[INTRODUCTION]
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INTRODUCTION.
JUDGING by the greatly-increasing number of correspondents who now apply to us for "New Zealand information," it would appear that the supply of works professing to afford such information is unequal to the demand. In truth, the few standard books which treat of the Colony generally, and its advantages as an emigration field, are too costly to come within the reach of the great body of emigrants; whilst the numerous smaller books, however excellent they may be, are chiefly local in their aim, and present a view, not of New Zealand, but only of some particular part or Province of New Zealand of which they may happen to be the advertising organs.
Under these circumstances we have been induced to publish the present little work--at a price, too, which we trust will give it a large circulation among all classes of emigrants, from the capitalist to the working man. Our long acquaintance with New Zealand, and New Zealand emigration; our frequent personal communication with various New Zealand colonists, now so commonly visiting England on trips of pleasure or business; and we trust our perfect freedom from all local bias in favour of any particular one of the six Settlements or Provinces, have, we hope, qualified us to render this little publication an accurate and impartial guide to that youngest but finest Colony of our empire which seems destined to become the "Britain of the South;" whilst as to the personal motives we have in seeking to promote the cause of New Zealand colonisation, and views as to emigration generally, we would ask the reader, before he peruses our pages, to oblige us by turning to our concluding remarks at 124.
Public attention has of late been so urgently directed to the important matter of the safe and proper conveyance of British emigrants to their various ports of destination, and such ill-founded fears exist as to the liability to disease necessarily attendant on long sea passages, that we may,
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we hope, very properly avail ourselves of this opportunity of stating, that among upwards of 6000 passengers whom we have conveyed to New Zealand during the last four years, the total number of deaths, including infants, has been only 61: a lower rate of mortality, we believe, than "Registrar returns" would have shown to have occurred among an equal number of people living on shore.
ARTHUR WILLIS, GANN & CO.,
NEW ZEALAND COLONIAL AND EMIGRATION ROOMS,
AND
SHIP INSURANCE OFFICES,
3, CROSBY SQUARE,
BISHOPSGATE STREET,
LONDON. E. C.
[CONTENTS]
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CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. --HISTORICAL SKETCH.
Cook's discovery . . 1
The N. Z. Company . 2
Early disasters . . 3
Present state . . 4
CHAPTER II.--PHYSICAL FEATURES.
Commercial position . 5
Size and soil . . 5
Surface character . . 6
Harbours and rivers . 6
Climate ... 7
Salubrity ... 9
CHAPTER III.--NATIVES, ANTMAL KINGDOM, &c.
Natives . . .11
Animal kingdom . .13
Vegetable kingdom . 11
Mineral kingdom . .10
CHAPTER IV.--GOVERNMENT AND INSTITUTIONS.
Form of government . 19
Laws . . . .20
Revenue . . .20
Exports and imports . 21
Patronage . . .22
Currency . . .22
Religious institutions . 22
Press . . . .23
CHAPTER V.--THE SIX PROVINCES.
Auckland . . .24
New Plymouth . .30
Wellington . . .32
Nelson . . . .36
Canterbury . . .39
Otago . . . . 41
CHAPTER VI.--AGRICULTURE, &c.
Clearing wild land . 45
System of farming . 46
Grass lands . . .47
Arable crops. . . 49
Implements . . .51
Pastoral pursuits . . 54
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CHAPTER VII.--NEW ZEALAND INVESTMENTS.
Lending money. . 63
General investments . . 64
Objections to emigration 66
Capitalist emigrants . . 71
Small ditto. . . 75
Shopkeepers, &c.. . 76
Master mechanics . . 76
Brewers, tanners, &c . . 77
Tenant farmers . . 78
Clerks and shopmen . . 78
Lady emigrants, &c. . 79
Working men . . 80
CHAPTER VIII.--HOW TO GET TO NEW ZEALAND.
Lines of packets . . 81
Size of ships . . . 83
Choice of ship . . 84
Terms of passage . . 87
Cheap ships . . . 93
Arrival. . . . 94
Outfit . . . . 95
Taking labour . . 97
Taking money . . 97
Taking letters . . 97
CHAPTER IX--EXPORTS, MARKETS, STATISTICS, &c.
Exports and markets 98
Statistics . . .106
Shop prices . . .108
Rates of labour . .109
Value of property. . 110
Customs' duties . .110
New Zealand books . 112
Public officers . .112
CHAPTER X.--THE LAND REGULATIONS.
Auckland regulations . . 115
New Plymouth ditto . . 116
Wellington ditto . . 117
Nelson ditto. . . 118
Canterbury ditto . . 118 Otago regulations . . 119
Assisted passages . . 120
Choice of province . 121
Concluding remarks . 124
1. The re-emigration from Canada and Australia to New Zealand, see note, page . . . . . 10
2. How to create an estate in New Zealand (by a New Zealand Colonist) . . . 128
