New Zealand Gazette AND WELLINGTON SPECTATOR.

New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator, Volume II, Issue 89, 13 November 1841, Page 2

New Zealand Gazette AND WELLINGTON SPECTATOR.

Saturday, November 13, 1841.

A meeting on the subject of obtaining extended Banking facilities was held on Thursday last, in the Exchange, in conformity with the advertisement inviting an assemblage for the consideration of that subject. The proceedings which took place are explained by the series of resolutions which appear, in our advertising columns.

The ground for considering that the present banking facilities were not equal to the wants of the Colony, was stated to be the Union Bank not haying complied with the request of parties for "discounts upon what was deemed sufficient security and of a description in accordance with the requirements of an Institution of the kind. Parties often '[disagree as to the sufficiency of securities, and the person desirous of borrowing is naturally inclined to place a high value upon those which he tenders upon which to obtain a loan. A knowledge of the sufficiency of the security offered

is an important point /in deciding'upon -the real wants of the Colony.- If 'that point be not. fully established, .ttfe Colony may or .may not require further aid ; but if it he made abundantly evident, then it may be taken as a> certain test that an extension of banking aid is required^ It may be assumed, that all banks desire to" loan '''to' the iujtmost extent of their means,, and,. it may, safely, .be ./p" resumed,-, that they refuse aid upon two grounds only. Either-, that ,&£. security .is no^ sufficient,qr . of the- right ; * des'cription^o'r Ibecause' they." have, not the means...oj: granting, the required assistance. In cases of refusing on the former ground, Jthe/ defect- 'in -the character -■ of tlie security is commonly stated, to enable the party to put it in proper' shape; -or "to' add- to • the securityyas the- case' may be-; but, when deficiency of power' is the sole cause," it is not customary, to make any explanation, as banks will ever be unwilling to plead inability. Expressions may be dropped concerning the hardness of the times and scarcity of money, from which parties may" infer, inability to meet the real and sound wants of the community ; but, beyond such indirect admissions, nothing- further should ever be expected. We suggest this' point for the consideration of the applicants, as they may be required to furnish facts in support of the allegation, that the settlement has not sufficient .banking

capital. ' " To enable us to judge V.hether the banking facilities are sufficient,- we should require two pieces of information, of "which we are de.ficient. Eirst, the amount. the Union Bank has on loan in this. Colony,. with. a statement showing, Ist., how- much of that amount is capital introduced into the Colony by that Institution ; 2ndly., the amount of their deposit account ; and 3rdly., the. extent of their issues. With these data we should be enabled to form some opinion on" the ' subject, irrespective of the refusal to grant' discounts on all occasions when sought. The. other piece of information is the character of the business the f b'ank is expected to undertake. That is, whether it is^ of a' description universally admitted to come within the province of such an Institution* or- whether the- whole or any por,tion of it be -strictly the business of a Loan Company. It is very important that this distinction, should be made, and we hope ere long to be in possession of information which will warrant our returning to the subject., In conclusion ive may add, that the resolutions , were proposed and seconded "by influential and active commercial "gentlemen, and. that consequently the 'opinion, generally sought by banks, lias been sufficiently expressed, we have no doubt, to secure every attention to the important subject. ' , -

At the especial request of Mr. Burgess, we publish a letter addressed by him to the paper, the object -of which we confess we have .not been able to detect. Between the extracts (forming three fourths of the communication,) taken from Colonel Wakefield's dispatch of December, 1 ,1840, to the Company, and the concluding portion of the latter, their is no apparent connection. The extracts contain certain statements, which it might have been supposed oar correspondent- copied, for the purpose of commenting upon;; 'but if so, the intention has not been caried'-into effect. Possibly it was to have been explained in a postscript,' which it is known tis not uufrequently alike the most interesting and important portion of a letter ; nothing of the kind, however, accompanied' the communication. In place of affording any reason for having made extracts, our correspondent proceeds to request us to state for the information of distant' persons supposed to be interested in New, Zealand, the cost of living, on the beach of. Wellington. We are, we presume, to state the relative rent of a mauri and-a wooden house, and their respective merits ; the goat per dozen for washing babies clothes with" brown soap ; the price of fuel, and the quantity required for a family during twelve' months ; the "family to be presumed to- consist of, live; persons, papa and mamma, two children who, can, use their own 1 legs, and one requiring the use of the legs of some other person, aird,a ; servant. The price, of all other necessaries and the luxuries of lifef? in detail ; whether they can, at all times be had ;' and our 'opinion as to the probability of their prices advancing or declining henceforward'; and', our reasons at length for holding such an opinion. To this, of course, we are to add any other information we may consider likely to be useful to the interesting absentee. We are very thankful to our correspondent, for proposing to us the execution of this interesting task ; but we must plead both inability and disinclination, as our reasons for declining his challenge. ' The extracts from Colonel Wakefield's despatch* refer to the arrangement which had then been made for marking off sections at Wanganui and Taranaki, which were advertised as open to selection in the ensuing February. It was assumed that this course would have greatly expedited the surveys, by

