THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, February 11, 1843.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 49, 11 February 1843, Page 194

THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, February 11, 1843.

Lea journaux deviennent plus ne'cessaires & mesure que les hommes sont plus fegaux, et 1* individualisme plus a craindre. Cc serait diminuer leur importance que de croire qu' ila ne servent qu' k garantir la liberty : Us maintiennent la civilisation. De TocaocviLLE. De la De'mocratie en Amerique, tome 4, p. 220. Journals become more necessary as men become 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 civilization. D« TocauxviLLi. ' Of Democracy in America, vol . 4, p. 202.

We find, by the Colonial Gazette and the New Zealand Journal, that our friends in England are far more busy about Mr. Rennie's project for a fourth settlement than we have been here. The latest date of the latter paper is full of nothing .else ; both editorial remarks and letters ad infinitum from anonymous correspondents, discussing the plan, and in reply to letters addressed by Mr. Ren me to the Colonial Gazette on the subject. The two important points of difference between Mr. Rennie and apparently all the rest of the English New Zealand world are, first, the prematureness of his plan, and, second, the reduced price which he would set upon the land in his new settlement. We were sure, ' from the first, that the reduced price could not be allowed^ the injustice was too palpable to permit much question on the subject ; and Mr. Rennie himself, as may be gathered i from the correspondence, does not seem ! disinclined to blink it when he finds how very unpopular it is ; and it is to be supposed also that additional reflection may have convinced him of its impropriety. The question of prematureness is dwelt upon through all the correspondence upon the subject as being not less important than that of price; and, whatever opinion we may entertain of it here, the manner in which it has been taken up in England at least serves to show us that we have plenty of friends there, who will not easily allow any semblance of injustice to be done us* even if there were anywhere discoverable at once the will and the power to do it. This of prematureness appears to us to be a very simple matter. The last settlement being once well afoot, able to run alone, being itself in some degree able to send supplies instead of being wholly occupied in receiving them ; having also, from its progress, no further demand for the adventurous ones who are dissatisfied with anything but an

