WELLINGTON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 17, 3 May 1851, Page 7

WELLINGTON.

We have received, per " Salopian," Wellington papers to 19th April. The barque " Victory," 578 tons, Captain Mullens, sailed on 18th April for New Plymouth with part of original cargo. At the Annual Licensing Meeting of Magistrates for the district of Port Nicholson, a steady resistance was maintained against the increase of public-houses. Only one new license was granted ; viz., to Win. Cattell, in Cuba Street, and that on account of the superior character of the house; the Bench refused to re-license the " Rising Sun," on Thorndon Flat, some cases of drunkenness having been connected with it. We understand that 200 Crown Grants, if not more, will be forwarded to Wellington by the " Cornelia," to receive the signature of the Governor-in-Chief and the Seal of the Province. We have been requested to urge upon those Landowners who have not already proved their title before the Crown Solicitor, to do so without delay. Mr. Bell's stay in the settlement is limited, and if the Landowners do not establish their claims before his departure, they can only blame themselves for any difficulty or delay that may afterwards arise.— Nelson Examiner. OTAGO. Such of the wheat crop as had not been carried by the end of February, was overtaken in the beginning of March with a succession of close, calm, warm weather, with a continuance of thick, small rain, intermixed with occasional heavy showers, that proved very detrimental; blackening the straw so deeply and so quickly as our experience in the home country had not prepared us for; injuring the sample which before the rain was of a beautiful yellow colour: and causing the grain to spring in the stocks. The wheat crop, however, is now all saved ; and a great portion of that which was sprung has been thrashed, and the injury from that source has proved to be of only a trifling extent. One sample we have heard of weighed 62 lbs. the bushel, and that from the stock, and cleaned only in the imperfect and primitive mode of sifting it in the open air for want of fanners. The injury from the weather, together with the ravages of the caterpillar, [about eight acres of wheat at Grant's Braes, sown in July, was completely destroyed by them in the course of September last; what was sown in June proved too far advanced for them to injure,"] as well as the ungenial character of last spring, has conduced to produce a very general impression in favour of early sowing—as early as April. Owing to the same influence of copious rains after a dry summer, the potatoe crop, particularly that portion of it planted so early as Sep- * tember and October, has taken a second growth: the Maories and others have in consequence been taking up their potatoes before they are ripe. Such potatoes, of course, cannot be expected to keep. All this seems to be an argument for planting not earlier than November. H ;Good and well-flavoured crops of melons ftijive been got, with no more artificial heat than M glass frame. *f At an adjourned meeting held in the Court House, Dunedin, on March 28th, it was resolved that a road of 12 feet in width should be constructed between Dunedin and the White Eock, half way to Port Chalmers. The following- speech was delivered by Mr. Valpy, at a Harvest Home given by him'atthe

Forbury, on the 3rd of April last. It so beautifully exhibits the principles that should actuate one and all of our colonists, that we cannot but extract it from the Otago Witness of the sth April, wherein it is published. Mr. Valpy said ; I have great pleasure, ray good friends, in greeting you with a hearty welcome to another Havest Home at the Forbury. The abundant produce this year, Avhile in one or two :of the other settlements we hear there has been a partial failure of the crops, demands our gratitude to God who has crowned our efforts with success. Had it been otherwise in this early stage of agricultural engagement, how many of us would have been disheartened! But we have cause to rejoice and be thankful that it is not so; and I think we may now all be convinced of the capabilities of the soil, and the advantage of the climate; and of what may be effected by diligence and zeal, we have a good example in my bailiff, Mr. Howden. Let us then, my friends, take courage. Let us all unite in a spirited endeavour to grapple with all difficulties and disappointments we may meet with in the way: and surely at this early stage of our colonial career we must expect to encounter some difficulties. Let us one and all endeavour to raise our own supplies, and render ourselves independent of foreign markets; and then I think it will not be presumptuous to anticipate that, in a few years, this beautiful settlement will be placed at least on a par with the most flourishing colonies. But let us not forget that the battle is not to the strong, nor the race to the swift; —that we must ever look to ' the Lord of the Harvest' who hath hitherto helped us, and who, we may trust, will continue to help us. If our neighbours in Otago have thus reason to be "up and doing," how much more have we of Canterbury, comparatively an infant settlement. We hope that no sluggish spirit will ever creep over this colony, but that those who have capital will loose no available time in putting their plans into execution, and thus keep up the activity of our labouring population.

