COMMUNICATION WITH PORT NICHOLSON.

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 47, 25 April 1846, Page 2

COMMUNICATION WITH PORT NICHOLSON.

During the first years of the government of the colony, the unfrequent communication between the capital and the southern settlements, was source of great complaint and, animadversion on the local government. Some spirited individuals in Auckland, in 1841, offered to establish a regular communication, by laying on a vessel from Auckland to Port Nicholson, to sail, to and fro, at stated periods, provided the government would pay a moderate certain sum, for the conveyance, of the mails and despatches; but although thousands of pounds were squandered on an useless unnecessary machinery, of government, not one fraction could be contributed to so important an undertaking, which would have been highly instrumental, not only in advancing the commerce of the colony, but in promoting kindly intercourse with the various settlements. It was true, that the government had at its command, the brig Victoria , but she was employed chiefly in conveying the government officers and their families, to their several appointments ; or the Judge, and the Commissioners of- land claims to Hold their various courts. on the coasts. There was rarely any communication with Wellington, and much less, with the other settlements' of the company. However, in later days, when the colonial exche-, quer could -not be replenished, from time to time, by sales of crown land, at extravagant prices; and the impoverished state of, the colonial treasury, required every fraction to be scraped together, to pay the official salaries; then, and,not till then, did the government open regular and stated..communication with Wellington and the other ports, for, the purpose of collecting the revenue raised in those districts. Occasionally, there was communication overland, with Wellington, by the way of Taranaki, between which place and Auckland, there was -for some time, a regular post once a month, but that has been discontinued. When it was known that a steamer was te arrive in the colony, it was naturally anticipated that she would be employed to keep upconstant and regular communication''with all the settlements; but now, that there are both the steamer and the colonial pig, have less intercourse ever, with-the southern ports. The distance between Auckland and Wellington, could be-run by the Driver , in three days, very easily; so that a weekly communication could be kept up between the places, and in the present state of J the colony, and the deep interest and anxiety existing among all the settlers, as to the events, passing both in the northern and southern districts, we consider- it to be the bounden duty of the government, now thatthey possess the power, to keep the whole Eu-

ropean, population duly imbrmed of current events and circumstances.

His Excellency Governor Grey, sailed from Auckland on the 6th February, with the steamer, men of war, and the government brig. {'The latter vessel returned here, on; the M March* with the intelligence that the Governor arrived at Wellington ou the 12 th Febfciijary. 1 Since th£ brig* there has been but one aijival from that port* the Ocean Queen , .w^ish;:left : about one week subsequently, and. here on the 24th March, via Bay of Island's, bringing intelligence from Wellington, to the 28th February. Events most impor-' taiit, either fortunate or otherwise, —must have transpired in the southern settlements, during the last, two months,' and which may most materially affect the future course of events ; among the native population in this northern district,—and the European settlers here, and in th : e adjacent districts, are fully ( entitled, .•*, to be put- in the earliest possession of in order to regulate their operations, in the, several pursuits in which they are engaged. . ff his Excellency the Governor requires the steamer for his own personal convenience, either one of the men of war, or the brig Victoria * should be kept,. regularly going to and fro, so, that not only the settlers here, should obtain knowledge of what is taking , place at the southward; but aho that the Governor should know quickly, every thing that transpires here. At the Bay of Islands, the military force ,is very small, Auckland, is left comparatively, without p^tection; while the native tribes are quarrelling and fighting ,among, themselves, in various quarters very near to it, and although the Governor of the colony is within five hundred miles, with steamer, and fast sailing ships, no communication has taken place between him and tH£-: capital for eight long weeks!!