absolutely new place, in which they nifty have the interest of founders ; — then a new settlement in its neighbourhood is ho longer premature. In the particular case, however, of a settlement upon Mr. Rennie's improved plan, it is to be remembered that, in consequence of its offering a degree of comfort on first arrival wholly unprecedented, it might be necessary to delay its foundation somewhat longer than under ordinary circumstances, since it begins at a much earlier period than it would have done with less smoothing to be a rival to its elder sister for settlers requiring and seeking established society and European luxuries. We feel perfectly safe in leaving the matter in the hands of those in England who have to do with it ; and (though we do not expect that pleasure for at least two years) shall be most happy to give Mr. Rennie a hearty greeting when he arrives. In the course of the correspondence above referred to, we have been struck especially by two points that are mooted, one by Mr. Rennie, as to the reasonableness of complaining and being disheartened because we have no export ; and the other by some one in reply to him, as to how far it is desirable that land should sell rapidly. We give an extract from a letter of Mr. Rennie's to the editor,, of the Colonial Gazette :—: — " The data upon which I have come to the conviction that New Zealand is a country capable of exporting largely, ore these — that the climate is indisputably fine, and that the soil is in almost every explored part rich and fertile. I am not aware that these two facts can be or ever have been disputed. The range of the thermometer shows a temperature equal to Southern France or Italy. What then is wanted? Capital and industry alone. Let me ask, if in the whole catalogue of imports from foreign countries into England, there is any one article, except timber, which is produced spontaneously in the country from which it is exported ? Is coffee, cotton, tobacco, tea, rice, indigo, pepper, sugar, wine, silk, or — I might transcribe the Tariff — produced without cultivation ? and why is New Zealand alone to be exempted from the condition to which every other clime is liable ? Does Russia prepare an indigenous uncultivated flax? I say, then, if flax is to be relied on, and any insuperable natural difficulty exists in preparing that found in New Zealand, let Russian or other sorts be imported, and by cultivation there can be no reasonable doubt of its succeeding. " But, sir, are we, with an Italian climate and a rich fertile soil, to limit the productions of New Zealand to the growth of. an article raised with -success in Russia? Have we not every right to expect that wine, silk, tobacco, rice, &c, may be successfully cultivated? The trials already made have proved that every kind of European corn flourishes; the same of fruits and vegetables. The sea abounds with fish of every description, whether of a nature suited for immediate consumption or export in a salted state. " The whale-fishery alone has been hitherto a sufficient inducement to numerous parties to settle themselves in convenient stations around the coasts ; and there is little reason to doubt that, by the aid of capital, the profits of that occupation might be much increased. *' Without being able to deny any one of these facts, there are many people who cry out, why have we no exports from Wellington ? I will include the Bay of Islands, a still older settlement, and endeavour to give reasons which ought to satisfy most persons. The Bay of Islands has been more or less inhabited for twenty years by British subjects, who resorted there for the whalefishery. The land in that neighbourhood is less suited to cultivation than any other settled portion of New Zealand ; and indeed, the habits of the colonists, with the large profits some of them obtained from the whale-fishery, never led them to become agriculturists. But what are the, facts with regard to Wellington ? It is scarcely three years since the colonists were landed. For many months even the intended site for the town was not fixed; and it was not until twenty months after their arrival that titles to those lands were given to them : and yet we- are asked, ' what exports there have been from Wellington?' — from men living precariously, and e^—sting their means, in an uncleared country, with no certainty, until little more than twelve months since, that they might not be expelled from the land which until then they had no recognized title to ! Is it likely that colonists, however industrious or energetic, could think of producing exportable commodities under those circumstances ? If cultivation were attended to at all, would anything else than mere articles of subsistence be thought of ? Further arguments must appear superogatory. . " Now that the colonists *re fairly, in possession of their lands, we may aek what is reasonable to expect from them, in order that others may be encouraged to follow their example. From the constant influx of new colonists, it cannot be expected, even with great industry on the part of the emigrants already settled, that they cando more than grow enough to meet the home demand for some time to come ; excepting, perhaps, in the article of potatoes, which, being generally the first crop on new cleared lands, the colony wJß^robably be enabled to export to a considerable extent to Australia, where there is a constant demand at remunerative prices. Beyond this it is unreasonable to expect This may be followed by corn of various kinds. Span axe now tent to England, and a trade in sawn timber is commenceing with Australia."

It has given us the greatest pleasure to find by an advertisement inserted by order of the Court of Directors in the New Zealand Journal, that it is the intention of the Company to afford greater facilities than hitherto, for the emigration of fanners and small capitalists to these settlements. Mr. Terry, it may be remembered, laid great stress upon the necessity of adopting some means for the attainment of so desirable an object v Whether the expression of this*' opinion by him has had any effect in bringing about a change in the arrangements of the Company, or whether it is merely the result of their own increased experience and that of their agents, we know not ; but we hail the announcement that a vessel was to leave London for Wellington and Nelson on the 15 th of November last, the arrangements for passengers on board of which, both as regards diet, accommodation, and price, are expressly made for the purpose of "facilitating the emigration to New Zealand of persons of the labouring class of good character, who do not fall within the regulation entitling them to a free passage ; and also of small capitalists, to whom the costly accommodation usually provided for cabin passengers would be unsuitable." " The price of a chief cabin passage, with a liberal dietry, will be fifty guineas for a married couple, and thirty guineas for a single adult person ; and that of a fore cabin passage will be twenty pounds per adult. The prices for children will be in the proportion fixed by the Passengers Act, or as the Directors may fix in the case of large families." The New Zealand Journal has spme most appropriate remarks upon the subject, and dwells with a strength which its importance fully merits upon the subject of the general unsuitableness of the table kept on board vessels taking out settlers to colonies, whose owners and masters are honest, and give their passengers a quid pro quo ; and also hints at the dishonesty of ' others, who take the highest price upon the strength of the reputation which other vessels have acquired for them, and at the' same time provide only a most shamefully disproportionate accommodation. The negative advantage of this system is the prevention of expensive habits ; the positive advantage consists in enabling the colonist to take out more capital to the colony. " A hundred passengers so conveyed will take between £4,000 and £5,000 into the colony, which would otherwise have been dissipated in expensive passages." All this is most satisfactory, and we look with some anxiety for the arrival of this November ship. There is one thing, however, which we should have liked to see added to it, and which, as it appears to us, would have brought it many degrees nearer to perfection ; namely, that the Company should have divided their sections in some way, so as to allow of purchases' being made in quantity, and therefore at a price more suited to the means of colonists likely to take advantage of this plan. It is true, that several individuals might join together, purchase, draw, i and afterwards divide their allotments ; but this is difficult without the assistance of the Company, and would not be likely to be done by persons not well acquainted with the means and characters of their copartners. We perceive no insuperable difficulty in the arrangement of the detail, and hope that, ere long, something of the sort will be done.

