The Marlborough Press. SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 1860.

Marlborough Press, Volume I, Issue 33, 18 August 1860, Page 2

The Marlborough Press. SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 1860.

We were favoured with a copy of the Examiner of Wednesday last, and a Colonist of the 7th August, containing news

from Taranaki to the lltli instant, and other items of intelligence, which we give as felly as our space will allow-

Nelson is playing no unimportant part at this crisis. By her position and mean of accommodation she is enabled to receives the unfortunates from Taranaki ; who have no choice left, but are compelled to leave not only their once happy and thriving homes, but the province of their adoption. The colonial war steamer Victoria arrived last Sunday with nearly 100 passengers, chiefly women and children, and H.M. steamers Fawn and Cordelia were hourly expected with more passengers. But it is not only as a place of refuge that Nelson has been of service. She has contributed largely towards the support of the helpless, and otherwise destitute refugees. "VVe have heard continually of the many contributions of goods and money which have been made so willingly by the people of Nelson, who are still exerting themselves to render what aid they can. The large increase to the population is being provided for both by the Government, and by .private individuals, upwards of fifty carpenters and others (whose names appear in the Examiner ) having volunteered to give two days’ labour each to aid in erecting suitable buildings for them, whilst the public halls, schoolhouses, aud the stand at the race-course are to be made serviceable for a few day 3 if required. We are sure that the people of this province will not be backward in giving what aid they can towards assisting Nelson in her laudable efforts; and if exertions were made here in their behalf we should have reason to bo proud of the result. We may perhaps not be able to find accommodation for many, but much may be done by contributions. It will be remembered that on the motion of Mr. Eyes, the sum of £250 was voted by the Provincial Council, to be transmitted to the Treasurer of the Taranaki Aid Committee in Nelson. The honourable member at first intended to move for £SOO, to be sent to the Superintendent of Taranaki; but on it being represented that a sum forwarded to Nelson to be expended for the benefit of those who had already arrived there would be productive of more immediate good, the motion for £250, as stated, was proposed and agreed to. Now, however, the circumstances are somewhat different; it is more than probable that the greatest part of the population of Taranaki will shortly be in Nelson; and as there is no chance of the men being employed there, we think it is time for us to consider in what way we can best render further assistance to our unfortunate and homeless fellow colonists. In alluding to the probable influx from Taranaki, the Examiner says :—“ It is time to look fearlessly at our own position as well as at the position of those who, against their inclinations, we fear, are coming amongst us. There will be several hundred women and children receiving rations supplied by our Government; there will also be a considerable body of men with large families, but with little or no means, suddenly thrown on our labour market, who, unless they can find employment must be supplied with rations also, as they cannot be suffered to starve; and many of them from age, ruinous losses, and other dispiriting causes, will not have the vigour to make the best of their present circumstances. The people being here, it becomes our duty to see what can be done to permanently benefit them, and relieve ourselves. Why should not the Government lay off a block of land in the valley of the Takaka, or at the Aorere, or on the Grey, or the Buller, and make a free gift of a certain number of acres to each family that will settle there; and instead of supplying them -with rations in town, offer at once to provide them with a certain scale of rations for a specific time, to enable them to raise their first crops?’’

The session of the General Assembly was opened by his Excellency the Governor on the 30th ultimo. His Excellency’s speech for which we are not able to find room this week, contains no explanation of the intended policy of the Government with regard to the Natives, or any other matter. In reference to the meeting of the native chiefs in Auckland, his Excellency states: —“From the results which have already attended the meeting, I feel justified in expecting that it will remove much misconception, will confirm the loyal and reassure the doubting, and will prepare the way for measures to establish the relations of the Government with the aborigines on a solid and satisfactory basis.” The members are congratulated “on the continued increase of the population, exports, and revenue of the colony ; an increase which, during the past year, has been unusually rapid.” It also states that the members “will be invited to consider a measure for increasing

the number of the members of the house and for re-distributing the representation s 0 as to fairly adjust it to the altered state op the colony,”