THE COLONOIST. NELSON,TUESDAY, JULY 6,1858.

Colonist, Issue 78, 6 July 1858, Page 2

THE COLONOIST. NELSON,TUESDAY, JULY 6,1858.

" As truth is truth, And, told by halves, may, from a simple tiling By misconstruction to a monster grow, I'll tell the whole truth."

Sheridan Knowles,

Who has not heard of the great companies and guildi of that land of enchantment and wonder to our Anglo-New Zealandic offspring, • England ? Some of them may have heard so much of the "New Zealand Company" as to fancy that when it gave up the ghost, the East Indian began to die, and the Hudson's Bay Association to shake in their frozen shoes; and if there be any other companies, that they too must have hard work to hang together. To our fair Maoris, of English blood, the word Company may have no particular attraction, seeing a certain body has left the most needy amongst us, whom it neglected, to shift for themselves, —to make the best of its broken promises. Still, men associated in what are called Companies are great helps to common interests of a kindred order.

Think you, Nelsonian youngsters, that the Company of the Bank of England, or the Gas Companies, or the Water, the Railway, the Mining, or other joint-stock Companies, are merely nominal affairs ? Surely not; for they are working with hundreds of millions of capital, and doing wonders. But these are only of yesterday. Hundreds of years before their formation severally, Old England boasted of Masons, Bricklayers, Carpenters, Joiners, Goldsmiths, Merchant Tailors, Cordwainers, Fishmongers, and the like. Some of these are about five hundred years old. They mostly have magnificent halls, with Masters, Wardens, heraldic shields and devices that indicate their utility and splendor. Let us now ask you, if these were the creations of whim, fancy, or idle taste for mere amusement, or periodical festivities? Far from it. Most of them sprang from the urgency of circumstances. Sometimes they were formed as barriers to turn aside unfriendly currents of strife or hostility. Often were they consolidated to resist oppression. In many instances they arose to promote fraternal emulation, and to improve brotherhood in the secrets of art. And, in many instances, as with the Fishmongers, they were associated to aid by counsel, subscriptions, and rules for general regulation of affairs, interests very often in danger from the changing elements, as as well as from foreign invaders. The different Guilds of London, as well as European capitals of antiquity and wealth, are numerous. They embrace nearly all professions, all crafts, all decorative, useful, and even learned employments. Yet, perhaps, few of the Guilds of our mother country more deserve the tribute of a passing, but grateful regard than that of the worthy and truly honorable Fishmongers. From the earliest ages fish was an important article of .diet to our ancestors, as it is to their descendants at the present moment. Being an abundant and wholesome but very perishable kind of food, it became necessary to unite capital to obtain, preserve and vend it; to combine experience for securing the most of it, at the best season, in the most profitable manner. The sea is often dangerous, vessels are often lost, the families of brave fishermen are often distressed,—yet fishmongers must be regularly supplied; for a great people want fish. Hence arose the importance of an incorporated society for securing good and plentiful fish, with as much safety and benefit to all concerned as possible. In connection with the fishing trade, greatly promoted by the Fishmongers, spacious markets have been long established, vast curing processes have been maintained, and a traffic has been extended, ramified, and in every mode improved until,for maritime power and glory, England is what it is. Buonaparte called the British a nation of shop-

keepers; but where he most wincedVwas: in.th&t sore part of his memory that told him of our fisheries and the inconquerable sailors to which they give birth. Anglican bravery is chiefly cradled in the fishing boats of the North; is rocked into fearlessness by many a storm. The genial climes of Greece, Italy, France, and Spain, may produce nearly every style and variety of genius; painting, music, eloquence; and martial valor have flourished in perfection there ; science, learning, poetry, and "divine philosophy" have hallowed these delightful countries; but "by the sides of the North is the city of the great King:" the snow and ice of the North, and the bitter blasts they blow, harden humanity for regnant toil and dominion. In Russia, " the Great King" of militant power is walled by arctic.defences; but 3ritannia is defended on all sides by her seamen, in forests of the sea, a sea foaming perchance with iron forts of protection, ever ready and ever sure. It is not improbable that Railway Companies may serve to concentrate and energize the strength of Russia, the United States, Turkey,■'; China, India, and Australia. These vast regions will, we presume, by steam and similar means, become as compact as mere cities in days of old. But there are peculiarities of situation and climate in New Zealand favorable, beyond those of most other lands, for bravery and endurance. We have only to ascend a few hundreds of feet and. we have a Scotland-^with many "a strong^headed, muscular Scot to help to make it. equal—to "Auld lang syne." Nor want we stormy tides. We need not fear of having a half-rocked; bravery on our billows—that is if we can produce gallant fishermen /■'...' •.. : '' "'. . '.'■