We have heard a report, which there is every reason to believe to be well founded, that instructions have been sent ojjjt by the Directors to throw the unsold remainder of the lands reserved for sale in the colonies into a wheel, to be drawn by purchasers in / the same manner as the unsold sections are in Broad Street. We are very sorry for it, if it is to be so, as we believe that such an arrangement will materially check their sale, and in the same degree lessen the quantity of land which will be cultivated for the next two years. It is all very well for people at home to ' buy at a risk in a lottery, especially for persons not intending to emigrate, and buying before the settle-

xnent is formed, or before they have any reason to prefer one section to another independently of its actual marketable value. But with actual settlers, residents, the case is very different. A purchaser of one section out of the wheel in London may, upon going to reside upon his suburban allotment, find that the next one to him is a very desirable one, and that it would suit his purpose exceedingly well to buy it at its fair value and unite to it his original purchase. He asks whose it is, and is informed that it is a colonial reserve, and that his only chance of getting it, and that- 150 to 1 against him, is by paying £300, to buy — even should he be so singularly fortunate as to draw the one he wants — also 151 acres which he does not want. The originally purchased section may be so situated as to be wholly un suited for cultivation by its owner, in consequence of his having other occupations : a colonial reserve is close to him, just the very thing he wants, but he cannot get it, consequently he cultivates not at all. The originally purchased section may be a late choice and inferior ; the owner may have the means and the inclination to cultivate a better one if he can procure it, and this .plan of the wheel has taken nearly 200 sections out of the market, consequently it has a tendency to force inferior land into cultivation before its time, or to increase by a per centage the expense at which many individuals will have to cultivate. There is quite good land enough left out of the market as it is, by means of the unsold sections in the wheel in London, and the sections of absentees without agents, or with agents having powers limited to a farce ; and it is very bad policy- to add to the number by throwing these colonial reserves again into the wheel. Nothing could be easier than to arrange the sale of them by other means. Say there are 150 sections : put them at the original price of £300 each, so that Altogether, when sold, they must produce £45,000. Let the relative value of each town, each suburban, and each rural lot be calculated, taking that sum as the aggregate value ; and then any one lot desired to be purchased might be put up to auction at request, or when otherwise thought fit, with that relative value as the reserve price. To such a plan we can see no possible objection, while the one proposed is full of evils.

We are exceedingly happy to receive assistance from any of our fellow-colonists in the forwarding of any project which may be beneficial to the settlement; and we greet Mr. Nicol's letter with pleasure, as finding by it that we have a coadjutor in the formation of the much-wanted " Association," of whose existence we were previously ignorant. We must be allowed, however, to make a remark or two as to Jthe late show and the prizes then adjudged; There were two judges only appointed, with a referee to be applied to only in cases of difference of opinion. One of the judges, Mr. Taylor, has had long experience, and we believe him to be one of the best, nay, if it be not invidious to say so, the best gardener in the settlement, and he united to those advantages the essential one,, in a judg6, of having nothing whatever in the show, either in his own name or that of another. As to the competence of the other judge, as he happens to be the gentleman who edits this paper, we will say nothing ; but we think it will be. the least that could be asked to give him credit for impartiality, as well a3 Mr. H. Thompson, the referee, who is an English agriculturist. Those, however, who are incredulous as to the possibility of an impartial judgment,, may receive some satisfaction from being "\ informed that the judges had no means whatever of knowing the names of the owners of the various specimens, as they were only distinguished by numbers. The instances given by Mr. Nicol are not happily chosen to prove his point, whatever others not mentioned may happen to be. The prize wheat was grown by Mr. Andrews, from wed brought out by himself; and