satisfying the .claim for land,, where it would have been possible to have surveyed land -at a .very rapid ral£, instead of^in^tjie neighbourhood of Port Nicholson, where the difficulty of discovering the right passes for roads imposes the task of exploring upon the surveyors, and adds nine tenths to the cost and time necessary- for the performance of the duties v of, the 'S,uryey Department. Prior to entering upon the plan in question, the deputation returned from Sydney, with 'information restricting, the preliminary purchasers- to one, hundred and, ten , thousand acres around Port Nicholson and a refusal to entertain any proposition for the. folders of second series orders, and to this arrangment * the preliminary holders agreedyall thoughtof seeking land f6r this class of -claimants beyond the specified boundaries was for months abandoned. This terminated 'the' Taranaki and Wanganui scheme ; and at the time Colonel Wakefield, wrote it not only had an existence, but a great many persons considered>its application would be of the utmost value to the Colony from the manner in .which it" would expedite settlement, which justified him in expressing himself in a somewhat sanguine manner. Considering that s -a like measure of justice would be awarded to the holders, of > second series orders, Colonel Wakefield adopted the determination of surveying Wanganui for their benefit. This arrangement was forthwith entered upon, and it was believed persons entitled to land there would have had land open-to choice at a very early period; and that such would have been- the case, had tl.e survey .been prosecuted with zeal by the assistant surveyor then in 'charge of that district, is proved by the great progress" 'being made under the able and zealous management of Lieutenant Thomas. Nearly' fifteen thousand acres ' have been offered there already, and fifteen thousand more will be open to selection on the 15th December next. We have little doubt now that the surveys in .that district .will keep a-head of the wants of claimants for land. After the Wanganui , arrangement was entered upon, news of the formation of the Plymouth settlement was received. The Plymouth Company was formed to add strength to the London Company, into which it is now merged, and the Colony determined upon, in ignorance of the proceedings of- the Sydney Council. When the Survey Staff arrived, it was necessary to determine on some plan, and a similar course" to ""that" pursued in reference to the Wanganui holders was adopted ; the result was the settlement of Taranaki. After these events, information of the arrangements, with Government was received ; and some months later Captain Hobson made his appearance ; and the Wanganui and Tara- ' naki-settlements were confirmed.

Colonel Wakefield at a meeting of land claimants stated that he .would obtain the largest, possible quantity of .land which Capt. Hobson would concede, out of o which for the holders of preliminary land orders to select ; and he' has obtained a most importantextension.of the boundary of the settlement, having thus been extended ' to the east bank of the Manawatu. Until this was authorized, the surveys have been' continued within Sir George Gipp's' limit, and have necessarily been slow. But splendid districts' are liy this arrangement brought within the first settlement, and arrangements are making for surveying them, which will be carried ■ into effect immediately after the day upon which the land now offered for selection has passed by.

We believe about thirty, .thousand acres have been, .surveyed — and .'that ten more will ,now be offered. We think .another tea thousand.will be'offered in the neighbourhood of this Port, making fifty thousand altogether in this very difficult .district. To^ this quantity we feel confident we may say that fifty-thousand acres will be- added in a few months in the new districts. We therefore are sanguine 'that the days of the survey being irr arrear of sales is at hand — and ' tha,t within twelve months from this date purchasers on arrival ' may be put in possession- 11 — of 'land ejther in the/^neighbourhood pi ' Port Nicholson — at Otaki — Manawatu — Wanganui or Taranaki.

We hope this explanation may prove satisfactory. We can fully sympathise with the anxiety felt by persons desirous' of "occupying their land, having td.wait .thus long, and it has! been bur agreeable duty', on more than one occasion, to offer a tribute pi praise to the exemplary patience which they have shown under these trying circumstances.

