REPORT OF THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF NEW MUNSTER ON THE BLUE BOOK FOR, THAT PROVINCE.

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 445, 20 July 1850, Page 1 (Supplement)

REPORT OF THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF NEW MUNSTER ON THE BLUE BOOK FOR, THAT PROVINCE.

LinuT.-GovcßNoß Eyre's Report, transmitting Blue Book for the Province of New Minister. Government House, Wellington, (No. C 5) June 25, 1849. Sib, In transmitting to your Excellency one copy of the Blue Book for the province of New Munster, mnde up for the year ending 31st December, 1848, I have the honour to explain that the reason for iti not being forwarded at an earlier period in the year has arisen from the circuinsUnce of the blank forms having only been received from Auckland in the month of April, and from the delay which unavoidedly takes place in procuring the required information from Nelson, Akaroa, and Otago, owing to the uncertainty and mv frequency of any means of communication between those places and Wellington. I have also to explain, that th« reason of only a single copy being transmitted instead of two is, that Jorms for only two copies were fonvaidtd to Wellington from Auckland, and as four are required (viz., two for your Excellency, one for the Legislative Council, and one lor the Lieutenunt-Governor), veiy gieat Additional labour and consideiable delay must he incurred in order to cojiy all the printed forms in writing prior to the details being filled in. I will, however, endeavour to transmit a stco-id copy with as little delay as possible, and hope to he able to do so in about a month from this date. 2. In reviewing the circumstances and position of the province, I am 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, I am happy to inform your Excellency of the general eatisfactory and proiperous state of the province, and of the continued prospect of peace and tranquility, now becoming daily more assured by the better knowledge of each other, which exists between the naive and" European races, and by the acquisition of con« siderable property on the part of the former, and their enjoyment of many advantages which a friendly and uninterrupted inteicourse 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 the civilizition and advancement of the native race, undoubtedly the first and most influential has been the employment of natives in the construction of the great lines of road ; they have there been taught the use oF tools and the manner of executing different kino's of wo-k, an acquaintance with which hts them to assist the settlers in their various operations, and enables 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 prejudices are removed and former habits give way to a new and improved state "f things ; they become subject to discipline and control, observe order, punctuality, and regularity in their houis of work, aud 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 to 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 wants which these create, they are stimulated to cloier 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 depend* ance is established between the two races, and the State has the best guarantee for the future tranquility 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, norarejthe changes I have described as going on re* Btricted 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, at 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 populution is brought within the operation of their beneficiul influences. Neither is this the case with regard to those tribes only who are usually considered as moat friendly to vi, for even Rangihaeta's immediate followers are not able to withstand the temptation, but hecome competitors for employment with the rest j and when I vent overland to Wlianganui, in January last, I met a

