GOVERNMENT DESPATCHES.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 449, 12 October 1850, Page 132

GOVERNMENT DESPATCHES.

Lieutenant- Governor Eyre to the GoV«rmok>in- _,. --, ti Qhiwt. ; .- ( .- . ... , gfl^-lq^ transmitting (o .your, Excellency one <copy,offhe Blue Book fpr , the of .New Munster, " made ,"u'p for the year" ending" 31st TD^cember, 1848, I have the honour to explain that the reason for its not being ' forwarded -at an. eatlier period in the year, has arisen I from the •circumstance of tha blank forms having, only been received from Auckland, in the month of April, -and from the delay which unavoidably takes place in procuring' the required information from Nelson, Akaroa, and Otago; owing to the. uncer-; tainty and unfrequency off any means of commuuiqation between those places and Wellington. I have also to explain, that the reason of only a VingTe* copy being transmitted instead of two is, that forms for only two copies were forwarded to Wellington from' Auckland, and at four . are required (viz., two for your Excellency, one for the Legislative [Council, and one for the Lieutenant- Governor), very E reat additional laboirr and considerable delay must be in incurred in order to copy all the printed forms ia writing prior! to the details being{filled in. I will however endeavour to' transmit a second copy, with as little delay as possible, and. hope to be able to do so in about a month from this date. 2. In reviewing the circumstances and position of the province, I anY enabled to carry my remarks up to nearly the close of June, 1849, and thus supply your Excellency with some important information,* more, particularly as. regards the land question, which I could not have done, at an earlier date. , ' ' ; ; •■v .' '» ' I am hapHy to inform your 'Excellency or the' general satisfactory and prosperous state of the province, and of the continued prospect of peace' and tranquillity, now becoming daily more assured by X the better knowledge of each othrt-; which exists between the native and European races, and by the acquisition of considerable property* on the part of the former, and their enjoyment of many advantages which a friendly and uninterrupted intercourse offers;' all of which would be perilled, if not altogether lost, by the renewal of disturbance or war. ... 3. Amongst those measures which have most conduced to civilization and advancement' of the native race, undoubtedly the first and the most, influential has been the employment of natives in ! the construction of the great line's- of road ; they I have there been taught the use of tools and the < manner of executing different kinds of work, an acquaintance' with tfhich, fits ■ them to assist the settlers in their various operations, and enables i them to- obtain frequent employment; by mixing, at the road parties with Europeans, they become more acquainted with "and accustomed to our customs, train of thought, and mode of life ; old 1 prejudices are removed and former habits give: way to a new and improved state of things ; they ' become subject to discipline and control,, observe ■ order, punctuality, and regularity in. their hours, of work, and of meals; learn subordination to authority, not founded on birth or wealth, but having its origin in talent, skill, industry, fidelity, ' or any of the qualities in consideration of which' one man is placed in authority over his fellow men'; acquire habits' of cleanliness and attention td their, persons ; dress themselves in and value European clothing of a .comfortable and substantial kind, and very generally use a better and more nutritious diet than they formerly indulged in ; in fact they, to. a great extent, adopt European, habits, customs, and tastes, and to satisfy the new wa.uts which these create, they are stimulated to closer and more intimate relations with Europeans by seeking employment from, them, or by occupying themselves in supplying such articles for sale to them as they have the means of procuring, and thus a mutual confidence and dependance is established between' the two races, and the State has the best guarantee for the future tranquillity of the country, and the continuance of the existing amicable relations between its two classes of subjects. 4. Nor is the amount .of good which is thus effected, nor are the changes I have described ar going on, restricted to the limited number of natives employed at any one time on the roads ; on the contrary, from the frequent changes which, take place on the parties, as circumstances either, recall natives to their own houses or enable them to .offer their services to the Government, a very large portion of the native population is brought within the operation of their beneficial influences. Neither is this the case with regard to those tribes only who are usually considered as most friendly to us, for even RangUiaeta's immediate followers are not able to withstand the temptation, but become competitors for employment with the re?t; and when I went overland to Whanganui, in January last, I met a party of natives from that river on their way to Wellington to seek employment on the roads, and was told by them that there was a 'large: body Of Whanganuai natives preparing to follow them for the same purpose ; thus, in one short year after the war, the. very natives who were then arrayed against us. were actually on the point of walking 120 miles across the country, from their friends and houses, to try and obtain a share in the advantages which they believe employment on the roads to offer. Unfortunately, however, I was so circumstanced 'at 1 the iipe with regard to finances, that it was not in my power to increase the road parties beyond their existing strength, and with very, great regret I found' myself compelled tb disappoint the' expectations which had been raised, and, by telling the Whanganuai natives that I could not then give them any employment, prevent their intended journey. h. Another instance of the good results of employing natives in the construction of, roads, and remarkable as exhibiting steady self-denial, persevering industry, and combined effort, on the part of a considerable body of natives to effect a desired object, deserves to be recorded. At the village of Otaki, distant 50 miles from Wellington, a small portion of the Ngatirakana tribe are Roman Catholics. . These natives had long contemplated the erection of a water-mill, and had partly commenced the undertaking, when they found their funds insufficient to complete it. Despairing, from the smallness of their number, of raising the necessary amount by individual instalments or contributions, they came in a body of about 70 to the Government, and requested to

