THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, June 11, 1842.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 14, 11 June 1842, Page 54

THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, June 11, 1842.

Lea journaux devienncnt plus necessaires a mesure que les homines sout plus dgaux, et 1' individualistne plwt^a craindre. Cc lerait diminuer leur importance que de croire qa' its ne servent qu' a garantir la liberty : ils maintiennent la civilisation. Db TocaußViLLß. De It, De'mocratie en Amerique, tome 4, p. 230. Journals become more necessary as men become more equal, and individualism more to be feared. It would be to underrate their importance to suppose that they serve only to secure liberty : they maintain civilization. Db TocausyiLLß. Of Democracy in America, vol. 4, p. 330. It needs no apology to our readers that we return again — and, if necessary, again and again — to the subject of Elementary Schools. A memorial, drawn up in accordance with the resolution passed at the meeting of the Ist of June, and which appeared in oar last, will be found in another column. A public meeting will be held on Tuesday next, before which, this memorial will be

laid lor approval. It is the undoubted duty of all to join in this or some such expression of opinion on this subject, if they would not give up altogether their right to a just influence over the disposal of the funds which are reserved out of the purchase-money for their benefit. We cannot for a moment doubt the willingness of the Court of Directors of the New Zealand Company to give due consideration to any suggestion of the settlers with regard to such disposal. We believe that the gentlemen who form that court are far too high-minded, have far more liberal and extended views oflHthe existing relations between themselves an# the colonists, to entertain any notion that their duties are confined to those of a vendor in a legal conveyance. We expect no "it is not in the bond " from them. That they would comply with anything we might ask, it would be absur.-l to expect 01 suppose. That they would deny what is so evidently for the advantage of themselves as most interested in the success of the settlement, if asked for by an influential portion of the settlers, we cannot bring ourselves to believe.

We this week conclude the Estimates t>f ! the Expenditure of our Government for the year 1842. Our readers — that is, those»pf them who are residents in Nelson — are undoubtedly especially delighted with them. What can be more pleasant than to contemplate the delightful prospect of contributing their share towards this fund of £55,230 18s. 6d., with the comfortable assurnnce that the enormous sum of £1,161 11s. 3d. will be appropriated to their own particular ] occasions, and that Auckland, poor Auckland (no wonder that it complains oftha Government, and represents itself as in a ruined state), is only to have between ten and eleven thousand directly, and about £30,000 indirectly, as being the seat of Government, making altogether upwards of £40,000? The population of Auckland, be it remembered, is thirteen hundred, about; that of Nelson eighteen hundred, at least.

What can it all mean ? Are the Government people at Auckland mad ? Do they, can- they, really expect that this will be allowed? Is it possible that they have persuaded themselves so utterly out of their senses as to think that so monstrous an injustice can be palmed upon the world as a bona fide estimate of the actual relative wants of the two places ; or, at all events, that we are so tame a set, with so slight a sense of our own rights, so little enerjy^jfr asserting them, that we shall quietly allow these things to pass unnoticed — unprotested against ? If they do they are wofully mistaken.

We can only suppose that, having made up their minds to commit suicide, they are determined to do it in style. They will make an effective, if not an admirable exit, j Since they must fall, it shall be " surrounded by the ruin they have wrought." Let them cut their dash, and then their throatsf lik& other spendthrifts. Their monument shall be of brass, their Hie jacet that they did not leave money enough to pay for it ; and — "may the Lord have mercy upon their souls!"