part)' of natives from that river on their way to Wellington to seek employment on the roads/and was told by them that there w&s a large body of Wbunganui natives preparing to follow them for the same purpose ; thus in one short year after the war the very native* who were then arrayed against us were actually on the point of walking 120 miles qcrois the country, away from their friends and homes, to try and obtain a share in the advantages which they believe employment on the roads to offer. Unfortunately, however. I wai so circumstanced at the time with regard to finances that it was not in my power to I increase the road parties beynnd their existing streug'h and with very great regret I found myself compelled to disappoint the expectations which had been raised, and, b> telling the Whanganui natives tltat I could not then give them any employmeut, prevent their intended jouiney. 5. Another instance of the good results of employing natives in the construction of roads, and remarka- | ble as exhibiting steady self-denial, persevering industry, and combined effort, on the part of a considerable body of natives to effect a dcs red object, deserves to be recorded. At the village of Otaki, distant 50 miles from Wellington, a small portion of the Ngatiraakana tribe are Roman Catholics • These naiivet had lone; contemplated the erection of a water-mill, and had partly commenced the undertaking, when they found j 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 lequested to be employed upon the public roads for three months without drawing any portion of their pay until ihe expiiation of the whole period, in order that they might then have the means of carrying out the undertaking in which they were so much interested. During the whole of the ilnee months they worked steadily and well supporting themselves fiom their own resouices, and at the close of their agreement paying over the greater portion of their earnings to the party employed by them in the arrangements connected with their mill. Independently of the pleasing and interesting light in which the native character is placed by the above ocuirence, I think no stronger or more gratifying proof could possibly have been given of the absolute confidence reposed in the honour of the Government, and in its meeting its engagements with certainty and punctuality. 6. Other symptoms of improvement are to be observed in the incieasing civilization of the natives in their acquisition of honei and cattle, and in their desire to have villages laid out for them instead of their palis. During the early part of the present year I made a hurried visit up the coast to Whanganui, eximining a good deal of the intervening countiy, more especially on the RangitiUt and Manawatu nveis ; and I was much giatifud at the great extent of fine open country which I met with, and much of which is of a highly fertile and valuable chaiacter. At the Manawatu I found numerous native cultivations of wheat, then jut>t ripening , as fine as any I have ti.ver Been in any part of the world. I was informed also, on good amhonty, whilst in this neighbouihood, that the natives of the Manawatu had sold six hundred pounds' (£600) worth of wheat during the previous twelve inonlhß, and thnt the quantity of wheat then growing was much greater than it had been the previous year. 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 liver, where the ground was fovou able, and extending in long narrow strips along the bank?, the precipitous nature of the country abutting upon the nver confining the available land to these narrow belta. The natives, were everywheie exceedingly friendly and well disposed, and seemed most 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 Ng.itiuwa 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 which remained. Thinking your Excellency might like to have a leturn showing the number and sexes of ibo emigrants, I enclose a copy of a list carefully taken by Mr. M'Lean, when they were on the line of route to Tatanaki. At Otaki the natives are still making rapid progress in civilization, and ihe settlement is assuming the appearance of a neat European village. Many new houses of a superior kind have been built dining the last 18 months; a magnificent church has been elected, and, though not quite complete, is in a state which is usable; in fact, I have myself attended service there, when 1 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 garden! arc also more at tended 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 aie nut 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 deure to follow the example of the Otaki natives, and to form Tillages in otbei localities; and numerous applications aie 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 iequest, when practicable, or likely to ltad to beneficial reI suits, During the last 18 months such villages have been 1 laid out at Whanganui (or the Patiki side), at Manai watu, at WaiUanae, at Wainui, and at Molucha in the middle island. Instiuctions have aUo 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 wi etched state. i I transmit translations of the applications mtule with reference to these two latter places, the one from the principal chiefs of the Ngatitoa Jtribe, 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 in their frequent applications to the resident magistrates' courts when, ever they consider themselves aggrieved, whether by Europeans or by other natives, and in the readiness with which they submit to and abide by its decisions. In these courts during the lait 18 months several cases of grave import between native and nalive have been adjudicated upon, which would formerly have involved the life of the offender, and might have led to a general distuibance ; some of these (ca*es of seduction) 1 bad ihe honour of bringing more particularly under your Excellency's notice in my Despatches, No. 85, July 2rt, 1848," and No. 101, October 17, 1848. I now transmit a copy of an interesting fiom the resident magistrate of Wellington on ihe general woiking of the resident magistrates' courts, and I fully coincide in the opinion expressed by that officer, that the inexpemive and expeditious redress afforded tends gieatly to strengthen the amicable relalions between the two races. I also forward a copy of a letter from the resident magistiate at Wellington, in reference to the execution of tlie nnlive Maroro for murder, and the impressiou which that event seems to have made on the mindsof the natives generally. Three extiacts also from reports of othtr resident magistrates are herewith attached, mid tend to show the generally tranquil state of the piovince and the existence of a mutual good feeling between the two races. 