JOURNAL OF THE WEEK.

Lyttelton Times, Volume 1, Issue 1, 11 January 1851, Page 4

JOURNAL OF THE WEEK.

Ottr first journal of the week must notice the principal events which have occurred since the arri%'al of the three first ships. When the " Charlotte Jane," the first ship, entered the harbour, Her Majesty's sloop of war, "Fly;" was lying at anchor, having on board His -Excellency the Governor of New Zealand, and Lady Grey, who had come' down in hopes of being present at the arrival of the first body of colonists. Nothing could be more opportune than this visit of His Excellency, as several important matters were at once settled, which might otherwise have occasioned great inconvenience to the settlers; "

It was obvious that the arrival of so large a body gendered the establishment of a sufficient authority for preserving order, and administerVI s J"stlce'a matter of the greatest importance. His Excellency therefore immediately appointed J. H. Godi.by, Esq., the chief agent of t i, e Canterbury Association, to he Resident Magistrate at Lytteltow, and made arrangements for

organizing an efficient police- force. Another question of the greatest moment arose with respect to the Custom-house regulations, which were found in force on the arrival of the settlers. Considerable alarm was occasioned by the fact that high import duties were payable upon the Roods brought out for the purpose of settlement. It was indeed ascertained that what was denominated personal baggage was to be admitted free ; but that it was wholly at the discretion of an official, who had hitherto superintended the customs at this place", to decide what should be called personal baggage, and what should pay duties.

The passengers on board the " (tharlotte Jane," even before the arrival of the otner ships, were full of anxiety on this point; so much so that the members of the Council of colonists who wero on board that ship, determined, before the arrival of tlic other members, to lose no time in addressing the Governor on tbesubject. The following is the letter which was addressed to his Excellency by the secretary to the colonists: Port Lyttelton, Dee. 16, 1850.

Sir, —Previous to the departure of the Canterbury colonists from England, they incorporated themselves into a society, and appointed a council, whom they charged with the'duty of acting on their behalf in all matters in which the interests of the colonists collectively were involved.

We have the honour to enclose a list of the council below, on whose behalf we have the honour to address your excellency on a subject which has caused the colonists some uneasiness on their first arrival in the colony.

It appears that all goods are chargeable with certain import duties imposed by the Home Government, or by the local legislature, but that articles of personal or private use are exempted from the operation of these iaws; but from what we can learn from the Custom-Honse officer at Port Lyttelton, we are under the apprehension that it is very much in bis discretion to determine what kind of goods are to be considered chargeable, and what are exempted from duties.

The colonists have, in most instances, provided themselves with considerable quantities of the necessary implements for settling themselves in the'colony^ and for cultivating the land"; and they are disappointed to find that duties must he paid upoiis these goods, at a time when all their resources are required to enable them to. meet the difficulties of an entirely new settlement, the more so as they are under the impression that all such goods are exempted from duty in other colonies,.and in America.

The council of the Society of Canterbury colonists beg with the greatest i-espect to request that your excellency will be pleased to issue instructions to the officers at this place, that the most favourable construction may be placed upon the laws'of the. colony, and that all goods brought by the settlers for their own private use,. nnd. not intended for 'sale, may be exempted from duty. We desire on the:partof the colonists to express their gratification at the presence of your excellency amongst them on their first arrival in the colony, and have the honour to remain, Sir, with the greatest respect, Your excellency's most obedient and humble Servants, Edward Robert Wabd, James Stuart Woktlei'. The: following was the answer received : — H.M.S Fly, Lyttelton. December 17,1850.Gentlemen, —I am directed by Sir George (irey to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, requesting that his excellency will be pleased to issue instructions to the Cnstom-House officers at this port that the most favourable construction may be placed upon the customs' laws of the colony, as regards all goods brought by the „ first settlers for their own use, and not intended for sale.

lii reply I have to inform you that his excel-

]ency, will issue the instructions, you request, and I am further directed to express the pleasure, it affords the Governor-to have met you

ujion your'first arrivai in this country, where it will he a source of great gratification to-him at ttll'times to promote your interests so far as may be in bis power.

I have the honour' to be, Gentlemen, Your obt«lient, humble Servant,

C. L. Nugent, Private Secretary. ]t is quite unnecessary to add that His l^x.C4!'3lcn«y s'prompt and friendly iuicrfcreace has

worr him the good feelings of the colonists. All difficulties about customs were set at rest, and the goods of the colonists have.:-been landed free 7 upon the signature of a declaration that they were for private and personal use only. The landing Of goods and passengers immediately commenced, and has -rapidly proceeded. The " Charlotte Jane" discharged and sailed for Sydney in three weeks. The " Randolph " in two days more. The barbijur has been found excellent as regards safety for shipping. The only fault is the swell caused.by the sea-breeze, which renders it sometimes inconvenient for boats to lie alongside the ships ; but the rapidity with which the ships ha\e been discharged proves that this difficulty is but slight, and ii is certain that heavier sea-breezes have blown during the past month than [are at all usual. Above 500 of the emigrants and some of the cabin-passengers found good accommodation in the barracks, and a week's rations were served out to the former. Housc| vapidly began to spring up, every kind of habitation reared its head, from the iron store to the turf cabin, or even blanket tent. With! a population of eleven hundred souls, the tfcwn is as quiet at night as an English village* The weather has been perfect,—a brilliant fun which neither scorches nor oppresses: Lyttmton itself, towever, is too hot and too dusty for a pleasant abode. And of all those who have been to the plains, not one has come back, who does not say that that is the place to live in. Sonfe were discontented with Lyttelton ; all are in^ raptures with the plains. The anxiety to go .to the plains became great, and though for somefdays the strong seabreezes made the bar impassable, boats are now passing and repassing frequently and with ease. The freight to Christchuveh has been rather high, 30s. a ton, but tb!e arrival of boats and boatmen from the other settlements will probably lower it Of the road we shall have to speak hereafter, but even when that is finished, most heavy goods will be sent by water. Labour has been scarce, and wages very high. Carpenters get as much as a shilling an hour; but tliis is partly owing to the fact, that all the labour brought' out in the ships is not yet in the market, the people being occupied in making their own- House?.' ■. f Provisions are, for a r.evy colony, very cheap. The slight rise, on the increase,of population in a day from 300 to 1100, has beerTVefy remarkable : tneat is only sd. per lb., bread 7d the 21b. j loaf.

Water is scarce above ground, but wells always give an abundant supply. During half the year mountain streams will supply a large town. The immediate choosing of the town acre sections has been a most important and useful measure. The quarter acre ohosen for the college, which was No 1, has let for £100 a year already, and land along Norwich Quay is letting for 15s. a foot, frontage.' An excellent family hotel is to be built "inmiediately opposite the jetty. Of the five cows landed from the ships, three have died, Mr. Brittan's by filling over the-cliff; Mr. Fitzgerald's and Mr. Phillips's by eating tutu. All these are a ,great loss to the colony, especially the two former, which were pure Durham cows. Mr. FitzgeraWs was from Mr. Eland's farm in Surrey, and had won prizes both as a calf and as a cow. ■'

It is impossible lo take too much cave in landingjcattle at this place. To beasts just out of a ship, the tutu, of which there is abundance here, is certainly fatal.

We must apologize for the arrangement of our first paper being somewhat different from that promised ; and for any other deficiencies \vhich are unavoidable in the endeavour to commence the publication so soon after our arrival.