PREFACE. THE following pages are for the most part the substance of information collected from time to time during a residence of more than four years in New Zealand, for the use of friends who contemplated emigration to that country. My plan has been to obtain, as far as possible, the opinions of persons universally acknowledged to be well qualified to give advice on practical colonial questions; consulting each on the subjects with which he may be supposed to be best acquainted. Thus, for example, I am indebted. for the excellent article on the establishment of a sheep-station to Mr. Charles Hunter Brown of Double Corner; for information on agricultural matters, to Mr. W. G. Brittan and other experienced New Zealand farmers; for Church and educational statistics, to the Rev. Henry Jacobs, M.A., Sub-Warden of Christ's College, and Secretary to the Board of Church Trustees; and for a Map, which for minuteness and accuracy of detail can hardly, I think, be surpassed, to Mr. Edward Jollie, a very experienced and able surveyor. To all those gentlemen I am only too happy to have an opportunity of publicly acknowledging my obligation, as well as to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, the Provincial Secretary, and the surveyors and other officials in their respective offices, from whom I have obtained very valuable assistance. I have taken no pains to render my book amusing to the mere fireside traveller, who may easily find plenty of well-written and very interesting accounts of New Zealand scenery, national customs, massacres in the days of heathenism, and missionary labours and success at a more recent period. But I shall be more than satisfied, if those who really think of settling among us find in it any information which may prove useful in the way either of direction or caution; and both, they may be assured, will be needed by them, if they wish to avoid the mistakes into which most of us fell in the early days of the settlement. INTRODUCTION CONTENTS. Objects of the Canterbury Association.-Advantages of the plan.-Landing of the first colonists at Lyttelton.-Public works at Lyttelton, Christchurch, and in the rural dis- tricts.-Progress of the settlement checked for a time by the discovery of gold in Australia.-Canterbury proclaimed one of the six provinces of New Zealand.-A Settlement founded at Kaiapoi.-Emigration agent despatched to England.-Census of 1854.-Slight shock of earthquake. -Extensive sheep robbery.-The Provincial Government accept the liabilities of the late Canterbury Association.— Character of colonial society.-Rapid rise of the industrious working man. What sort of persons ought to emigrate.— Advice to intending settlers.-Hints for the voyage Climate of Canterbury.-Mr. Fox's account of the New Zea- land climate generally.-Facilities for the breeding of sheep, cattle, and horses.-Gardening.-Mr. Cass's meteorolo- gical journal Motunan.-Double Corner.-Mason's Pass.-Mount Grey. — River Ashley.—Rangiora.—Agricultural land.—Probable extent of the plain between Double Corner and Timaru.— Rivers Waimakeriri, Selwyn, Rakaia, Ashburton, Rangi- taka, Cust, Eyre, Cam, Purarekanui, Halswell, Avon, and Heathcote. Native settlement of Kaiapoi.-Church.— Ferry. Papanui church.-Christchurch gardens. — Ric- carton.-Anecdote of Mr. Deans.-Cashmere.-Mr. Wil- son's stud.-Avonside Church.-Heathcote Ferry.—Bridle- path.-Lyttelton.-Pigeon Bay.-Akaroa. -French Farm. -Lake Ellesmere. - Rapaki.-Lake Coleridge.-Talbot The Church of England in Canterbury.-College and Schools. A.- Narrative of Overland Journeys from Nelson to Christ- D.-A Sermon, preached before his Honour the Super- |