9. During the last 18 months several important anil difficult land questions have been happily adjusted, and very extensive and valuable districts been acquired for the purposes of the settlement. The questions thu- succeisfully settled are, first, the long pending and embarrassing one at Whanganui, the particulars of which were given in my Despalch, No. 64, 5 h June, 1848, and No. 87, Ist August, 1848. Secondly, that of the Middle Island, reported in my Despatches. No. 19, 10th March, 1849, and No. 24, 20(h March, 1849. Thirdly, that of Rangitiki,, as stated in my Despatch, No. 44-, 3rd May, 1849, and No. 58, 2nd June, 1349. Some arrangements have also been made as detailed in my Despatch, No. ,36, 18th Apiil, 1848, by which the claims of natives resident at Wellington nnd other parts of New Manster to land atTaranaki, in the province of New Ulster, have been satisfied and set nt rest. The land-locked Bay ofWaitohi, in the Middle Wand, has also been acquired as a port for the Warran, under your Excellency's mere immediate and personal supeiintcndence. In addition to the above, negotiations have been opened for the acquisition of the Wairarapa country, but were temporarily suspended for the reason stated in my Despatch, No." 18, Bth March. Mr. M'Lean is now engaged in endeavouring to ad just the Mnnawatu question, and it is my intention to dispatch Mr. Mantell to the Ahuriri and Hawke'a Bay country, as soon as he returns from a mission to Bank's Peninsular, having reference to nnangements required on behalf of the Canterbury settlement, and for the adjustment of the French claim in that neighbourhood. The fact of the natives of the Ahuriri having voluntalily come forward and offered to sell their land, and the steps I pioposed taking in cousrquence, are stated in my Despatch, No. 61, 21st .Tune, 1849. Within the same period of time grants have also been issued to the New Zealand Company for the districts of Wellington, Porirua, and Nelson, aud the' grant for Whanganui is ready for gignatute. 10. With regard to the general prospects of the province I am happy to say they never were more promising. Your Excellency is aware that after Ihe serious calamity whu-h befel the province in the earthquakes of October, 1848, considerable depression existed, and the revenue of Wellington was materially affected for the quarter in which they occurred ; that depression, however, existed but for a short period ; the enerpy and pei severance <>f the colonists seemed but to increase with the occasion for their exertion, and the ruined dwellings in the town were soon replaced by new buildiogs of wood, better calculated to resist the shocks of earthquake should such aga n unhappily take place. In other respects, also, the province brars a rao*t cheering aspect. Its climate is most heathy, and the necessaries of life are both abundant and cheap ; the great drawbacks to its rapid pi ogress being the want of emigration, and of easy and qtrck communicatijn be tween its various isolifed settlements ; these drawbacks to its rapid progress can only he removed by the adoption of luch regulations as by permitting the sale of land within the colony itself, may enable each settlement to have its tondtund applicable to the purposes of emigration, and by the establishment of steam communication! 11. The establishment 'of & local Legislature on the close of 1848 has opened out a new era for the piovmce, by bestowing upon it the power of enactiogany laws necessary for the regulation of its local affairs. Through the channel also of the Legislature, the colonists are provided with a proper and legitimate means of expi easing their opinions on all question! of importance, whether such questions be local or general. The first session of the provincial Legislature of New Munster assembled for the dispatch of public business on the Ist May, J849, but they had previously been called together for a day or two in December, 1848, by your Excellency, for the purpose of laying before them an exposition of your Excellency's policy and viewi with regard to certain questions affecting the genial welfare. Duiing this first session now nearly closed, the *ocal Legislature have enacted various ldWi of considerable importance in reference to loc,\l matters, and they have expressed their opinions on one or two subjects of geneial interest to the whole of New Zealand ; but as it will be my duty to communicate with your Ezcellency on many of these subjects separately, I refiaiu from entering upon the ques'ioub involved in them now ; I

take the opportunity, however, of enclosing a copy of the opening addresi. 12. In concluding this hnßty and cursory review of the general state and prospects of the colony, I cannot but regret that the preisure of other business has prevented me from devoting the time 1 could have wished to so important and interesting a discussion, and that I have therefore necessaiily been obliged to leave untouched many points which, if more leisure had been afforded me, I should gladly have ieferredto. I have, &c, (Signed) E. EYRE. His Excellency the Governor-in Chief, &c, &c, &c.