THE CHATHAM ISLANDS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 349, 5 March 1856, Page 5

THE CHATHAM ISLANDS.

In order to bring this dependency of New Zealand within the laws of the Empire, C"lon^l Wynyard last year (while administeringl the 'Government) determined upon appointing a Collector of Customs and other General Government officers. We give below from the Wellington Spectator two accounts of the reception of the Wellington Collector of Customs. The first is copied into the Spectator Uom the Southern Cross. " Bad News from tkk Chathams.— The schooner Wave, from live Cl.athem Islands, arrived in harbour on Saturday evening1, and brings intelligence of the native? of these Islands being- in a state of irreat commotion. It appears that the Lady Grey, schooner, from Wellington with the Collector of Customs on board, had arrived on the 19th ulto., and their lauding was the signal for a general rising amongst the native population. Tlu-y had long been m an excited state ; and the arrival of the schooner added fuel to the tire. They now threaten to drive the Europeans from the island, and. in the meantime, admit of law or authority except their own. T! c Wave had arrived there uvm Sydney, and had remained there mmiw time in hopes ot bcia- uiilo to trade ; but. fr^ii the ilircale:.iiitr state of affairs, the Captain was oiMged to weigh, and come here with her or.gmal cai^o/ Tl c Wave, on leaving bydat^ • iiad 18 horses on board, of which, fioui s;rcs> of weather, a-.ul bou»g so ».-n-.r -u);i:Uonly 0 now remains, so tir.n the voyage ""=* been a most unlurtuna c <>n.'. I :><■' '^V'^ h;ul no \v!u"H but plenty vf p^-a1 o-s k.'trli Harriett Simpson lal ais» »>-ei, ohiiired to leave the isl .nds .an ! a > ve-^i remained on the dcpartu.e ot th ; « a Tiie latter sailed on the 21st u:to , an I -itherefore, beeu u.'arly three weeks O'-vO-^

passage. She has experienced westerly winds nearly the whole time, and was becalmed for two days off the East Cape."

"'We reprint the above paragraph, which also appeared in the Kcw Zealander of Feb. 13th. for the purpose of giving it the most unqualified contradiction. The Collector of Customs arrived at the Chatham Island*: from Wellington on the 12th January, and by his judicious arrangements established the authority of the Government on the most satisfactory footing, and his arrangements met. with the entire consent and concurrence of the Natives. A Collector of Customs (Mr. Shand) was appointed, who Mas also sworn in Resident Magistrate, three influential natives were appointed to act as Custom House Officers, and to assist in preventing smu<?«:ling. and other Natives were also named by themselves to be recommended to the Governor as assessors to the Resident Magistrate. The Collector finally left the island on the 25th, four days after the departure of the Wave, the Natives having been perfectly satisfied with all that had been done. We are sorry that our contemporaries have been on by what appears to be wilful misinformation, There was not the slightest ground for this intelligence brought by the Wave."— Wei ling ton Spectator.