be employed 'upon the pifbii<£ Voads for three months^ without drawing;. any pqrtion of their pay until the expiration of the wn.ole' period, in order that they might then have (he means of carrying out the undertaking in which they, were so tiact ifate.vftsted, . Ouripg whojej q( the:, tbijee. 'faionths.they worked steadily, and,w^l^s,up,porting tbemielves ftom their own resource's, and' at' the close 6f their agreement, 1 paying 1 over the 'greater' portion of their earnings to the party' employed by, them in the agreements connected with the^r mil l.l • • • ' ..1.,. . , ' !l .n,V , '' 1 Independently of the pleasing., and interesting. light in which ' the native ' character" is placed ' by ' the ' above occurrence,' I think no - stronger or> mow! gritifying proof i could pdsiibiy have been given of ,the^)aH*olute confidence re.ppsqd,,in, the, honour of the .Government, and in its .meeting its engagements with certainty and punctually • ' 6. Other symptoms of improvement jare to be observed in the increasing civilization " o( the natives in tfieir'hcquisition of ' horses ' and cattle, and'in their desire to have 'villages laid out for them instead of their pahs. , „ , , Puriug. the early part of. the present year I make a hurried visit up the 'coast to Whanganui, examining a good deal of the intervening country, more especially on. the Rangitiki and Manawatu rivers ;i and I was much! gratified at the great: extent of 'fine ppen country, -which I met vf\\h, and much of which is of fl highly fertile and valuable character." At the' Manawatu 'l found numerous native cultivations of wheat, then just ripening 1 , as fine as any I have ever seen' id atiy^part of the' world. I was informed also, on good 'authority, whilst in this neighbourhood, that the natives of the Manawatu had sold six hundred pounds' (£600) 'woVth" of wheat ' during the previous twelve" months, and that the quantity of wneaf then growing was much greater than it had been the previous year. • , j - r -» 1 In going up the Whanganui river for about 50 miles, I was also much pleased to find the wheat cultivations very extensive, frequently embracing' both sides of the -river, where the ground was favourable, and extending in long narrow strips along the banks, the. precipitous of the country abutting upon the , river confining the available' land' to these narrow belts; The natives wjere ' every where exceedingly frreridly and well disposed, and seemed anxious to cultivate closer relations with Europeans. - . , . ' • Many of the natives are now beginning' to acquire cattle, and they have long possessed a number of horses. At the emigration of a portion of the Ngatiawa tribe from Waikanae, in April, 1848, I believe the emigrating party took away about 40 horses,, and there were still others left with the portion of the tribe w,hich remained. Thinking your Excellency' might like to have. a .return showing the number and sexes of the {.emigrants, I enclose a copy of a list carefully ! taken by Mr. M'Lean, when they were on the ] line of route to Taranaki. At Otaki the natives are still making rapid progress in civilization, and the settlement is assuming the appearance of a neat European -village. Many new -houses of a superior kind have been built during the last 18 months;, a magnificent church has been erected, and, thoujj^ not quite' complete, is in a state which is usable ; in fact, I have myself attended service there, when I think there could have been little short of 900 natives within its walls.: More attention has been paid to neatness than was formerly the case ; and most of the fences are not only substantially put up; but are cut evenly at the top, and present a very neat and pleasing appearance.' The gardens are also more attended to ; and the use of milk, butter, tea, &c, more appreciated in the domestic arrangements. , 7. The example of the Otaki natives, has been a great stimulus to other tribes, who are not a little envious of the comfort enjoyed by them, and of the reputation which their superior civilization obtains for them among Europeans, and which is strongly evidenced by the visits of nearly all the better class of visitors to the province of that favoured settlement.' The result of this feeling creates a strong desire to follow the example of the Otaki natives, and to form villages in other localities ; and numerous applications are made to the Government to send surveyors for the purpose — a disposition which I endeavour to encourage -as much as possible by complying with the request, when practicable, or likely to lead to beneficial results. During the last 18 months such villages have been laid out at Whanganui (on the Fatiki side), at Manawatu, at ' Waikanae, at Wainui, and at Motueka in the middle island. Instructions have also been given to lay out' a village at Porirua, and to lay out Te Aro pah, in the town of Wellington, in a manner which, whilst suitable for building purposes', may be more conducive to the. health and comfort of the natives than it is in its present wretched state; • - - : I transmit translations of the applications made with reference to these two latter places, the one from the principal chiefs of the Ngatitoa tribe and the -other from the Te Aro chief, Henri -Parai. ' ' " ■ 8." Other indications of the advancement of the .native race, and of their growing confidence in the value of civilized institutions, are to be found ia tbeir frequent applications to the Resident Magistrates' Courts whenever they consider •themselves aggrieved, whether by Europeans or by other natives, and in the readiness with which they submit to and. abide by Us decisions.- In these courts during the last 18 znoqthst .several .cases of grave import between native and native have been adjudicated upon, which would formerly have involved' the' life of the offender, and might have led to a general disturbance ; some of these (cases of -seduction), I. had the honour of bringing more .particularly under -your Excellency's notice; in my .Despatches, No. 85. July 26, 1848, and No. 101, October 17, 1843. I now transmit a copy of an interesting report from the resident magistrate of Wellington on the general working of the Reisdent Magistrates' j Courts, and I .fully coincide in the opinion expressed by that officer, that the inexpensive and expeditions ' redress afforded tends greatly to strengthen the amicable relations between the two races. ' I also forward a- copy of a letter from the resident magistrate at Wellington, in reference to the execution of the native Maroro for murder,

