NELSON.

Wellington Independent, Volume IV, Issue 288, 15 July 1848, Page 3

NELSON.

Return of Mr. Brunner.—lt is with the most sincere satisfaction that we are able to announce the safe return of Mr. Brunner, and his party of four natives, from their long and perilous journey. Mr. Brunner reached Nelson yesterday, after an absence of sixteen months and a fortnight, having left Nelson on the 3rd of December, 1846. We can do little more at present than announce his return in good health and spirits, but we hope that we shall be able to gratify our readers with the particulars of his interesting journey on an early day. We find that he has explored the Buller River, which rises in the neighbourhood of the Routuiti Lake, from its source downward to the West Coast, and that he has explored the Grey, a noble river running through a fine county, from its mouth, lower down the coast, up to its source. It is by following up the latter river that a passage can be effected across the island, the only one which exists ; and Mr. Brunner had the satisfaction of seeing the broad level country at the back of Port Cooper. Mr. Brunner penetrated to the southward as far as Milford Haven, It will be the duty of the Government, as well as of the New Zealand Company, to make Mr. Brunner some solid recompense *or the hardships and privations he has undergone, which, when we consider the nature of the country he has travelled, the absence of all inhabitants and cultivations e>C3pting at a few points on the coast, may be better conjectured than described. For considerable periods, the whole party were compelled to subsist on the berries of the forest, and on the seaweed of the beach.

Our news from Wellington is to. the lQth of June, up to which date no intelligence has been received from Auckland later than the 27th of April, which was obtained from our columns. The 014 want .°f communication between the Northern and southern Divisions of the colony continues therefore to exist, nor do we supe . that any improvement will ever be effected until a steamer is started by the aid of our Steam Fund. We are anxious above all things, to learn that the Company has acceded to the proposition of

Jwt year, and to see the Trust Funds know 1 m , th ° hftmls 0f those who will know how to wisely administer them. A judicious expenditure on emigration, rteairi communication, and education, would very much change the aspect of our affairs. l