The following abstract of Bills to be submitted to the General Legislative Council at its approaching Session has been published by direction of his Excellency the Governor in the Government Gazette of the 12th April:—, A Bill to regulate the occupation of Waste Lands of the Crown in the Province of New Minister; an abstract of -which is given below. A Bill to impose in some cases fixed duties of Customs, in lieu of the ad valorem duties at present levied. A Bill to amend the Marriage Ordinance of Sess. 8, No. 7. (Already printed in the New Munster Government Gazette of Bth December, 1849.) By His Excellency's command, Alfred Domett, Colonial Secretary. The first fart of this Abstract is the Analysis of the Croion Lands Ordinance, Neio Ulster, No. 1, Sess. 10. (J. 7 in the Reprint of the Ordinances of Neio Zealand.) Title. Preamble. 1. Commissioners of Crown Lands, their Appointment and Powers. 1. Commissioners of Crown Lands. 2. Appointment and Tenure of Office. 3. Rules for their guidance. 4. Powers to Commissioners to hear and determine Disputes, &c 5. And to award damages not exceeding £20. 6. And to expel Trespassers. 7. And to recover possession. 8. And to distrain for Rent. 9. And to charge a fee for his decision. 10. To be paid into the Treasury. 2. Assessment on Stock depastured on Crown Land, not being witlmi the Limits of a Hundred. 11. License to be granted. 12. Return of Stock to be made by owner. 13. Assessment to be levied on Stock. 14. According to Returns. 15. Notice to be given to Parties liable to Assessment. 16. Appeal allowed. 17. Amount due recoverable by Distress. 18. In case of non-payment, License may be cancelled. 3.— Management of Crown Lands within the limits of a Mundred. 19. Right of pasture to be limited to persons holding a-license.

20. A license to be granted to. any occupant. 21. License to be in force for one year. 22. Fee to be paid for license. 23. List of licensed persons to be published in the Government Gazette. 24. Persons comprised in such list to have exclu-

sive right of pasturage. 25. And to have power of electing Wardens. 26. Commissioners to preside at elections. 27. And to have a casting vote. 28. Vacancies, how supplied. 29. Wardens to have power to apportion, &c, cattle to be depastured. 30. Regulations made by Wardens to he published. 31. Failing an appointment by Wardens, Commissioner to have power. 32. Power to Wardens to make bye laws. 33. And to levy an assessment. 34. And to distrain for same. 35. Amount of license fee to be paid over to Wardens. 36. Accounts to be kept by Wardens. 37. Penalty on unlicensed persons depasturing cattle, &c. 38. Power to Wardens to impound cattle trespassing. 4.— Unlawful oocupation of Crown Land. 39. Persons occupying Crown Lands without license liable to penalty. 40. Penalty for second offence. 41. Exception. 42. Rights of Crown saved. - 43. Cattle trespassing may be impounded. 44. Onus Probandi. 45. Costs of suit. 46. Interpretation. 47. Commencement of Ordinance. Schedules A. B. C. D. Regulations to be established under the 3rd clause of the foregoing Ordinance, with respect to land not included in proclaimed Hundreds. For every license for a defined run the sum of Five Pounds shall be paid annually. All persons requiring unoccupied portions of the Crown Lands, as defined runs for the purpose of depasturing cattle, shall lodge a description of such land with the Commissioner of Grown Lands. Such descriptions shall specify the boundaries and other particulars connected with the run, according to Schedule A. hereunto annexed. Such boundaries of land so described as are not marked by natural boundaries, such as streams, &c, shall be marked by the occupants thereof, by lines of marked trees, by posts placed at intervals, or by some other method which will render them easily discernible. Any person who shall have a run claimed by him, or any part thereof, unoccupied by stock for months shall be considered as having abandoned such run, or part thereof, which shall thereupon be given into the occupation of the first applicant for it. It shall be in the power of the Commissioner of Crown Lands at any time to make such alterations in the boundaries of runs as he may upon inquiry judge to be just and expedient. Every proper facility will be afforded by the Government to persons desirous of purchasing homesteads on their runs, but it will not undertake to survey and offer for sale any smaller blocks than fifty acres of land. No person shall be entitled to dispute the claim of another person to any run described according to these regulations, unless the matter be brought before the Commissioner of Crown Lands within three months after the publication in the Government Gazette of the name of the person claiming the run, and of the description of the run. All licenses for defined runs will be for years. Licenses, excepting those within hundreds, to be signed and issued by the Colonial Treasurer upon payment of the proper fees. No license will preclude the Government from including Avithin a hundred or selling the land leased or any part thereof, or will in any way affect the rights of the Crown to land occupied in virtue of such licenses. All disputes between holders of licenses, having reference to depasturing stock or cutting timber, shall be heard and decided by the Commissioner of Crown Lands, who is authorized by the Crown Lands Ordinance to charge at his discretion to the party against whom his decision shall be made a fee of Five Pounds. No licenses for depasturing purposes can be transferred from one person to another without the authority of the Government being previously obtained through the Commissioner of Crown Lands-