From 1870 to the Present Date.

Although as far as the Public Works are concerned, 1 have travelled over a great deal of the interval since 1870, I must devote a few further words to the course of events to make my narrative complete. Between 1870 and 1880 the colonising administration occupied a very large share of attention, but when that time was nearly reached, and the determination was arrived at to "taper down" loan expenditure, social questions began to occupy the minds of the colonists to the extent their importance demanded. To Sir George Grey, Sir Robert Stout, and the late Mr. Ballance, belongs page 13 chiefly the merit of educating the people to the full conception of the many complex questions of a non-commercial character that go towards making a happy community. I shall call separate attention to some of these later on. From 1880 to nearly 1890 the Colonists had much to contend with on account of the low value of produce and the depression arising from the diminished loan expenditure. The process of recuperation had by this time become established, and I believe New Zealand is now in a highly flourishing condition, with good reason to expect continued prosperity.