though it is true that the plot of ground is not a large one, yet to have allowed that to influence them, even if the judges had been aware of it at the time, would have been to show an undue favour to persons possessed of capital over the poorer but equally meritorious individual, who had, as far as his means allowed, been subjected to equal trouble and anxiety. As to the potatoes; Mr. Nicol may not be aware that the judges were directed to award three prizes — one to the best from English seed, one to the best from Derwent seed, and one to the best from Maori seed. To the specimen mentioned, including one tuber, the ill shape of which was artificial, not natural, the last prize was awarded. Any persons reading the various cards might have perceived this, and the mistake made by Mr. Nicol would not have occurred. As we should be unwilling to misunderstand the meaning of " the presence of any officious attendant," we have nothing to say to it but that we regret it was not omitted. "We hope to find in Mr. Nicol a zealous assistant in the formation of an Agricultural Association ; and to him and all others interested in its speedy establishment our columns will at all times be open.

The Indus arrived on Sunday last, with immigrants from London, having sailed on the Ist of October. Only two deaths took place on board, both of which were children, — one a premature birth on the voyage. Every vessel which arrives, gives additional proof of the safety and excellence of our harbour, and the great facilities it affords at all times for the landing of cargo. The Indus, which anchored in the outer roads on Sunday evening, came into harbour on Monday, landed her immigrants in two hours, and all their luggage in the course of the two following days. Unless stopping to take in water, refit, or some unusual detention, there is no period of the year when an immigrant vessel need be more than a week from the time she sights Nelson before she takes leave of it aeain. We have been informed that many of the immigrants by the Indus have taken land, and proceed at once into the country, without wasting their time about the town. This is as it should be. Men who emigrate with a desire to better their condition, must be prepared to undergo some hardships, and the sooner they are encountered the sooner will come the reward;

The most sanguine believers in the capabilities of the soil in the neighbourhood of Nelson had never for an instant supposed that the display of every description of produce would have been much more than a tithe of what it proved to be. The committee appointed to superintend the amusements had even doubted the policy of showing what they feared might be considered the nakedness of the land, especially since everything would be brought forward without the advantage of that careful preparation of a fair specimen which a six months' notice usually allows in other places to those anxious to contend for superiority. The faithless ones were, however, happily overruled, and the faithful j were well rewarded. The arrangements made for the reception of the specimens were by all considered ample ; but when the eight o'clock levee commenced, the , members of the committee appointed to receive and place them found themselves wholly at a loss what to do, and their difficulty was not decreased by the remarkable equality which prevailed, both as to size and quality. We had intended giving our readers some particulars more full than we now find we are able to do, as to specimens to which prizes were not awarded. The crowded state of the room and the hurried removal of the things on the following day prevented us, however, from completing our notes. The average of all, considering the circumstances under which they were produced, was considerably superior to what could have been shojvn^fcEngland, and in the cases of seed especially, the fulness and weight was far above anything we have ever seen. The prize wheat was a splendid specimen ; in the barley there was a less remarkable superiority to others that were shewn. We understand that Mr. Cullen sent several specimens of different kinds of wheat, which, however, were not put up together so as to appear as all the property of one person; we are inclined to think that, had they been so, lie would have had the prize. The oats also were remarkably fine. Among others, Mr. Kerr's was worthy of notice, as being a specimen from eight acres just about to be harvested. The