Messrs. Wade disposed of all the cattle they offered for sale on Wednesday last: They were imported hi the Matilda, and realized very excellent prices. The attendance was numerous, and the bidding showed that the ieeling in favour of stock, to which we have lately alluded, was well maintained. There were orders from Wanganui ; the recent discovery of very fine land there, having made

the settlers- in that district confident that it must become an important stock country. - ; „ The following is an extract letter -.of our correspondent at Wangariui, . dated, [sth November, 1841 :-~ ~i -. • *'.-,:, The surveyors are ;now, cutting through' a veryfine district in the • 'N. W. corner of the hlock. It is perfectly level, dotted here and there -with clumps of trees, and well adapted either for pasture or agriculture. . They have cut through it for two miles in a'straight line, and it seems to'continue the same right up to' the N. boundary. Are no settlers coming' up here ? Why does not some one drive up a few of, the numerous cattle which ' I see have arrived^ lately ? They would ' be' sure' to do well here, where there is so much excellent , pasturage. Bell has about twenty acres planted with potatoes .and wheat, and his plough never , stops. ' 1 have no further news. Who in the . name of bombast was your flowery correspondent on the social amelioration, of Wanganui? The Surprise is, a; tojtal wreck about a'hundred yards to the westward of the entrance of the river. She must havebeen.lost through pure carelessness, as the night was perfectly calm, and the crew confess to .having , allowed, themselves to be drifted ashore by the swell 1 1 ,

. ' .i 't — ; "We have not space to-day for some remarks we had' prepared on fhe letter from the pen of „ Mr. John Wade, whicli appears in another ' column.. Incidentally, however, we may notice, ' that we cannot see -why Mr. Wade feels him- " self "unwillingly' called upon to answer certain remarks" of,ours f " and in the. same breath •to declare " more particularly "as he is "enabled to furnish a> triumphant^ TejAy.": ..We should "have thought,- for -the " interest of his employer,," if he hud a "triumphant" answer, he would have set about his task- willingly. ■ The " triumph," however, appears to us to be of a negative, character. • Theletters which , Mr. WY enclosed, .' do not bear in the' least ■. upon our remarks, last Wednesday; • which • upon: reference, will be . apparent to any one of ordinary comprehension.- > Our remarks were directed against puffing— not against , the character of the ' land.,' ,' " Good wine- needs .no is an old .adage, ' Mr. Wade,- and we Tecommend • you to treasure it in your memory. ■ ' •**' /'•>■' '' • ." Coals, my Lord, come all the way from . Newcastle 1 " — Colman. „.'"' 1 i . . i ' ~f — . . . . ~

Pressure of matter has compelled us to omit the concluding' remarks upon whales of our highly scientific correspondent until Wednesday next.. <We have,- how,ever; made arrangements for sending them 'home by the Bailey,' as we are anxious' that.. those among our friends there, likely to. appreciate communications! having, . so ~much~ interest ; and value,- should receive - them complete by that -opportunity.. It will afford us pleasure at ! all times to insert any subject from our /valued correspondent.'- " We confess we are proud that our, paper should have been the medium of 'presenting the reader with the first really scientific production's .printed in New Zealand. ' . . , .<( ~

The subjoined .is. .the Sydney Free Press opinion of Captain -Hobson's estimatejFor the expenditure of "the Government 'of this Colony. It may* b[e well to remark that the' ■expence of .the: S.ury.ey Department presents but a very smaill portion- of the expenses of surveying in New- Zealand ; the greater : part •of the survey ,being carried on by the New Zealand Company at their cost, We suppose that ten acres are ■ being surveyed directly or indirectly by them for 'one acre being so dealt with by Captain H obsoh's'Survey Department. .At the end of, the year, ( we shall be enabled, we. hope, to show, the number of acres surveyed- by the Government at the cost of the £6,000, estimated/ as the expenditure upon, that department at .Auckland. Further, almost all the v expenses of managing immigration to New Zealand,' -and making roads, , are' also defrayed by "the New Zealand Company. Had.the Government" of' New Zealand been subject to these expences, we suspeqt the estimates would -have- been swelled to the enormous sum of £70,00fr. ' New ZEAtAND.^T-Aucklandjournala to the 25th of September, have: come to -hand by, the last ar-rivals,-but thej).do hot contain any intelligence of importance. A perfect mania appears to exist in that colony for landjjobbing, and -speculators were daily-at work^ laying- out their landed possessions in the formation of imaginary townships and villages. The estimates of expenditure had been prepared, and were as follows, viz^ : — l.'His Excellency the Governor and' Judge £2,200 ; 2. Civil Establishment £16,609 16s.- lOd. ; 3; . Survey Department, £6,164 12s. 63.'; '4; Department of '■ Public, Works and Buildings £5,354; 5. J.udicial'Department £3,068 lls. 3d.; 6. Police and Gaols £7,957 9s. 3d. ; 7 Ecclesiastical Establishment £450 ; 8. School Establishment £140 ; ,9 Miscellaneous £8,977 13s. 6d. ; T0ta1 £50,922 3s. 4d. A somewhat large amount, we think, for. a colony so young as New Zealand, being nearly half as muchmore as Governor Grey'jS- estimate for the government of South Australia, although the latter colony is much more populous, and has a far -greater paraphernalia of official machinery to maintain : with the example of the latter colony before their eyes, and the lamentable effects of the former extravagance upon which its government was conducted, our sister colonists of New Zealand ought to be very chary of their allowances for expenditure.

