The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1874.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 277, 23 November 1874, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1874.

In commenting upon the special settlement about to be established at the Karamea, the N. Z. Times makes the following remarks: — "The experiment, if wisely conducted, should lead to great results, and remove all frars of overcrowding with new arrivals. The western half of Nelson is probably the most richly endowed part of the colony; but its development will depend on the way that settlement is established and aided. It is not sufficient to shoot a lot of raw immigrants on an unpeopled shore, to shift for themselves. Those who are now arriving are not of the metal our first settlers were made of, nor are they in any way pr pared for such a reception. They must be aided and cheered by frequent coramunicat.on, which will induce others with colonial experience to join and direct them. Any settlement that is to prosper on the West Coast must have regular steam communication, and it is the neglect of this, more than anything else, which has hitherto prevented the settlement of the district. The exptriment of special settlements now being made by Weatland, as well as Nelson, will be watched with great interest. The difficulties to be overcome are far less than those which have been mastered at Wtsfport, Greymoath, and Hokitika; and the rewards, though less fascinat og, are. as solid now as then. It is not many years since the whole of the West Coast of the Middle Island was deemed wo thkss and inaccesibie, but it now adds one mi lion pounds sterling to our ex; orts, be-ides supplying large quantities of coal and timber to other parti of the colony. These products are not tithes of what the districts would yield if only settlements were established and mainlained at the various rivers. The one thing needful is regular steam communication. With that established and maintained, the West Coast would absorb, and profitably emp'oy a large population, and very soon revolutionise the affairs of Nelson aud Westland." With regard to the value of our western territory we are entirely at one with our contemporary, but we cannot agree with him that " the one thing needful " to the establishment and maintenance of special settlements at the various rivers is "regular steam communication." That it is one of the many things needful we sre quite prepared to admit, but there are other essentials that cannot and must not ho ignored. " Thoee who are now arriving," we are told, " are not of the metal our first settlers were made of." Quite so, and it is absurd to suppose that a transmutation of metals is to be accomplished by providing merely for a connecting link between the true mttal and the alloy. The two should be fused in the same furnace, and then, and then only, may we hope to get something of the ring of the true metal. And upon the competence of the man who is to superintend the settlement also, will its success largely depend. We are not a little surprised to find a newspaper such as the SVew Zealand Times boldly asserting tbat " the one tbio^ needful" to ensure success to a special settlement scheme for "shooting a lot of raw immigrants " whose calibre it admits to be inferior to that of the old settlers, ''on an unpeopled shore" is the establishment of steam communication between the new comers and ;im older and more experienced resi • tits. Our impression iB that mo?>3 more things are " needful."

Eeform League. —A meeting for the discussion of local topics will be held this evening, when v fall attendance is requested*

Inspection Parade.-— The monthly inspection parade of the City companies will be held at the Di ill Shed this evening, at a quarter past seven. Sale op Crown Lands.— ln the fourth page of to-day's .issue will be found a Hat of allotments of Crown lands that are to be offered for sale on the 22nd of December. It includes town sections at Seaford, and suburban and rural lands at. Karatnea. Bishop Redwood.— -A telegram has been received by the Rev A. M. Gariu from Bishop Redwood, announcing his arrival at the Bluff by tha Albion, in which steamer he will at once proceed to Wellington. We understand that be will probably visit Nelson in i few days. Special Settlement. — Thirty men, recent immigrants, principally heads of large families, and some of them accompanied by their aons, making in all a { arty of forty, left in the Wallace yesterday me ruing about seven o'clock for the Karamea, and as the Murray which sailed at the same hour arrived at Westport this morning, it may be inferred that the Wallace also has reached her destination. Considering the time and the day a considerable number of persons witnessed their departure, and three hearty cheers were given for the brave little body of pioneers of the new settlement, who in their turn gave a rouud of cheers for the Immigration Officer, and another for the Provincial Government, Mr Pitt and Mr Rout beiog present to witness their departure. Since the sailing of the steamer we have obtained some further particulars with regard to the arrangements made for inaugurating (his important scheme, but must reserve comment upon them until to-morrow. [Since the ab3ve was in type, we have received a telegram, which will be found ehewhere, stating that the Wallace had arrived at Westpot, being unable to land her passengers at the Karamea.] Resident Magistrate's Court. — A. Hunter v.J. Stagg. Action to rosover £9 10a, the value of a silver hunting watch supplied to Lawrence Drou for the defendant. After evidence had been taken at some length the plaintiff was non -suited on the ground that there was nothing to show that Dron was authorised by defendant to porcbaae the watch. Elizabeth Simpson, for obtaining goods under false pretences from Mr B. Franzen, was sentenced to one month's imprisonment.