New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, October 31, 1849.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 443, 31 October 1849, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, October 31, 1849.

Among the votes in the Legislative Council on the estimates for the Northern Province is one for the sum of £1000 for the purpose of establishing steam communication between the different settlements of the colony. Of course the petty critics who are on all occasions so ready to carp at the different measures of Sir George Grey's administration will say this vote is a makebelieve, that nothing will come of it, &c But his Excellency has done all in his power in the opportunites afforded him, in the opening of the Legislative Council of this Province, and in the session of the Legislative Council at Auckland, which has just terminated, in the most formal and public manner to pledge the Colonial Government to the introduction of steam at an early date, as a measure most essential to the

prosperity and good government of New Zealand, and consequently an object not only of colonial, but of imperial concern. It would be superfluous to dilate on the advantages to be conferred on the colony by the introduction of steam in uniting together the different settlements of New Zealand, of the increased value which would be conferred on land by the increased facilities and certainty of communication established by means of steam, and the consequent increase of immigration attracted by these inducements. All this was perceived by the Directors of the New Zealand Company and calculated upon in &.n early stage of the colonization of this country, when steam was made a prominent feature in the Nelson scheme, and a fund was expressly reserved for this purpose ; — but nothing more has been done by them. In the same way provision has been made in the Otago scheme for the introduction of steam, but we fear with not much more practical effect than at Nelson. But if the principle of this vote were carried out ; if the sum of £1000 per annum, for each settlement (including the proposed Canterbury Settlement) were offered as a bonus for a limited period, to any company that would engage by means of steam to establish a regular and constant communication between the different Settlements, the Imperial Government supplying any further sum that may be required, the beneficial effects of such a measure would soon be felt. And if the New Zealand Company ever hope to realize the price at which they at present offer their lands for sale in these settlements, they will succeed most effectually in this manner, as nothing adds so much to the value of land in a new colony, as increased facilities of communication. Since the road has been made through the valley of the Hutt, all I the lower valley has been settled by persons ! either renting or purchasing the land in their occupation. Now steam would produce precisely the same results, but on a larger scale, in the districts of Manawatu, Wanganui, and Taranaki, which the new road, made by the direction of Sir George Grey, has done to the Hutt. If the Directors desire to obtain a ready sale for the large extent of unoccupied land in these districts, and at much higher prices than under other circumstances they can possibly realize ; instead of only talking of steam, let them cordially co-operate with the Government, and never rest until a regular steam communication is established between the different settlements of New Zealand.