a'nd^'the 'ilnprtWißh wMsh that event seems to' have made'Ch- thctnirnds of the natives generally. ' Three extradt* • al*& from reports of i other resident magistrates rage herewith , attached , and tend >to show (the <genera% tranquil state j of, the , province and tb*Q lexisjknte^f..* .mutual, good filing ibetw««n the twptacffc, , „ . '-.'". Q.. l l)uri.4gthe.Jast 1 J.8,-jnqn I tha several important' 'ahd,d^cuU[ ( land,- questions, .have been jiappily. lafljusted, and yery extenslv.e and valuable districts been f acquifed fpr'the purppses of^the'se'ttlement. ■ , TJn? questions thus successfully settled are^fitst, 1 the! lohg '; pending' 'and"' embarrassing 1 one 'at Whalnganui, the particulars J 6f we re- in my' despatch,' No;"64) sth JWrSe J /184ff; W*Mt&'B7,'lM< August, '■ 184'S. ' ' Secondly/ ■ that of : tbt - 'Middle IMattd, reported in<my'despWhH <> N<o;<:l9(i'a(hhMflfcJh I , ' 1849, and 'NoV 24; 20th Maraty 1549. i Thirdly, ' tWat of '■ Rmigltlkh <aw statedt! in my despatch, No. 44^ 3ri 'Maynlß49,!and]No. 58,. 2nd June, 1849. ; Some arrangements 'hafceyalsp, beerJ niade, as detailed, iij my .despatch, No. 18th ApriU 1846, by,which Jh«- claims of natives residentjati Wellipgton f and; other parts , of New Munster tOj}and at Taranaki, in the province, of New .Ulster, have been, satisfied and set. at rest! The J,and-l9cked bay of Waitohi, in the Middle' island, has also been acquired as a' port ifo^fhe .jWMraW^pderjypur Excellency 'VHibre itnrjtf'efl?ateand'personal superintendence. In' additfont6 tlie aboVe 1 , negotiatibus hk^e ; b(reri 'operied' for the acquisition 1 of 1 thi?' Wairftraprf-' couhtryi' ' but' 'trere' temporarifjr suspended for the refrsoa stated in' my* despatch, No. rißpjfth Marcfr. ■■.'•./., ,: , ' Mri' M'Leanis now engaged in endeavouring to adjust the 1 Manawatu < qaestion, and it is intention' to'dis'patchrMr. Mantell Jo 'the • Ahuriri and Hawke'js Bay ooun try, as-soon, as he -returns,, from' a mission . tQ ; . Banks'. Peninsula, having reference, to arrtngen\ent« requirfd, on behalf of the, , Canterbury settlement, and for ttie.adjustment'Of |he French. claim in that neighbourhood.' The fact* of . the haitiyes of the' Ahuriri ' having voluntarily come forward and offered to sell their land, and the ..steps I proposed taking in consequence, are 'stated in my' despatch, No.' 61, "21st Junei^: ' : ■ , '

