AGRICULTURE AND STOCK.

New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator, Volume IV, Issue 282, 20 September 1843, Page 2

AGRICULTURE AND STOCK.

' Those who have made agriculture their pursuit, and have had sufficient experience ate quite satisfied with the yielding of the soil. Very many more would long ere this have become successful, andbjippy cultivators of "the soil, rather than waste- their substance' and energies in idleness, had -they had an qption; but they have had no .choice; in the fi^st place they suffered front-the slow, prpgjeaa with which the 'survey department ne-\ pro«tded*;;.*econdiy, thfcv found it

impossible v to approach- their lands -without roads, which they could not .dfqrd to make, and for the making of which { there was no fund secured by the Company or otherwise ; and lastly, after some had occupied and cleared land, they v have been turned away, whilst others who sought to take possession of sections have been forbidden to do so by the Natives, who appeared with Mr. Shortland'a wicked Proclamation in hand, as a justification for their proceeding. But though beset by difficulties which neither the settlers of New Plymouth nor of Nelson can be said to have suffered in any degree worthy of comparison, we believe agriculture sfill to be extending, and that it will do so rapidly when the Native question of titles to land is settled and especially if our friends in England would induce a useful class of country settlers to join our settlement, or by forming a Loan Company cause such a body to be created out of .the numerous good settlers who with fair prospects w.ould readily take a country life. &The greatest inconvenience from which the settlers are likely to suffer, is the want of a good Flour Mill. There is now an excellent opening for a good practical and ingenious miller with a moderate capital. He might either drive his mill by wind or water, but should avoid steam as a rock upon which so many settlers in young colonies have wrecked their vessels. Those who have resorted to stock have found the early expences greater than they had anticipated, and have all suffered more or less loss in acclimatizing sheep and cattle ; but they are sanguine still that the increase will be satisfactory, especially when they commence to breed from stock born in the Colony. That from which the stock-owner is most severely suffering, is the want of sufficient space upon which to depasture his flocks and herds. This deficiency precludes the possibility of fattening cattle upon natural pasturage, and great deficiency in weight is the consequence at the time of slaughtering the animals, which is a loss in fact to the breeder. The dairy produce is also from the same cause deficient ; but the source of these evils we hope will be removed by the opening of Palliser Bay to the settlers this season. Though our stock are not as fat we hope before long they will be, yet we hear that visitors, who have travelled nearly all over the globe, declare they have not tasted such meat or such butter, and we may add, or such vegetables as they have had- in Port Nicholson, since they- left England. Certain resolutions submitted by deputation . to the Company's Agent, on the subject of opening the Wyderop Valley at an early period to settlement, will'be found in another part of to-day's paper. We are glad to find that the Colonists have pressed this matter upon the attention of the Company, through their resident agent. The Wyderop Valley presents numerous advantages to the Settlers, and had its merits been known at an earlier date, ii the direction in which the Colonists of tho first and Principal Settlement, would undoubtedly have sought to have obtained their lands. Many most trust worthy gentlemen have reported upon its merits. They all agree that it contains many hundred thousands, of acres of fine fertile and well watered land ; about three-fourths of which is free from forest. It will be easily approached from Port Nicholson, by the road which is being now made up the Hutt, and is distant only about thirty miles. Not only does, it present the most available laud both for the agriculturalist and stockmen, but it is the high road to other larg? districts oh the East Coast, and to the source of the Manawatu river.

Another advantage of great, importance is, that it is a district in which few Natives reside, and settling in it can in nowise damage their interest. They may be instigated by bad men, to become troublesome there likewise, but should they, the Government, will then, perhaps, more fully appreciate the character of the claims which the Natives have been most mischievously induoed to assert. It will then be seen that they do not merely endeavour to avoid being dispossessed of lands which they have in occupation or are likely to occupy, but claim country which they are never like to require, and to which they have no better claim, than being enabled to call themselves the natives of New' Zealand. Such a principle as having accidently been on the spot first has never been recognized as affording a title to unlimited districts. Had it been, nineteen-twentieth's of the parts of the globe, at present inhabited, would to (hit . day have remained wilderness. The Settlers have brought the matter under, the attention of the Company's Agentatafitting moment, for he will dif course seize die opportunity afforded to transmit the resolutions by the Nelson, sailing this 'day for England. The Colonists are. really V distress arising out of hot having thVjwwer. of obtaining such . lands as can be prjMiireckin the 1 Wyderop. - The town it now^u*tound^Uh'i took which

exceeda^the capacity of the T iands to support it; and we are aure that -statioas for the relief of those in the neighbourhood of Wellington; would immediately be for-med, could the Settlers proceed with convenience to the valley in question; and agriculture, to a large extent «ould and would be pursued by the Stockmasters settled in that district, as the land there is remarkably and immediately available for that purpose".