But have we anything worth fishing ?, Ships of all sorts from England and America come for larger fish,' and freight themselves richly . -.Shoals ot smaller fish frequent our bays; but with a few exceptions, the natives are our best fishers. It is mostly allowed, we believe, that while our various kinds of fish, near the Straits, are quite sufficient to supply present wants ; there are ample reason 8 for expecting large stores near the creeks and inlets of our higher latitudes. Amidst the sinuses of the western shores, and the southern parts of this island, and of Stewart's, according to Morrell and other intelligent and literary Americans, who have fished in and about their seas, we may expect abundance. Hitherto whalers have been wjell repaid in that direction; and it seems likely, ifromNorthern analogies, so corroborant of the viva voce statement of many whalers here,.that our various climes are not unfavorable to the migration*of culinary shoals as various, at different seasons. Experience will soon be able to ascertain mj|ny interesting particulars which are now secret. A,, more exact knowledge of the best times and places for obtaining cargoes, and for curing, can only result from actual practice. But this requites time for observation, or the observations of\several parties frequently repeated. By the advancement of considerable capital, a Company of Fishmongers might effect much in this business, in a short interval. A number of shares, sufficiently large, and judiciously employed in an undertaking of this description, and for the numerous purposes, both enterprising and conservative, of the fishing trade, would, in every probability, very rapidly remunerate well-conducted endeavors. At first* there might be both risk and loss, at least occasionally. Wise men expect no less; and therefore would they count the cost and prepare 'accordingly. But abundance of demand being already in existence, and fresh, cleanly, and convenient supplies,- moderately cheapVbeing experienced by the settlement, still larger demands for fish would be continually made." Were some of bur thoughtful young merchants and traders ; to fix their minds on this subject, in its sundry bearings, we might safely predict the best consequences^ We know some of them have now and then done something in this way, as occasional experiments. But we are not aware of any continuous system of operations under the eyes of a competent firm. Associated care, facili" ties, and capital to boot, are required. Doubtless Nelson is rich enough in all these. Nor does it want skillful .and able fishermen. All that is needed is, the concentration of attention on. this valuable kind of traffic. An apostle found a penny in the mouth of a fish. We need not affect to shew experienced men how to find gold itself in many a thousand fry of all sorts. But to divert commerce from ordinary pursuits, and to attach it to something new, in young places, may pro- . perly enough call for hints like those now offered. Let this be our apology for suggestions^ on affairs of this class, at the present juncture. We are of those who think that many useful companies in regard to flax, coal, lime, limber, tallow, Phormium tenax-paper, &c, might be successfully formed, and as successfully worked. At present, however, we would respectfully call upon.our fellow colonists to consider the necessity and importance of forming i company of Fishmonger^ for general and commercial advantage. And we will venture to affirm, that whatever may be gained from our gold will, as to lasting benefit, be equalled by our fisheries if wisely treated. All reflecting men may depend upon it, rich as our,; minerals may prove, that our waters will not be» ; less so ;at least they will develop a maritime powers that, like Britannia's in the North, will learn the5 brawny arms of our seamenship to wield-|he golden trident of the South. ■' ! ,v ;

Unpleasant rumours, are afloat with regard to the arrival of numerous Maoris, who within."the last two days have honored the town of Nelson < with their presence. It appears that not only from' Motueka, but also from Wakapuaka, and still", more significantly from Wellington have we had,", them arriving. A more numerous body than those* at present here, are again promised us from the Northern Island, by those who should "be well inr] formed upon this subject. The cause of' all this.l display of Native feeling seems, to arise from the, fact that for a crime committed in an' English colony, investigated by an English jury, we are disposed to give the criminal the advantage of, those laws which we brought with us to this coun- ; try. If, as has been averred on evidence, the man who committed the deed is in fact an insane person incapable of answering to the law, the justice" which we in England so carefully afford to those ; similarly affected, should, under an English flag, be equally awarded here. Proud indeedHvould be' the Natives could they find that English protection was useless to one of their nation when sought for; by themselves, to wreak a retaliation, the story of which might form one new tale illustrative of New Zealand customs, as related to us by the earliest settlers. We do not affect to be alarmists, but we, feel this—that a long period of unbroken friendly intercourse between the two races has brought about a feeling of .too great security. The well'at, Cawnporetold a fearfnl tale of the effects of %

similai''policy* The present occurrence, trivial as it may turn out to end, should give iis a warning not to rest too securely on the often repeated assevrrations 6f friendly regard. The very sepoys, whose tomahawks drank the life blood of England's fairest daughters, had been, until the outburst of the Indian Revolution, the attendants of the ladies and children. The ties of years of association, of benefits freely afforded, were insufficient to restrain their hands. A Militia well organized, for which our society is quite adequate, a means of controling force by force, will be our truest safeguard against any future .visits. In the present inctance it may be sufficient to point out the policy of our late governor Sir George Grey, when he had a purpose to'effect. The straw floating on the breath of a summer breeze may shew the future current of a storm. Let us therefore be wise in time, and consider that the best security for- ourselves is the power to protect our own.