THE NELSON EXAMINER

Nelson, May 7, 1842.

Lea journaux deviennent plus ne*cessaires a. meson que lea homme* sout plus egaux, et 1' individualisme nlus a eraindre. Cc serait diminuer leur importance que dejeroire qu' Us ne servent qu' a garantir la liberty : Us maintiennent fa civilisation. ■ • DB TotiaUBVILLS. _ i De la Democratic en Amerique, tome 4, p. |230. Journals become more necessary a* men become j more equal, and individualism more to be feared. It would be to underrate their importance to suppose that they serve only to secure liberty : they maintain civilisation. De TocaoßyiLLß. Of Democracy in America, vol. 4, p. 380.

A requisition, signed by almost every landowner in this settlement, has been for-

warded, per London, to the directors of the New Zealand Company ; the object of which is to induce them, if possible, to put such a check upon the 'sale of the sections yet unsold as shall tend to ensure their being purchased -by actual settlers rather than by absentees, who look upon- landbuying in these " new places " solely as a speculation which may, and they hope vtill i turn out well.. The feeling was so general, we may say universal, in favour of some such step, that the address was no sooner suggested than it was drawn up, signed, and sent. It is possible that the speed with which the whole affair was completed — and which to us, who know the circumstances, is the best evidence of the universal and strong opinion in its favour — may, in the quarter for which it is intended, have rather a bad than a good effect ; anfl. we confess that we think it had been better to have given some publicity to the intention previous to carrying it out: but, the ffifct.is, that . 4the evils of absenteeism were so evident to all — their existence, to a certain extent, already was so immediately present to all in this settlemeht, that nothing in the shape of a meeting of resident landholders was necessary. The steam was up,, it did not require raising: speechifying was unnecessary to point out the evil : no reasoning { was required to show the connection between it and the remedy proposed. Absenteeism has been the evil of new settlements, 'from the time when first land in colonies became

valuable or there was a hope held out of itr ever becoming so. We are not now in a situation to complain of, an exceeding want of resident proprietors— : we are doing very well ; but it would be but poor evidence of our foresight — we should show a most grievous want of perception as to what is passing and has passed as to colonial matters, and of reflection as to the results of these, if we did not at once, ere the evil hadbecome too Serious to be checked with beneficial effect to ourselves or displayed but as an example to others, declare our opinion concerning it, and press for such provisions for its prevention, as should at least in some measure^secure us from "the like condemnation." Why should we ? We are confident in ourselves. We have a beautiful country—a rich, a luxuriant, a prolific soil — a glorious climate — a stirring body of settlers. In two years we are independent of the world. We have the means — so great are our advantages — if provided with certain necessaries for that time, to supply ourselves with all necessaries and almost all luxuries* of life. What want we of them, then, these absentees, with their money market speculations? Why, just this ; We want them as a convenience, just as they do us. There is no need to blink the matter : we meet as men who want to do a stroke of business together : they have some money, which they are anxious to make the most of; we are a good vehicle for this making-most-of. We, again, want this money, and take it — knowing at the same time that we give more than we take, though we cannot very well do without them. Now, there comes a time when their money without their presence becomes of no use. This time is beginning to come. We have an idea that we have done enough for them as an abstract, absent, money-making, and only temporarily-useful body. If our idea be correct, it is time for them either to

come out or to sell die land to those who will come out — at all events, for us to see that no more land is sold to' any who will not come out. We begin to see. that the necessary evil of absenteeism which was admitted into our scheme is greater than we thought. We regret it ; but we will stand by our bargain — we wish to do nothing which shall injuriously affect either absentees or their properties. We are — we know we are — daily .giving these properties a value which the capital laid out would give them but little *ight to expect; but of course we do jt, for it is in the bond ; but we wish to be forced into no more such bad bargains — the necessity for them is gone. We are willing to wait for more capital till it shall be supplied by men who will also supply their own labour, whether mental or otherwise, and energy, and presence, and who will, in fact, be settlers as well as landowners. These are the men we mow want ; these men we are willing to wait for. One such man \s worth half-a-dozen absentees ; and, if the "'Tew Zealand Company hav£ as much, faith. in the working and resident proprietor as he deserves, these are the men that we shall have.

