486 Foreign Notices : — Australia. 



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twelve per cent, steps in. Slaves are very high in price, and so few have 

 been brought up to horticulture, that it would be some time ere they could 

 (or, rather, would) be taught the method ; and, even after all apparent diffi- 

 culties have been surmounted, another, and the most galling visitation is 

 experienced. There are, in almost every corner, people who have been 

 liberated from slavery, or Creoles of bad character, who live by stealing, or 

 rather encouraging to steal, so that your own blacks would be bribed to 

 carry off all or a part of any vegetables or fruits you might grow. The 

 punishment for such offences I cannot enter upon, but I can state what 

 recompense the owner would get. Your blacks, who have stolen the pro- 

 perty are bond fide your own property, your fortune : if you punish them 

 severely, which is seldom the case, they go with a complaint, you lose their 

 work, and consequently your own living. They complain of the punishment, 

 and are not well (or will not be well), for months afterwards. It is a very 

 false assertion, that the blacks are generally treated badly at the Mauritius. 

 I came myself to the Mauritius with the same prejudice against the planters : 

 time, however, has taught me to consider otherwise. They are invariably 

 treated well, and fed much better than the poor people of Wales. My 

 occupation leading me more among planters than any other government 

 servants, I speak with confidence on this head. The young government 

 blacks will no doubt prove useful subjects. From the extreme scarcity of 

 vegetables, I had suggested to government the propriety of having a number 

 of young boys apprenticed to me, to bring up to horticulture. If they be- 

 have well during their apprenticeship, government might emancipate some 

 of them, and they would then have a profession to obtain a livelihood in a 

 respectable manner. It is truly lamentable to see so many blacks who, if 

 emancipated, could not earn their own living. Our esteemed governor has 

 caused a chapel * to be erected, and a catechist to instruct the blacks of 

 this establishment, as well as all others belonging to government ; and I 

 have warm hopes the instruction given to the blacks will eventually be of 

 the greatest use, and make them good and happy subjects. 



I shall feel most happy to give any information at any time upon any 

 subject connected with horticulture. I am, Sir, &c. ■ — John Newman, Su- 

 perintendent of the Royal Botanic Garden, Mauritius. 



AUSTRALIA. 



New Zealand. — We have lately seen a number of views, about to be 

 published in monthly Numbers, with descriptions, of the scenery of this 

 island, and had a good deal of conTersation with Mr. A. Earle, the artist 

 who took them, and who has devoted twelve years in travelling through 

 New South Wales, Van Diemen's Land, and some of the most interesting 

 of the South Sea islands, &c. According to this gentleman, the soil is for 

 the most part calcareous and highly productive, the climate excellent, and 

 the people naturally of a noble character, both physically and intellectually. 

 Baxter, the botanist, recently returned from the same country, gives the 

 same account, both of the country and natives. The inhabitants are by no 

 means in a state of barbarism, for all the country is appropriated, and 

 belongs to different chiefs. These chiefs are very open to commerce and 

 friendship with strangers, and from many of them large tracts of land might 



* We hope an infant school will not be forgotten, and that all the adults 

 of both sexes will be taught all the labours and operations likely to be use- 

 ful for them. By a proper system of infant schools, connected with paro- 

 chial institutions, the natives of all our colonies would become in all respects 

 as good as ourselves in two generations. But who in Britain would think 

 of looking on the colonies in any other light than as sources of income for 

 the pauper aristocracy ? — Cond. . J 





