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■Tfy to the date of our last publication, no arrivals had reached us from Auck'and, and we very naturally drew tha inference that engagements i.f i nature very important to the final peace of the" settlements had caused the detention of all veiseu at that port, on some mission or other relative to tne aboriginal war.

We have already drawn the attention of om. readers to the subject of compensation for tha first S?.y "i ho oCttted in this district cl New Zealand,-those who adopted these lands «* their home and final resting placej-who have sunk - and sacrificed everything, and weathered the storm! --and we have a so made a lusion to the necessity ot defining the chums of the native population U tion fi i P .° BBeß6l ', ms b y « survey of their cultivanow h ? rieß ', and P»»u, so as to enable them to dS3n? , 5 r p? B y' , . and a,so for the P ur P° se °' amaZ l T ° f lheir demand In so clear IS, r'J tl ? at . l i ßif JH>«e«lons shall be indiiputably recognised by all future generations. ;■ sition, „f nd „ Cl T ( l ucstion > as regards the acqni; dtatdl th n NeW Zeal «» t l Company, wehV public jlZ'H I-' 16 CO T eR of'our career H' o En 1f m " r ttttenUon of representative but tK ? n hor . ou K hl y. <b->t we in ke no doubt ■ tlut lt Wlll be fi'«llj Jisposel of,-wc need n.t

s-y hones ly, and hononhlv,—so far as the knowledge and information of P-nliiunent goes. There remains, however, a few most impMtant points to be touched upon n-gardhg us as colonists,—we whose interest, after a'l, are para noun to ail others, and who t o vo'ce must be heard m ross the line in preference to all other voices,—notwi hstanding any clamour that may be raised agtiint-t us. We—meaning all the set lcrs here—are the only Buffering p rty. We naturally, and very properly, look upon all the people at home who have cmbaiked snyihing in NewZialan'd, as having done so from pure motives of Had fortune attended our course, fortune would likewise have attended theirs. It has so happened that fortune has not attended our course—that we are the sole victims, having lost everything fraat we have embarked—that our stares may be said to be empty—our homesteads impoverished—our families di appointed—and ourselves prostiaM. Parties at home have embarked a Hi tie—a ftw loose pounds in the purchase of lands, which they cannot occupy; they have sent us a few consignment* of goods, which they cannot miss ; and lliey have received from us consignments of produce, on which they have not be-in able to realize to the extent of oui hopes and expectations. Their consignments to us and our consignments to them have in a great measure hitheito turned out a failure, and we are therefore cut by a two-edged sword. They, however, remain at home, carrying j on their usual every day occupations, accompanied i with profit and gain, surrounded by their cofnfoits and their friends, while we are planted in a n<w and unformed country—it may not be without friendshut far away f om our old connections, our relatives and associates. It may be said that we are travelling out of our course, as public journalists, to make these allusions, but we havecome to the conclusion that the time has now arrived when the v, jl sh-mld he withdrawn, and when the whold world should be made acquainted with the fact of our sufferings and taTifires. We could most devoutly wish that the picture had been susceptible of a different colouring—that our properity might have been made manifest in vivid lights and that our coloni-ts might have been exhibited in the proud cjpacity of rich and prosperous traders, waiting in anxious exp ctation for rt turns of goods from our naive land, which they had already overpaid by consignments made in the native produce of lheir adopted country. The latter is not the case from any came lor which th- y are to blame, but from causes over wxich they have had no controul—from a torrent of causes which they have frequently but v successfully endeavoured to stem. We are are quite convinced that they would r>ther pay first than last. What we and our fellow colanUts rtqu re for this purpose, is not the means—the-e we possess in tbe abundant resources cf our adopted country—nor the ability—that is accorded to us by the strength and energy of our colonists, and the increasing demand of our native papulation for an exchange of produce—nor the desire—for our hopes at;d expectations have uniformly led us io expect an ample surplus from our exchanges, as a resource for future wants and contingencies. What we require for this purpose is confidence at home in the proper value aod abundant uatures of our resources ; a ju*t appreciation of the advances and returns which we make from time to lime to tbe home market, and a credit for good and honoiable intentions;—and fina.ly a correct and straightforward line of conduct towards us from every department with which we may be connected: —that is, enlightened views on the part of the Government, —tquity on the part of the Company, —rpromptness on the part of our ageuts,—and consideration on the part of our friends. All are necessary for our well-being, and for their satisfaction, and as plain dealing is always best in the long run, —to make use of a homely phrase,— the more plainly we address ourselves to the public the better will our exettious in their favour turn out eventually For this reason we make the preci eding remarks without reserve, believing that their operations will prove benefic al to our fellow colonists, to the native population, and to all parties in both hemispheres desirous of their bap. piness and wtlfare. We cannot dismiss this subject without the addition of a few observations bearing more immediately upon our local interests. The major part of the colonists, if not all, who have risked their fortunes and lives in the chances of this country, have done so knowing, to some extent, the nature of the trials which tht y might probably have to undergo , —at the same time they have done this with tbe expec tation of reaping an amouut of reward for their la. hours, corresponding in an rquivalent degree with the sum of tbe perils and exertions. Unless they can attain the latter end their object is not answered, —their means are squandeed,— heir lives are wasted away,—their families are dissipated and dispersed,—and the whole of the most venerated ties of nature are broken to no good or useful purpose. They have not made all these honourable sacrifices with a view to conquering a native people, but to subduiug the soil and the forest, while carrying on their peaceable labours in uninterrupted quitness;—nor have they formed their intiepid resolution with a view to relinquishing the surplus iVin'ts of their labours in support of expensive establishments, eith; r for their own protection or that of a native population. On these points some amount <f disappointment has already been experienced, and a titling degree of disapprobation expressed. Ihe same causes, in fact, which have operated in bunging a debt over the heads of the Governors of tbe colony, have tended to plunge them into a similar labyrinth, and it now becomes a matter of serious consideration *o all, how this evil is to be obviated, and how a similar dilemma is to be averted for the future.— Communicated.

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Bibliographic details

Wellington Independent, Volume I, Issue 48, 28 January 1846, Page 2

Word Count
1,265

Untitled Wellington Independent, Volume I, Issue 48, 28 January 1846, Page 2

Untitled Wellington Independent, Volume I, Issue 48, 28 January 1846, Page 2