438 



NEW ZEALAND. 



The great staple articles of trade are flax, spars, and wheat; pota- 

 toes and gum are also exported; but the whale-fishery is of more 

 value at present to foreigners than all the productions of the soil. 

 This is carried on from the shores by parties of New Zealanders and 

 foreigners; but they are rapidly destroying this source of wealth, for, 

 as has been stated, their eagerness for present gain leads them to 

 destroy the animals whether old or young, without discrimination. 



The whaling establishments of British subjects on the coast are 

 numerous, and the most disgraceful acts are perpetrated by their 

 occupants and by the crews of the whale-ships, who not only use 

 violence against the natives, but against each other. As New Zea- 

 land is in the immediate vicinity of the whaling-ground, it is a 

 desirable rendezvous for our whalers ; and the American whaling 

 fleet, actively employed on the coast in the spring of 1840, amounted 

 to one hundred sail. 



Many spars are now exported to England, where, however, the 

 smaller sticks are not as much esteemed in proportion as the larger 

 ones. Several government vessels have recently obtained spars for 

 the Royal Navy at the trifling cost of a few blankets and muskets. 

 The latter, in particular, are a great inducement to the chiefs, who 

 are willing to devote much labour for the purpose of acquiring the 

 means of rendering themselves powerful. Besides guns and blankets, 

 gunpowder, lead, coarse blue and white cottons, whiskey, rice, sugar, 

 and molasses are the articles most in request. These now bring 

 enormous prices, in consequence of the demand caused by the 

 number of immigrants; but the effect of these prices is to render 

 labour proportionably dear. 



NEW ZEALAND IITU AND WEAPONS. 