Nelson is beginning to give evidence of the arrival of civilized men on the shores of New Zealand, for it has now a gaol or : lock-up house, backed by foe stocks. Alas for human nature that it should be so ; buty so it is — civilization and the gallows L However, the gaol here is finished, and is well suited for the purpose for which it is intended. It is built strongly of logs sawn asunder, facing each other, so as effectually to close the openings between each. There are four cells. The room for the gaoler or constable has a fire-place, with a brick chimney. The cost of this place is, we believe, about £150. We understand that the sum allowed to Nelson for court-house and gaol'is £150. What we are to do for a court-house we shall, I suppose, eventually be informed. ' This subject brings us to the estimated expenditure of the Government of New Zealand for this year, which

amounts to £55,230 18s. 6d. ; out of this, £1,161 11s. 3d. is put to the account of Nelson, thus : —

NELSON.

£1,161 11 3 There is no allowance for buildings of Say description. The sum apportioned us is far too small, in more senses than one ; too small, because it does not provide for the supply of some of our most important wants — too small, because the Customs duties taken from us have already considerably exceeded these supposed expenses — and also because we have, after Wellington, the largest population of any settlement in New Zealand. We propose next week to commence the publication of these estimates ; and, when they are thus before the public, we shall be better able to point out in what way we consider there has been gross neglect in the calculation of our probable wants. The contrast between the proposed expenditure of Auckland and Nelson will then appear so strikingly unjust as to render much comment unnecessary. The magic name of capital can do much, and we can allow a great deal for the powers of this " sesame ;" but, when it comes to matters not of ornament, stateliness, or official paraphernalia, but of usefulness and actual requirement, we can see no reason why the government of a population of 1,700 should not be looked after with as much care and be provided for -with ..as much consideration as that of' a population of 1,300. It is no answer to say that we are more recently established. When the estimates for this year were framed, it was well known at Auckland that the plan upon which Nelson was to be settled must ensure a population equal to that which it now has, and the calculation should have been made accordingly. Our arrival is not so recent as to,have prevented the Government from getting upwards of £1,400 out of ua in Customs duties. - -,

In another column pur readers will find a letter from a correspondent, who signs himself " Anti-Humbug." We "are sorry that, the subject of the reset-Tea -J»a*-l>een renewed ; and that feeling, together with the needless length of this communication) would have induced us to have declined inserting it, were we not moved by the consideration that those gentlemen whom " An ti- Humbug" may be supposed torepresent were unable to obtain a fair hearing at their own meeting; and may therefore think that they have a claim upon the columns of the only journal here' to give publicity to their views. £ We hope, now thatr " Anti-Humbug " has run his muck and spirted forth Kis bile, the unusual secretion of which is excusable enough under the circumstances of the failure of the landholders' public meeting, that both he and the gentlemen who-acted any part at that meeting will rest satisfied with the obstacles which their demonstration has already raised to the effectual and peaceable clearing of the Government reserves, and leave the matter to take its course without further interference, which can but excite the obstinacy of 'petti/ offenders without at all affecting the determination of the wealthier. As regards ourselves, we expressed in our last'what it -was our intention to do ; and of course it would be very absurd it we allowed ourselves to

be bantered into changing our determination either by " Anti-Humbug" or any one else. 'For the information of those who

may imagine that we are really gainers by

. being on a public reserve, we will just "• mention that the fact of our being misled (though with the very best intentions) into building upon a Government reserve will cost us rather more than five years' rent, in consequence of the expense of removal. We have to apologize to our readers for boring them with our private affairs, but it has been in some measure forced upon us*

The Auckland Standard is a paper raised upon the ruins of the Herald. It is (we believe there is no doubt on the subject) the organ of the Government ; and mirabile dictu, the strenuous advocate of the Wakefield system of emigration, and an urgent suppliant for the assistance of that " powerful engine " as a " colonizing instrument," the New Zealand Company. Here is quite another view of " the theories of a Wakefield," and " the specious bubble of the self-supporting system " begins to assume a form, a substance, .nay, a value, unaccountably at variance with its airy character. Verily, impartiality is one virtue of the Auckland Printing Company. To all they give a chance, and each by turns makes use of their capital and their types. But, seriously, this Auckland Standard is a curiosity, and to \us a valuable one. Who has been at work in Auckland proselytizing, what it is that has caused this change to come o'er the spirit of the dream of official slumberings, we are at a loss to gueSs. Can our readers find a clue to the mystery in the following ?—? —