The truthfulness of the Wakefield plan of forming settlements is a matter of the first moment to all colonists ; yet such is its peculiar character, arising from the necessity for procuring by the most refinedly artificial means the same effects as would, under a different social condition of Iftankind, have been produced naturally *an£ without plan, that even the strongest conviction of the perfect truth of the general scheme is continually likely to be stfrtled by a failure in some small and apparently indifferent point, or by some mistake in the very plan itself, which do ingenuity could provide against until actual experiment should have marked it as a fault. For this reason (that is, because steaftiag iv advance of time, Mr. WakefieldV-fSi is doing that which, unassisted, could not have been done

for many a year), we believe that the scheme will require frequent modification, to suit the circumstances of each particular case. Mr. Wakefield says himself —

" At the same time, I am not so sanguine a^u to hope that any attempt will be presently made to find out and establish the best possible mode of proceeding. And indeed it may be questioned whether, as regards a subject still imperfectly understood, it would be wise •to aim at perfection." There can be, we think, but little doubt that it is always " wise to aim at perfection;" to act as though you counted on certainly attaining to it would make the unwisdom. It occurred to us y> make tUjjpse remarks after reading the following article in the New Zealand Gazette, on just such a point aff those we have referred to. We are decidedly inclined to agree with the view taken by our contemporary :—: —

" ' The second objection to a sufficient price is, that, though suitable for rich soils, which would make a large return to capital and labour, it would be too high for a great part of such a country as Australia, where the main employment is sheep-farming, and where, in 6ome districts, several acres are required to feed a sheep. And this objection must be fully admitted. But, in admitting it, the statement has to be made that nobody has erer proposed to put a price upon the use of natural pasturage. That might be granted lor nothing, as all land uaed to be, but in strict proportion to the stock kept by the grantee, and on the condition that whenever anybody wanted to buy any of it, that portion should be resumed by the Government for sale, without even a tendency to defeat the object of insisting on a price for every acre acquired as permanent property.*

" We would submit that the objection stated applies to a uniform price lather than to a sufficient price. We have for years been fully impressed with Mr. Wakefield's plan of a sufficient price, but we confess we have had our doubts, which are strengthening, respecting the merits of a uniform price. The object of the sufficient price, as we have understood it, is that every acre of ground shall be made to contribute in the degree of its necessity to the labour fund. It should do this, but we have always thought it unwise to require it to do more. But, were we called upon to decide between the land yielding more or less than is necessary for this object, we should be in favour of the former deviation from the purpose in view. ■ • ( , " It appears to us that, in agreeing to the use of natural pasturage without the sufficient consideration, Mr. Wakefield disregards his own plan. Stock and sheepfarming cannot be pursued without the use of labour ; yet, by conceding the use of natural pasturage without a sufficient price or rent, a demand is imposed upon the labour fund without a just claim. It is plain the labour required in sheep-farming and stock-keeping -should be obtained at the expense of this class of proprietors, either by a sufficient price for land, or through granting licenses at rates in proportion to the quantity of stock for which they were required.

" Mr. Wakefield is evidently under the impression that all natural pasturage is fit for agricultural purposes, and that there will be a day when it will be required to be used in that manner ; and, if this were correct, when that day came to pass it should be subjected to his sufficient-price principle, which is plainly the price required to supply agricultural lands sufficiently with labour. Now, in New South Wales it is insisted that i there are millions of acres of land which can never be employed otherwise than as they are at present used.

" The distinction between inferior agricultural lands and land only fit for pasturage should always be kept in view. The sufficient price required for inferior agricultural lands should really be more than that required for superior agricultural lands, because the inferior soils would demand a greater amount of labour to produce th«> same results. It is wise, therefore, to place them at the same price as superior soils, because the effect is useful in two modes : it keeps them from being occupied at present, and prevents their making this extra demand upon the labour fund, to which they would not contribute their due proportion. The effect is beneficial alike to the community and to the individual. But natural pasturage, which must ever remain so, should be dealt with by itself. Its sufficient price should be sought by ascertaining the amount of labour which can be profitably expended upon it. Thus, suppose 3,ofj|f acres are required to depasture 1,000 sheepT and that three men are required to superintend this flock, and one man for other purposes connected with the station ; therL it appears to us the 'lowest sufficient price* for such land would be the amount neces-

sary to convey four men and their wives from Europe to this part of the world. At £20 per head, the charge for the importation of labour on 3,000 acres of such land would be £160, or rather more than one filing per acre, yet much more would lingly be given. But the present minimum price in 'New South Wales is twelve shillings per acre. At that price 3,000 acres would cost £1,800, which, added to the cost of 1,000 sheep at ordinary prices, and the outfit of the station, would make the outlay more than £3,00^ We need hardly remark that the result of such expenditure would be worse than profitless."