New Wesleyan Chapei,, Taranaki, New Plymouth. — On Sunday, September 10, a neat commodious stone Chapel in Courtney Street, was opened for Divine Service, when three sermons were preached to large and, respectable, congregations ; that in the m6rning by the Rev. John Wbiteley, Chairman of the District; that in the afternoon by the Rev. John Aldred ; that in the evening by the Rev. Samuel Ironside. The collections amounted to £12. . By this means accommodation is given and opportunities afforded to the settlers for hearing the gospel. As the opening services weire held during the. sittings of the annual District Meeting, others were also performed, and from the hallowed influence attending them, as well as at the opening sermons, the result of much good is anticipated by the Society.

A neat Wesleyan Chapel, built of wood, has been for a few weelcs past open in Manners Street, Te Aro Flat, on the reserved site of a market place. It was erected by voluntary subscription, aud is highly creditable to. the members of that body.

Some workmen are now employed digging out a foundation for the Scotch Church, on Lambton Quay. The present building will be of wood, sufficient funds not having been collected to enable the Committee of Management to erect a more substantial edifice.

By the ship Ursula, we have London papers to the 20th of May, consisting of Colonial Gazettes, New Zealand 'Journals, Weekly Chronicles, be We have only received three numbers of the New Zealand Journal, so that several are wanting to complete our file's. -4j The William Stoveld sailed from London for New Plymouth, with passengers and a general cargo, fourteen days before the Ursula left. Trade, remained in the same deplorable state of depression. With thousands on the verge of starvation, tn immense .increase. .©£ taxation, and an awraafty' tiecreasing-* reVetfue; thTTaffalrs of the Mother-country must soon be brought to a crisis. The agitation for a Repeal of the Corn Laws, and also for the obtainment of the Charter, was being carried on to a great extent, and immense meetings were daily held in all the large towns of the kingdom. The Ursula spoke the barque Famn, Captain Bennett, from Sydney to London, all well, and put letters on board two or threedays before entering our port, so that the' news of her safe arrival will speedily reach England. The mail which the Clydeside took up to Sydney from this place, and which was forwarded to London per H.M.S. Faaorite, had reached its destination, and answers to letters nave been received in return by the Ursula. On Saturday evening last, a boat with four men belonging to the schooner Ariel, (who we believe were intoxicated at the time) was upset some distance from the shore. Three of the men were wscued'in all probability from a watery grave by the crew of a whaleooat, which had arrived in the course of the day from Wairarapa, and the other was dragged into Te Aro Pah by some Natives. The Maories kept the poor fellow in a close hut till 6 o'clock on Sunday night, and would not permit him to go- -without first receiving one pound. Eventually weunderatand some friend found the money, and he was then alWed to depart., ' We wonder if the Natives had taken a fancy to one of his arms or legs as payment for what- they had done, whether the .authorities would have interfered ! " Query are the Maories ever in the wrong. The whalers of Kapiti, we are given to understand, have been fortunate in the number of whales they have caught; Gillotfs party Javing obtained 120 tuns of oil, and Haims' 50 tuns with dead ones not tried out. The. "'faeries are now at the close, and. Mr. Wade's P»«y from Wairarapa, has arrived in port. The Indemnity was safely launched from jw. Mathieson's slip on Sunday last; after JJing undergone a thorough repair. We jeueve Messrs.^Ridgways, Guyton, and Co., rtJ*v J h . eatre oPßnedo P Bned ag^n last night for

t burns brilliantly, " and Mb Saint deserves F credit for the great trouble he has had' in , bringing it abodt. " : '7h'e dresses and scenery' • are really excellfnti'and'the performers manifestly improving. The Theatre will open on : -Saturday evening next, at |past 6 o'clock, and as the pieces are highly attractive, make no doubt but what the house will be crowded.