" Let this be fairly put in comparison with each man's probable gain, by allowing the New Zealand Company a share in the colonization of % the Auckland district. The public of Auckland stay be informed that it was the wish of the ComKray that their second district, now planted at' elson, should have been located at the Capital.' Of the £300,000 to be received by the Company for the sale of lands in the second settlement, ON« HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND POUNDS are to.be applied to the exclusive purpose of emigration in that particular settlement; fifty thousand founds for rendering the settlement commodious and attractive already; and, in the course of a single month, five large ships have arrived at Nelson, bringing with them upwards of one thousand emigrants — the cabin passengers in one of these ships, we are informed, possessing an aggregate capital of fifty thousand pounds. " Now, what is doing for Nelson, would have been done for Auckland, had the Company been allowed to plant their second colony here ; and, should that liberty even yet be granted to them, what has been done for Nelson, their second colony, will yet be done for Auckland, their third colony. We therefore urgently urge upon the landowner, the merchant, the house-builder, the s storekeeper, the publican, the butcher, the baker, and other tradesmen, to consider the probable consequences to this settlement generally, and to himself iv particular, of opening the Capital and its neighbourhood, as a field for the colonizing operations of the New Zealand Company ; — the powerful engine which would, by that means, immediately be brought into active operation in making known the advantages of this settlement; the great accession of labour and capital that would, consequently, be attracted hither, in addition to, and independently of, the colonising operations of the Company. Of the £50,000 to be applied for rendering the settlement at Nelson ' commodious and attractive,' the Company intend to devote £15,000 to religious uses and endowments, ,£15,000 to the establishment of a college, and £20,000 towards the encouragement of steam navigation for the benefit of the settlement. To 4hirsetttem~enVand to every individual member of our community, the advantages of the measure now suggested are too evident to require illustration.

" But, what is of much more importance, the interests of New Zealand generally, as a British colony, no less than that of the people of Auckland, would be promoted, if that powerful company and the Local Government were acting in harmony for the common object of its rapid and successful colonization. In the work of legislation no advantage should be given to any one particular settlement. If the New Zealand Company were made use of as the' colonizing instrument, the Government, instead of their powerful opposition, would receive their cordial co-opera? tion,, The success of -their enterprise, and the prosperity of the colony, would go hand-in-hand ; their efforts, their exertions, their future prosperity, would be ■ the means of benefiting the - country at large." h What do you think ot that r f Beware of flattery ; do not get over confident or -conceited upon the strength of it. There, is -one misstatement here, namely,, " that it was the wish of the Company that their second district, now planted at Nelson, should have been located at the capital." The Company did not wish anything of the sort, but the Government did, and for very good reasons, but that matters not now. We fear that the wishes of our Auckland contemporary can hardly be complied with. Almost all the valuable land is gone : Mr. Clendon has some of it. 'Where, then, is the land, the sale of which is to supply the emigration fund ? We should be very glad to fijul that no plac* in New Zealand had, oy previous bad management, cut itself out

of the advantages to be derived from the adoption of the Wakefield system, whether under the auspices of the New Zealand Company or not ; but we fear that the only reply to the demand for an emigration fund wUI be that of the cherubim to St. Cecilia — " Mais nous n'avous pas de quoi."

Customs — Sub-collector and land- £ t. d. ing waiter . . 200 0 0 five boatmen, at £70 each . . . 350 0 0 Incidental expenses . 20 0 0 £ *■ d. 570 0 0 Post Office — Postmaster, 20 per cent com. and a salary of . 20 0 0 Gratuities to masters of vessels, &c. . 10 9 0 Stationery, mail-bags, office-fittings, &c. . 10 0 0 40 0 0 Police, &c. — Police magistrate . . 250 0 0 3hief constable 55., one sergeant at 4s. 3d., and two privates at 3s. 6d. each per diem , . 296 11 3 Incidental expenses . 6 0 0 .// 551 11 3