To the Editor of the "New. Zealand Gazette and , „ Wellington Spectator." Sm, — I feel myself unwillingly called upon to answer certain remarks in' your last paper, containing the advertisement of the sale of the village of Rhodes, inasmuch as the interests of xhy {'employer would perhaps suffer, if I allowed those remarks to pass unnoticed ; • more particularly as I am enabled by .the enclosed letters, which you will oblige me by publishing, to give a triumphant reply to ."several of your subscribers."^ I 'will trespass on .your columns by noticing tlie spirit which' dictated the "remarks" of the "subscribers!,' you allude to, as I find their motives are • well appreciated by the public. Perhaps had the "subscribers" 1 referred to -not been disappointed by being forestalled by the sale of the ," village of Rhodes," their . reppse, would not have been disturbed by. the " ruinous consequences " of " wild land speculations." But touching " wild land, speculations," and their " ruinous consequences," — allow me to ask, Mr. Editor, what " several of your subscribers " have done with their lands for the benefit of the Colony,?-. . Perhaps you will tell me whether purchasing a section of 100 acres of country land and one town acre for £101, and getting a free passage to the Colony as part return for the purchase— then on arrival in the Colony' setting such prices and rents on the same, as to preclude the saving labourer and small capitalist from either becoming . purchaser or tenant — was , " ruinous " in its consequences, or a "wild land speculation." I presume, Mr. Editor, you will say this was all for the benefit of the Colony; while selling land, as. is the ;i case,in the proposed "village ■of Rhodes, 1 ' in .small, lots,, and at very extended credits, so as to. enable the saving labourer to become <a -proprietor, and thereby give him>an interest, in, the land, of his adoption, is a "wild land speculation," and "ruinous in its consequences." . „- . • Would. you. for ever Jkeep' out of the reach of the poor' industrious labourer the reward of his industry— his own cottage on his own land — as "several" of your '" subscribers," who are now filled with vjrtuous indignation, have sought to do, by attempting to fix prices and rents of land so high, as to ( deprive the'labourer of all hope of becoming proprietors/ Had "several" of your /'subscribers" acted differently with their lands, you would not have ,to complain so loudly about' crimping. \ , I .trust the publication of the enclosed letters' from parties acquainted with the district of 'Wangauui, may satisfy the public on the ,' subject, of the proposed village, and disappoint the,. charitable wishes of." several" of your " subscribers." ' < •> ' I- am, Sir, your dbedient servant, Nov. 11, 1841. ' JOHN WADE. .. - i Wellington, November 5, 1841 . Sir, I—:As'you1 — : As'you wished me to ' give my' opinion of your section', No. 80 on the plan at Wangahui, I have to say that on accountof the unfinished state of the surveys, Lwas unable to identify the whole of any particular 'Section. < ' I know the neighbourhood in which the section is situated,' my attention having been directed' to No. 80 as likely to suit me 'for choice 78.' It is' in the vicinity of ' the best land I have seen at' Wanganui, and includes'! am aware a part' of it, but " in .what proportion I am not prepared to say, as there is a hill in that direction, aud how much of it is included in that section I 'cannot' tell; 'but the sides of the hillare'not so steep but theyWay'be ploughed, and the table land' on the top is good. • - ' My impression is that it is a good section. I.r'emara, Sir, &c, J>mes Jackson. . To Mr. W. B. Rhodes. ' ■ ' '-• Wellington, November 1 10, 1841.' 1 Capt. Rhodes having requested me to, give him my opinion of a section of. land; 'No 80, chosen by, him. at Wanganui,, Lean, only say that I believe it to r}e in the immediate vicinity 'of some valuable sections, and that a * road 'by : the surveyors' line from the riverside is both r easy and practicable. • ■ • ■ < George Moore. Wellington, November 10,, 1841. Sir, — In answer to > your letter ■ requesting me •to give an opinion of section -No 80, at Wanganui, belonging to you, which opinion I suppose you intend to- refer to the quality of the soil, I have to state that I believe it to partake of tlie general character of land in the vicinity, which is good. '• ' ' -, I am, Sir, &c, George Rees, M:D. To' W. B. Rhodes, Esq. • ' : .. Sir,— ln answer to your request, I beg to state that I. am not' precisely acquainted with section No 80 , on. the plan' of, Wanganui sections, but I' think the lands in tha't^vicinity are of a good description^ ' From its locality, T should say that it is well adapted to the purpose youhave put it to, and I have no doubt that 'the industrious small farmer and would, find it to their advantage, to, settle in that locality, „ r , :•' I remain, Sir, &c, M. Campbell. To Capt. W. B. Rhodes. Wellington, November 10, 1841. Dear Sir,— ln answer to your letter requesting my opinion of the practicability of making a road-from. section No 80 to, the river, through my section, No 94 ; ,1 beg to say that such a road may be made with, .great facility, and I should think at a small expense. ' Regarding the quality of the soil, I am not able to give so decisive an opinion, not having been

