ALBERTLAND.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 6, Issue 332, 8 November 1862, Page 3

ALBERTLAND.

(Prom the New Zealander, Oct. 29.) The first sale of the special settlement land took place at the Oruawharo Township, on Tuesday, the 21st current. The attendance was numerous ; there was spirited competition between the applicants for one or two of the lots in the Oruawharo district ; but as there was abundance of land, and sufficient latitude of choice, we are glad to learn that the immigrants were able to make their selections without difficulty, and that they have expressed themselves generally satisfied with the location provided for them, with the quality of the land, and with the arrangements made by the Provincial Government for placing them in possession.

The Government, we believe, have taken a great deal of trouble, and have incurred considerable expense, in carrying out in the largest and most liberal sense the engagements, direct or implied, into which they had entered with the promoters of the special settlement, and, as a matter almost without precedent, we have satisfaction in recording that not a single complaint against the Provincial authorities has reached our ears.

Four of the finest blocks of land in the Kaipara district Xthe Oruawharo, Pakiri Paparoa, and Matakohe blocks) have been set apart for the Nonconformists. The recent selections have been made in the Oruawharo and Matakohe. We have been assured by persons competent to judge, that the quality of the land in both blocks is upon the whole much above the average, and that portions of each are of very superior character. There is ample space for cattle runs, and there is abundance of feed for stock — advantages which, if turned to proper account, cannot fail to secure the success of the new settlers. The road from the harbour to Mangawhai, on the east coast, to the head of the Oruawharo inlet or creek on the Kaipara side, is now open and practicable for drays,_ whilst on the western side the new settlement is approachable from Auckland by crossing the portage road from the head of the Waitemata to the Kaipara landing-place, and thence by the water of the harbour to the Albertland township. This latter is the route which was chosen (in error, as we think) by the agents or managers of the expedition for the transmission of much of the heavy goods and of most of the passengers' luggage ; much delay, much inconvenience, and very considerable expense attended this operation, almost all of which might, by a little prevoyance and by judicious arrangement, have been obviated. The responsibility in this matter rests we presume, with the pioneer agents, and we think that it is much to be regretted that not even a raupo whare was erected on the land for the shelter of the immigrants on their arrival there ; actual and positive distress for want of food was endured for a few days by the immigrants after their arrival upon tine land of promise, whilst a few tents, pitched in the most exposed situation that could be picked out, formed their only shelter. There is no excuse for this badness of arrangement, except that the pioneer agents had not funds or were unwilling to incur personal responsibilities ; but we are quite sure that if the Government or the people of Auckland, who were so prompt to welcome the new comers, could have anticipated what has occurred, they would have taken steps to put their greeting into another and more substantial form than that of a barren address.

The arrival of the schooner Salcombe Castle on the morning of the land sale happily dissipated the gloom which was beginning to gather over the settlement. This vessel has been chartered in Auckland by Mr. Brame to take round to Kaipara the heavier luggage from England, together with a supply of provisions, and left this port on the Bth inst. The furious westerly gales which prevailed rendered the passage round the North Cape protracted and dangerous, and it was not until the 20th that, at day break, Captain James found his ship about three miles to windward of the breakers on Kaipara banks, with a strong westerly gale blowing. The new Galatea channel was open, .and through it the schooner ran, carrying five fathoms as the least sounding in the hollow of the seas ; on the following morning she reached the township, and was discharging cargo alongside and upon the natural "hard," which lies in front of the future city. The loss of this vessel, under the circumstances, would have been a disaster which might have been fatal to the new settlement.

The first step towards the opening up of the ■wide and rich. Kaipara country to European settlement has now been made. It could have heen accomplished only by a combined movement such as that of the non-conformist settlers ; it is a great public benefit, their due proportion of which our new friends will, we earnestly hope, reap for themselves. It is impossible not to see how much the formation of this association and the departure of so large and respectable a body of immigrants have effected in reviving attention to and restoring confidence in Auckland as a field of colonization, and it is a real source of regret that the flood tide of settlement which is now fairly setting towards this Province must be arrested in order that "Maori doctors" may have an opportunity of trying their specific of direct purchase, for the cure of a malady the real nature of which these periti do not by any means comprehend.