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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 23

VIII.—Probable Future Development

VIII.—Probable Future Development.

As to the future, it is difficult to predict in what particular line development may proceed. I have no doubt page 36 that considerable attention will be paid to dairy-farming. The country seems suited for it before almost any country. Grass grows all the year round in many districts; there is no snow or cold weather, requiring the cattle or sheep to be housed. The winter, in fact, is evergreen. Then, the colony does not suffer from droughts; water can be got anywhere, and the number of cattle and sheep that can be maintained compared with the acreage far exceeds that of any country in the world: and just as railways increase so settlement will increase. Population will increase, and at a more rapid rate than in old countries. Agriculture will become more intense; smaller farms and industries of a more varied kind will soon be common. It was not until after the railways had been inaugurated—in fact, it was not until late in 1872—that the balance of trade in our favour in cereals was reached. Up to 1872 the balance of imports of wheat and grain and flour was against the colony, but after the railway-system began to be developed this was changed, and since 1872 we have been large exporters of agricultural produce. This, no doubt, in future years will take other channels; we may not send more grain, but we shall send more meat, more butter, more cheese, more leather, and we shall send also the manufactured articles that are easily produced from our pastoral and agricultural products. Our gold-mining also seems increasing, and attention has been paid in various parts of the colony to the development of other mineral wealth, and manufactures are rising into importance. With the oportunities given to our youth by our educational system, and the bias that they will have in after years towards industry owing to technical training, we may expect a vast increase of material wealth: and our intellectual advancement and our amusements, that should make up so large a share of our social life, will keep pace with our other progress. The outlook of New Zealand may be said to be extremely favourable, and he who has to compare 1904 with 1884 will be able to show as great a contrast as I have pourtrayed between 1864 and 1884.

page 37

I have attempted in this paper to point out, briefly, what the colony has done in twenty years, believing that, by making such a contrast, people outside the colony especially will be better able to gauge our prospects for the future, and also appreciate what our colonizing efforts have been. Many things that it would have been interesting to notice I have had to omit. I have not touched upon our form of Government nor our mode of Government, nor have I referred to the many things of convenience that we possess, as well as many departures that we have taken both in our legislation and in our govermental administration. To have mentioned all these would have made the paper unnecessarily long.

Note.—The Statistical Department has prepared a series of diagrams showing—
1 and 1A.The Population of New Zealand.
2.The Ages of the People.
3.The Birthplaces of the People.
4.The Religions of the People.
5.The Education of the People.
6 and 7.Births, Deaths, and Marriages.
8 and 9.Imports and Exports.
10.Sheep, Cattle, and Horses.
11.Land in Cultivation.
12.Yield of Wheat, Oats, and Barley.
13.Holdings of Land under Cultivation.
14 and 15.Deposits in Savings-banks.
16.Revenue and Expenditure.
17.Miles of Railways open.
18.Miles of Telegraph open.
19.Shipping, Inwards and Outwards.
20.Deposits in Banks.
21.Capital invested in Industries.

I append these to my notes, believing they will probably more clearly show than the figures I have given the progress of the colony. To some of the diagrams I have not thought it necessary to make any special reference.