Within the same ' period of- time grants' have also been issued to' this New Zealand Company for r the districts' ' of Wellington 1 , and Nelson', and' the grant for Whanganui is ready for signature. . • -i 10: With regard to the general prospects of the. province, I am happy to say. they nev,er were more promising! Your Excellency is aware that after the serious calamity which befel the province in the earthquakes of October, 1848, conaiderable depressiion existed,, and the revenue of .Wellington -wasj materially affected for the quarter in which they occurred ; that depression, however; existed but for a short period ; the energy arid perseverance of the colonists seemed' but to increase with the' occasion for .their exertion j and the ruined dwellings in the town were' soon replaced by new buildings of- wood, better calculated to resist the< shocks of earthquake, should 1 such again unhappily take place. ' ' • • • . In other- respects, , also, 1 the . province bears a most cheering aspect. Its climate, is most healthy, and the necessaries of life are both abundant and cheap t the great drawbacks to its .rapid progress 'being? the want of emigration, and of easy and quick communication. between its various isolated settlements ; these drawbacks to its rapid progress can pnly be removed by the adoption of such , regulations as, by .permitting the 1 sale' ,of land within the colony itself, may ' enable each settlement to have its land-fund 1 applicable to the purposes of emigration, and by the establishment of steam communication.

11. The Establishment of a local Legislature on the close of 1848 has opened oat a new era for the province, by bestowing upon it the power of enacting any laws necessary for the regulation of its local affairs. Through the channel-also of the Legislature, the colonists «re. provided with a proper and legitimate means of expressing their opinions on all. questions of .importance, whether such questions be local or general. The first session of the provincial Legislature of New Munster assembled for the despatch' of public business on the Ist May, 1849, but they had previously been called togetner for a' day ot twe in December, 1848^ by your Excellency, for the purpose of. laying before them an 1 exposition of your Excellency's -policy and views with regard to certain questions affecting tlie general welfare. !During this -first session, now nearly closed, the local Legislature have 'enacted various laws of considerable importance in reference- to local matters., and they have expressed their opinions on one or two subjects of general interest to the whole of New Zealand; as it wiil.be my duty to. communicate with yoar Excellency on many of these subjects separately, I refrain from entering upon the questions involved in .them now ; I take the opportunity, however,, of enclosing ta. copy of the opening address. f ' 12. In concluding this hasty and cursory review of the general state and prdspects of the colony, I cannot but regret that the pressure of other business has prevented me from devoting the time I could have wished to s6 important and interesting a discussion, and that I have therefore necessarily been obliged to leave untouched many points which, if more leisure had been afforded me, I should gladly have referred to. I have, &c, . (Signed) S.Eyrk. Government House. "Wellington, . June 25, ,1849. „, „

I ; ■ i ' . r . •. , i A traveller in a steam boat ndt particularly celebrated for its celerity* inquired^ a gentleman Who stood next to him what the boat was called ; Upon which the laUe^reß^d, V^lJbinjCriir, it is called the Regulator* for I pereWGaU.Qther steam boats go by it 1". < •-><*.(•* A MoDJtsT BcauEST.— Walking one day in 'a field" of turnips,, on which hi : particularly prided himself, Lord Balcarres surprised an 'old woman, a pensioner of the family, busily employed in filling a sack with his favourites. After heartily scolding her, to which she replied only by a silent eloquence of repeated curtsies, he was walking away, when the poor woman called after him, " Eh, my lord, it's unco heavy ! wad ye no be sac kind as help me on wit?" which he immediately did, and with many thanks she decamped.— J*r,d Undtay's " Livm •/ the Lindsays.