PRICES OF PROVISIONS, &c., AND WAGES, IN THE PROVINCE OF

OTAGO, NEW ZEALAND, 30TH JUNE, 1856.

PROVISIONS, &c.

Fine Flour, per 100 lbs... £1 10 0
Wheaten Bread, per 4 lb. Loaf... 1 0
Butter, per lb... 1 8
Cheese, per lb., best... 1 4
Rice, per lb., best... 0 5
Tea, per lb... 2 9
Coffee, per lb... 1 6
Sugar, Raw, per lb... 0 6
Do., Loaf, do... 0 9
Milk, per quart... 0 5
Eggs, per dozen... 1 8
Sawn Timber, per 100 feet... 1 2 0
Firewood, per cord... 1 2 0

WAGES

Shepherds, per annum, with double rations... 55 0 0
Agricultural Labourers, do. do... 60 0 0
Ordinary do. do. do... 45 0 0
Female Domestic Servants, per annum... 25 0 0
Trades, without rations, per day of 8 hours... 10 0
Labourers, without rations, per day of 8 hours... 7 0

PROVINCE OF OTAGO, NEW ZEALAND.

The Scotch Colony of Otago was founded in 1848 by the New Zealand Company, in conjunction with an Association of Lay Members of the Free Church of Scotland. Under the auspices of this Association, the foundation has been laid of an orderly and industrious community. The object of the Association was not to confine its colonization to any one particular religious denomination, but to secure a careful selection of Emigrants, and to provide for their Religious and Educational wants at the outset. The success of their efforts will be best understood on reference to the published statistics. The Colony having now been fairly set a-going, the functions of the Association have ceased, as being no longer necessary.

The whole of the Province has been acquired from the Natives, who, in small and widely separate parties, are in a state of peaceful progression upon lands that were reserved by themselves when they sold to the Crown, and which reserves amount in the whole Province to about 16,000 acres.

Rural Land is sold at a fixed price of 10s. per acre, subject to conditions, for the purpose of excluding monopoly. (See Summary of Land Regulations, No. 6 and 7.) Town Land is Sold by Auction: upset price fixed by Waste Land Board.

All purchasers, from the least to the greatest, are on the same footing of right and freedom of choice.

As the low price of 10s. per acre for Rural Land leaves nothing for public improvements, Roads will have to be made by means of an adequate Land Tax.

Lands not otherwise required are appropriated for Cattle Runs upon Leases of 14 years.

The whole administration of Land is at the hands of a Waste Land Board, whose proceedings are open to the public.

The Province is governed, according to the New Zealand Constitution Act, by a Superintendent and Provincial Council—all of them elected by the people.

By an Act of the Provincial Legislature a Board of Education has been formed, and other provisions made for establishing Public Schools throughout the Province, progressively with the increase of population, &c.

The climate is temperate and remarkably healthy—free from droughts or anything like excessive summer heats.

The following is taken from the Report of P. Proudfoot, Esq., Commissioner of Crown Lands, dated 30th June, 1856—

Area of Province of Otago, from 16 to 20 million acres.
Land Sold, about 42,000 acres.
Runs for depasturage purposes, 160 applications. Licenses granted for do. 79 do.
Estimated extent of country granted under above Licenses, 1,580,000 acres.