radish to which the prize was awarded was something quite tremendous, almost a tree of pods. Many cauliflowers were produced ; and though we have seen larger heads in England, we never saw any closer or better formed or of a purer hue than some of them, especially the prize one. Among other things there was a very fine tobacco plant ; of the comparative luxuriance of this we are not capable of judging any further than that it was far superior to .any we have ever seen in Europe. From the cause above stated, we are unable to do more than give a list of the prizes, which we exceedingly regret, as almost everything shown might have been mentioned as doing credit to its grower, and proving the extraordinary luxuriance of the soil and fineness of the climate. LIST OF PRIZES. .- ' Wheat in ear, Mr. Andrews Barley in ear, Mr. Andrews Oats in ear, Mr. Hebberd Vetch seed, Mr. W. L. Shepherd Green pease, Mr. C. Elliott Beans, Mr. Trower French beans, Mr. Cautley Cauliflower, Mr. W. L. Shepherd Cabbage, Mr. W. Cullen Pea seeds, Mr. Winter Bean seeds, Mr. E. Sweet Bunch of turnips, Mr. J. Smith Bunch of carrots, Mr. W. Cullen Bunch of parsnips, Mr. Staples Nosegay — first prize, Mr. Trower second do. Mr. A. M'Donald English potatoes, Mr. Durrant Derwent do., Mr. J. Saxton New Zealand potatoes, Mr. J. Greaves Lettuce, Mr. Cautley Variety of potherbs, Mr. E. Sweet Onions grown from seed, Mr. Lyford Assortment of cabbage, Mr. Magarry Radish, Mr. James Pumpkin, Mr. A. M'Donald Vegetable marrow, Mr; Davison Cucumber, Mr. Davison Melon, Mr. Trower General specimen, Mr. Eves. ADDITIONAL PRIZES. Tobacco, Mr. M'Gee English flax, Mr. Cullen Clover and trefoil, Mr. A. M'Donald Dahlias, Mr. Eves Collection of seed, Mr. James Rhubarb, Mr. Magarry Collection of potatoes, Mr. I. Hill Mangold wurzel, Mr. W. L. Shepherd Tomata, Mr. Lyford Beet, Captain Wakefield Celery, Mr. J. Carter Barley (Norfolk matting), Mr. Taylor

We have Wellington papers to the 4th instant, and from Adelaide to the 21st of December. The Thomas Sparks, has arrived at Port Nicholson, and having a few emigrants for this place, may be expected here daily. Want of space prevents our giving extracts this week.

Cottage Property. — The following fact may give some idea of the losses which have been lately sustained in Leeds by the owners of cottage property : — An extensive proprietor of tenements of this description has at present one hundred and fifty houses, for which he receives no rent whatever, forty-six of them being empty. His arrears of rent now due amount to £1,500. We believe that owners of cottage property generally have incurred heavy losses of the same kind during the last twelve months. It will add to. the afflictions of those parties to find that they will actually have to pay and Income Tax upon the arrears due to them, and which they may never receive. So much for the justice of Peel's Income Tax!— Leeds Times. Exports to the United States. — At no period for many years has the quantity of British manufactures shipped to the United States been so small as it is at present. If eveK a packet-ship gets a freight of £250 or £300, it is considered very good as things go now. Passengers are the most profitable kind of freight, and they continue to be numerous. The packet-ship Patrick Henry, which sailed on Friday, carried out 20 cabin and 250 steerage passengers, whose passage-money would yield not less than £800. Her freight on goods did not reach £300. — Sheffield Iris. Hambtt&g Subscription. — The committee appointed to receive subscriptions for the relief of the sufferers from the fire at Hamburg have just published their report, by which it appears that the whole sum that has passed through their hands is £27,567 19s. 7d., besides contributions made in different parts of the country, amounting to about £13,000, exclusive of clothing and other articles ; and that the total amount received by the committee at Hamburg from all countries, up to the sth of July, is £268,890. Libraries fob the Metropolitan Police.— The Rev. Edward Wakeham, of Eagle Houss, Brook Green, Hammersmith, has lately made a present of upwards of 100 well-selected volumes of books, to form the nucleus of a permanent library. The design is to form a library at the station-houses for the instruction and amusement of the reserve part of the force, and when the men are off duty. The plan has been cordially approved of by the commissioners. Dcty'Of Servants. — With reference to the circumstances disclosed at a late trial, it may not be uninteresting to observe, that Paley says " a servant is not bound to obey the unlawful commands of his master ; to minister, for instance, to his unlawful pleasures ; or to assist him by unlawful practices in bis profession. For the servant is bound by nothing but his own promise, and the obligation of a promise extends not to things unlawful." Perhaps, when the presiding judge on a late occasion praised a servant who hmd ministered to the unlawful pleasures of his master, he thought him the more to be com- . mended because he had done what, in morals, or in law, he was not bound to do. — Morrwtf Post.