>fcvs needless* as matter of information, to direct our readers to the notice of Mr. Beck's death ; but we are anxious to make respectful mention of one whose early death has caused universal regret, as well for the satisfaction of, our own feelings as for the consolation of his friends, if such slight tribute can afford it.

There is a report current, upon what authority we cannot ascertain, that the schooner Gem, Captain Pearce, has been lost somewhere on the Chatham Islands. It is stated that all hands are saved. Some natives from the neighbourhood of Hawke Bay have brought news that the Ariel schooner, Captain Mulhollond, is wrecked there, but it does not appear that any lives were lost.

On Thursday night last, Mr. Birch, clerk to Mr. Williams, of Auckland Point, was drowned in the aide channel. Ths tide was running very strong, and some feet over the plank bridge. It is supposed, therefore, that the deceased was washed off in attempting to pass the bridge. This is the more likely, as the night was unusually dark and boisterous. The body has been found, and bears marks of considerable contusions, doubtless occasioned by its being brought in violent contact with the stone wall of the channel.

On Saturday last the house of Messrs. Wastney and Doughty, builders and carpenters, was totally destroyed by fire. The building was a wooden one, thatched with towai-towai, and was ignited by sparks falling from the chimney on the roof. We are very sorry to say that nothing was saved of any importance.

Yesterday a warrie, belonging to a man oj£ the name of Lewii, was burnt. We almost begin to entertain a good opinion of the Raupo Ordinance.

We have omitted hitherto to. give the result of the Census taken on the 6th of June, IH4I. The totals for Great Britain, including the islands in the British seas, are — males, 9,077,436, females, 9,587,325, making a population of 18,664,761. The population in 1831 was ascertained to be 16,366,011; the increase percent., therefore, in the ten years is 14. The number of persons ascertained to have been travelling by railways and canals during the night of the'6th of June, 1841, is 4,896, of whom 4,003 were males and 893 females. The houses inhabited are 3,46i,007, uninhabited 198,061, being built 30,631. This does not include soldiers and sailors on foreign service or at sea.

In :i letter iVoin Auckland, dated April 5, addressed to the Editor of the Ntw Zealand Gazetta, is the following passage :—: — * " I like your town very much, and I have formed a high idea of its future prospects. I have heard or seen every plausible current thing said or written against Port Nicholson from the beginning to this time; and, now that I'm quite learned in the labours of the anti-Port Nicholson sages, I'd rather live in Wellington than Auckland, even though the latter remain the state town. * * * I believe nothing of greater consequence than the fact of your weather being occasionally boisterous; and a desire to see this place made me come here.

•' The Printing Company's establishment was bought yesterday by the Government for £1,400, and is now its absolute property. The ■Herald is defunct; but, by some port of management, under the plea of accommodating the public, the Standa d will be printed at the Government office. This paper has a nominal editor; but every publication is a patchwork, manufactured by Shortland and Co."

A decision has been given in the Court of > Queen'a Bench, Ireland, which will carry alarm into many a family. All marriages in Ireland celebrated by Presbyterian ministers, are declared invalid where both parties are not Presbyterians. The : Presbyterians in Ulster amount to upwards of 600,000, and we understand that (nothing was more common than the celebration of marriages between Presbyterians and the members of other communities by Presbyterian ministers. DEATH. On the 7th instant, Francis Berkeley Becks, Esq., aged 26, late of Bath, who came to this settlement with the preliminary expedition as surgeon to the Will Watch.