THE LATE LAND REGULATIONS.

New Zealander, Volume 2, Issue 68, 19 September 1846, Page 2

THE LATE LAND REGULATIONS.

The period allotted in the Government Gazette of the 16th June, 1846, for sending in to the Colonial Secretary's Office, the documents relating to the purchases of Land from the Natives, expired on the 15th inst. We believe that all the parties whose position 1 and circumstances enabled them to comply with the requisition within the specified time, have duly forwarded their respective claims. There may, however, and we doubt not but that there are some, .who, were . prevented Jrom doing so by unavoidable circumstances. To such persons, we would say, that as the object of the Governor is, doubtless, the satisfactory adjustment, and not the extinction of every equitable claim, there can be no reasonable ground for apprehension that their interests will suffer in consequence of an involuntary delay in the transmission of their deeds ; and we recommend them to forward their documents as speedily as possible, accompanied with an explanation of the causes that precluded the possibility of a strict compliance', with the letter of the regulations. We believe His Excellency to'be too straightforward and high-minded to take any advantage of the disabilities of the claimants; and whatever 1 the precise nature of the enquiry he is about to institute may be, we feel persuaded that he will conduct it upon the principles of equity. If the quantity of Land claimed by a purchaser should appear excessive, when compared with the price paid for it, it will be recollected that such disproportion is no evidence against the validity of the transaction.

The question will be, we presume, did the Natives willingly alienate such a quantity of land for so small a consideration, and were they satisfied with the payment. Instances of fraud may be detected, but we are not aware of any having been perpetrated; and we feel certain that bona fide, straightforward claimants — however small the consideration they gave for the land they acquired — have nothing to fear from the investigation. If the Natives were conscious of their act and satisfied with their bargain, no one can possibly adduce a reason for annulling the transaction on the ground of invalidity. We look at this question, simply as it affects the general welfare of the community : we have no personal interest involved in the issue; and, therefore, speak without the secret bias of self-interest.

Government Gazette.—The official returns of Revenue and Expenditure, published in the Gazette 1 q{ the 11th iust,, and copied into our columns to-day, are cheering evidences of oar-prosperous state. The large amount of the revenue of Customs will appear" more surprising, and more encouraging, when it is remembered that it is owing to the natural increase of trade and commerce, and not to the constant presence of a large military force. The barracks at Auckland do not contain, we believe, more than'3oo men, while the force at ..the Southern settlements where the revenue, collectively, is not equal to that of the Capital, is upwardsof 800 strong. The expenditure on account of the Northern division of the Colony, seems to us, to be larger, as stated in the returns, than it would appear if .the different itemi were classified upon principles of strict justice. For instance,—there is the item of jg44o 13s. 2d. for theGovernment brig. -Should this be placed entirely to the account of the Northern division, when the vessel, has been almost exclusively employed at the South ? Other incongruities might be pointed out in the Colonial Secretary's, Treasjtrer's, aud Audit Departments, who do the work of the Southern Settlements, but we cannot spare time for more than a passing allusion; it appears, however, that if a just discrimination were used in classifying the items, and placing them to the account of the settlements i n whose behoof they were incurred, our expenditure would appear considerably less than it does at present.

Auckland Manufactories.—Within the last two years, the interests of the Capital have been materially advanced by the succe%sful establishment of several useful manufactories. Mr. Robertsons rope walk is au instance of the skill and perseverance with which our artisans can make their industry available to the purposes of promoting the general good. The compactness and perfection of his establishment, and the excellent quality of the rope he has manufactured from the Native flax, are worthy of the commendation so universally elicited, and entitle him to the praises of his fellow colonists. Mr. M'Vay's Tannery is another proof of the enterprising spirit of our tradesman. The method he has con- ' trived for extracting the qualities of the Towhai bark, by means of steam, is very ingenious ; and the leather he produces is admitted by all competent judges to be inferior in no respect to that which is imported. Mr. Grimley's Pottery is also a valuable addition to our domestic trade, and will, if duly encouraged, become a manufactory of great importance. Then there are our three breweries, and our four brick-fields, all in full occupation. With such means of producing many of the essential articles of civilised hie in actual operation, and with the certain prospect of having others added to the list we may, without affectation, congratulate ourselves upon the progress we are making in the paths that tend toward substantial wealth and prosperity.

The Timber Trade.—This branch of commerce is in a flourishing state. The additional buildings that are daily projected, greatly increase the demand sawn timber, and the extensive exportation of spars, give constant and lucrative employment to the settlers and the natives who inhabit the banks of the adjacent rivers where the Kauri Pine abounds. The Waitemata, owing to the number of persons employed in this trade, presents an animated scene of busy life. The rafts as they come down are quickly sold, and it is as much as the respective proprietors of five water mills, and the , numerous sawyers at the different stations on the adjacent rivers, can do to meet the demand for building materials.

Kawau. — The operations of the mining Company at this island still continue to progress , energy and activity being everywhere apparent on the island. The Total Abstinence Society goes on prospering. At a meeting held on the 2nd inst about fifty individuals attended, and the speeches delivered on the occasion were most impressive. The personal experience of the evil results of intemperance were forcibly dwelt upon by some of the speakers, and from their expression of the injuries they have sustained by the use of ardent spirits, much good to the cause of Total Abstinence is expected. At the close of the Meeting several individuals joined the Society, which now numbers twenty nine. The new School house is expected to be'completed in a few days, when it is intended to hold a Total Abstinence festival, The Scientific Association and Library have been enriched by several volumes of instructive works, and have commenced their operations j in fact, every institution established on the" Island for the promotion of the religious, moral, and intellectual improvement of the community, meets with the most cordial support and co-operation of the thinking portion of the residents.

Melancholy Occurence.—Our, readers^wtll. recollect our recent allusions to the mysterious disappearance of the Rev. Mr. Dodson, from his residence at the Bay of Islands. We then related the suspicious circumstances connected with his' absence, the felonious entrance that had evidently been effected, into his bouse, and the disappearance of the strong box supposed to contain a large amount of cash—aud. it is now our painful duty to state that liia body has been found, near the summit of a hill in the neighbouring vicinity, very much disfigured and mutilated, the work, it is conjectured, of dogs or wild pigs. We are not in possession of authentic information relative io the result of the enquiry which we naturally conclude to have been held over the body of the deceased, but we believe that there are no reasons for suspecting that his death was caused by foul play; No clue to the missing property has been discovered.