PORT NICHOLSON SETTLERS.

New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator, Volume V, Issue 358, 21 August 1844, Page 2

PORT NICHOLSON SETTLERS.

In another part of our journal the tenth and the eleventh roports of the New Zealand Company to their shareholders, will be found. They contain the most important intelligence which has been received by the inhabitants of Port Nicholson, since the settlement was formed.

By the eleventh report it would appear that the fate of the Company was still undecided ; but we feel satisfied, we may with confidence state, that the Mew Zealand Company's operations have ceased for ever. In the meantime we hope they are urging on the Colonial Office the propriety of putting the settlers in Cook's Straits, in as favourable a position as circumstances will allow. We presume the Company's affairs will be wound up by an arrangement with Government, conditional upon some report to be sent from this, respecting the value of their property. We shall not now stop to discuss the question, to whom the blame attaches for the humiliating light in which the Company has had to appear before the public.

The settlers are evidently about to be thrown entirely upon their own resources, it is therefore important that they should have their real position placed clearly before them. At the expiration of five years from the period of paying for their Land Orders, the colonists find themselves without any titles to land, and with few exceptions are unable to occupy the soil ; and their means are nearly exhausted. This briefly is the condition of nearly all the land purchasers residing in Port Nicholson. The quiet possession of land that can be profitably and conveniently occupied is absolutely necessary to the salvation of the settlers in this place. ' To the landonearly all must resort or they must before long abandon New Zealand ; for this town has recently been mainly dependent upon the Company's expenditure, which is about to terminate. All here will be paintully alive to the consequences of this fact, in a few weeks. The occupation of lanJ must force itself upon all as important beyond all other subjects ; and, we do hope, that in the present emergency, the settlers will keep it and it alone before their attention. We state this because we find very many persons have a lingering hope that the Company

will still prevent the overwhelming embarrasment with which they will beset, if they are so foolish as to place reliance in ought but their own exertions. We are most anxious, for we are certain upon it depends the salvation of Port Nicholson, that the settlers should feel thoroughly convinced, that if they cannot mark out a practicable course, hopeless, irretrievable ruin must be the lot of all. Let but this be the settled conviction of every mind, and we shall not despair of the success of the settlement.

The Company may be stated to have ceased to exist before procuring a Government grant to a single acre of land in New Zealand, and in this fact we see the hope of our success. If the enormous claims to land by absentees be not extinguished in any district to be appropriated for the use of settlers, now that all extraneous support will be withdrawn, if not for ever, at least fer very many years to come, the occupation of land must be utterly profitless. Those who purchased with the intention of occupying their land, never dreamed of being scattered over one hundred miles of country, without roads, and at the expiration of five years from the purchase of the land orders, without even the prospect at a distant date of being able to raise funds with which to make and maintain them. The necessity of concentration will now more than ever be felt, and if absenteeism cannot be got rid of, then the settlers had better abandon Port Nicholson, unless they are willing to become tenants, which thought we hope they are not mad enough to entertain. The actual settlers must be concentrated, and occupied in farming their own land, and for this to come to pass a district must be assigned to their use solely. All titles in the Company's settlements, at present, are merely imaginary ; and we say, let the settlers apply forthwith to Captain Fitzroy to make a grant, of fertile land, whereon they may apply their labour, without the drawback of being tenants or scattered by absenteeism. We point to the Hutt, and the interest alike of the Government and of the settlers renders it absolutely necessary that Captain Fitzroy should purchase that small but fertile district, and appropriate it to the use of those to whom delay has been so ruinous. Such an act of grace, under the circumstances, would be perfectly justifiable, and would endear his Excehencyto the unfortunate settlers in this district. With that district for agriculture, and Wairarapa for stock, the Pori Kieholson people would soon be successful and. happy. More land would not be needed for years. If, however, absenteeism is to be a bar to our supporting ourselves in this place, the next best course will be to make this part of the island the property of none but absentees, by asserting our claims, and absenting ourselves from the district. It will then be seen that we will not consent to be the victims of the English proprietors, whose property, by out departure would lose ill value. If we cannot work together here, let us claim some place in the Middle Island, where we can be concentrated. Let us claim Otago, now that New Edinburgh is not likely to have an existence, or Port Cooper, or some other spot where we can act together for our mutual benefit. Away with all ideas of town lots, or speculation of any kind, and let us see whether By that union which has heretofore been denied to us, we cannot accomplish the purpose which brought us here, namely, to live comfortably in return for the steady application of our labour.

We say, let the settlers determine to have concentration, and if they cannot have it here to seek it elsewhere. Let them remember ihat the town property they may be reluctant to abandon will be without value soon, if they do not secure fertile land concentrated in the immediate neighbourhood of the harbour, so that what they will really be leaving will be a nominal good, but a real evil in their position. We have proposed the only plan which lias suggested itself to us, for meeting the difficulties to which we are exposed, but in conclusion we beg to invite the communication of other plans, and to suggest the propriety of a meeting to petition his Excellency, upon the alarming state and prospects ol the settlement.