actually on the section, but the general quality of the land in the neighbourhood is very good. I am, Sir, &c, H. Churton. - P.S. I take this opportunity of alluding to a part of the advertisement respecting the Wauganui coal-field. I think there must be some error there, as I have always understood that place to be on the other island ; there have certainly been some reports .of coal existing in this neighbourhood,' but P fear without sufficient foundation, as none of the residents at our Wangauui have me with any. - .» ;, l . To J. Wade, Esq., Wellington. To the Editor of the " Neiv Zealand Gazette and, Wellington Spectator." ' , ■ Sir, — My attention was called on Thursday last, the 4th instant, at the meeting for the selection of the land at Wanganui, to Col. Wakefield's dispatch to the New Zealand Company, published in the Ne" Zealand Journal of the 22nd May, stating — " I have now the satisfaction of informing you, that Capt. Smith has felt himself justified, upon the report and running survey of the expedition to Wanganui and Taranaki, to lay opeu those districts for selection on the first of February next (1841,) and the holders of land orders in the order of choice, having had sufficient time to inspect the lands, will then make their selections from the plans now exhibiting in the Surveyor-General's office. The extent of land thus opened for selection amounts to 300,000 acres, independently of the sections around this harbour, of which forty have been taken, and a hundred more are ready or selection." Agaia — ' "The prospect of so speedy a distribution of the whole of the lands sold by the Company, and of future immigrant purchasers being able to select upon arrival, has removed the partial depression which existed, &c." v Now I think the number of preliminary sections given out up to the present time is about two hundred and fifty (I "speak under correction,) which presents anything but a speedy distribution of the whole of the lands sold by the Company, and of future immigrant purchasers being able to select upon their arrival. The first selection of land at Wanganui took place on the 23rd September last, about eight months after ; and the district of 1 aranaki has been re-sold to the Plyn- outh Company, and many of the "first comers" have not yet obtained their land. In your journal of the 6th instant, you hold out great inducements to "Thousands of persons are wasting their existence in retired places in England and "on the Continent, who could, with their small capital, ■were thiey to join us, and turn their attention to agriculture, add greatly to their own comfort, and secure tv their families the certain prospect of advancement in life. There are others possessed of moderate capital, striving for a very existence at home, who, with the same means here, could be certain of securing rapidly improving circumstances. These classes of capitalists, in transporting themselves to our shores, would equally benefit themselves and those who were here before them." No doubt there are, Mr. Editor, many persons very desirous to land' on our shores,'' who have not the opportunity of obtaining the necessary information of the probable expences they "would incur, ' and who would be lappy'to receive it through." the medium of your respectable journal. For instance, the passage money (unless they are to come as free emigrants,) the expence of outfit for tlie voyage, and the probable price they' would have to pay for provisions, rent, board" and lodging, clothing, clearing the ground j &c;, on their arrival out here. I must apologize for the space I have occupied in your valuable paper, but you will, I am sure, be ready' aud willing to give these particulars, which I feelcouvinced require only to be suggested', for you to point them out to those whom you so strenuously press to come and improve their condition in this most highly favored spot. ', I am » With every feeling of respect, &c, W. B. BURGESS. Port Nicholson, 10th Nov., 1841.