. w. Griffin, United States
Consul to New Zealand:
New Zealand is a great borrowing
country. They have a National debt
of about S175, 900, 900 and have recently
effected from London bankers loan Of
Is, 100000. The tax is very heavy; &C.
cording to recent estimate it is about
$50 per head.
The natives have King of their own,
and reside in what is called the Kings
Country" There are about So 900 ma
tives left; but their numbers are lessen
ing every year l only know seven
Americans in Auckland. There are
large stores in the cities and manu-
featuring interest is growing up. This
includes the making of shoes, clothing
and furniture.
Their furniture is the most beautiful
| have ever seen. 1t is made of mot
tied kauri, beautiful timber. This is
worked up in the best style of Euro
pean art. They raise the finest wool in
the world in the island, and manufac.
ture some of it. The chief imports to
the island from this country are the
hardware implements shipped from
New York. Plows, reapers, mowers
and all sorts of edge tools are shipped
there. Tobacco is another export from
this country that finds large sale
there. All sorts of canned fruits are
also sent from here in large quantities.
American wooden ware, including
wagons, carriages and buggies, go there.
The inhabitants also seem to have a
partiality to American watches. 1t is,
perhaps, curious fact that none of our
whisky ever goes to New Zealand. The
only article sent from New Zealand to
this country is kauri gum, which is
largely used in the manufacture of var
nish. One firm, which ships direct to
the United States, send four or five
times q year cargoes worth 100000
each. The gum is very transparent;
one can see through block of it a foot
in thickness. 1t has the appearance OF
amber, and is found about the roots OF
the kauri trees. The natives makev very
artistic figures of their gods With this
gum. They carve heads and busts of it
larger than life. These gods are SINH
lar to those of the other South Sea Isl
ands, and the natives are exceedingly
superstitious.
Christmas is celebrated very curious
ly in New Zealand. 1t comes in mid
summer, and, instead of the yule log
and holly tree they have the green
grass and flowers, and instead of hot
punch there are light Australian wine
and cooling draughts. The churches
in the Christmas time are decorated
with the beautiful purple flowers Of
what is there called the "Christmas
tree" The most peculiar growth in
New Zealand is the ferns. Of these
there are 100 varieties not found else
where, and great number that are
common to other countries. There IS
no place in the world so rich in ferns
The articles of diet are about the
same as in this country. The climate
is mild in the northern part of the ISL
and. 1t is magnificent beef and but
ter country. The finest and juciest oyS-
tiers ever ate are found there in alum
dance.
Imprisonment for debt exists there by
means of a sort of fiction of law. The
debtor is fined for contempt of court,
and cast into prison on that ground.
The public school system is admirable
and extensive. All classes of children
attend these schools. The public school
system is an institution of which the
inhabitants are very proud. There IS
no tax that they more willingly vote
for than the school tax. Teachers
there command, as q general thing,
higher salaries than they do in the
United States. Coatrier-Jo'Fr-
nal.