THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, December 17, 1842.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 41, 17 December 1842, Page 162

THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, December 17, 1842.

Lea journaux. devienncnt plus ndcessoires & mesurc qne les homines tout plus fcgaux, et 1' individualiarae plus a craindre. Cc serait diminuer leur importance que dc croire qu' Us ne servent qu' il garantir la liberte : ils maintiennent la civilisation. D« TocatJEViLLE. De U Democratic en Ameriquc, tome 4, p. 220. 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. Ob TocauEViLLE. Of Democracy in America, vol. 4, p. 320. We hear a report that a Harbour Master has been appointed for this port. For our own part, we are very sorry to hear this. Though willing to undertake some expense for the sake of procuring a Corporation, we were not in love with expense for its own sake ; and the first use that it would have occurred to us to make of such an engine, would have been reduction of useless expenditure every where. It may be remembered by our readers, that the argument, of all the most effective, made use of by Mr. M'Donald in opposition to the Corporation at the late meeting, was the setting forth of this very item of Harbour Master and his establishment. Now we are not unwilling to retain as much as possible of the contributions which we are obliged to make towards the general support of Government, but we are not anxious to ask for any special unnecessary expenditure in our own

settlement, which must increase the general expenses of the Government, and therefore draw more out of our own pockets. It is to be considered, also, that we could not, ' with any conscience, on receiving a Corporation at any future period, demand to be released from this unnecessary expense of a Harbour Master, if we had quietly assented to it when defrayed out of the general fund. An argument of some importance, too, is that — quite leaving the expense or future consequences of the thing out of the question — we do not want a Harbour Master at all. He will be absolutely useless here. With hands in pockets, he may wander about here, nominally doing and superintending much — but nominally. We do not want a Harbour Master. The duties that would fall upon a Harbour Master here are better performed by one whose interest in the place is of the highest class, in more senses than one, than they ever would, or well could, be performed by a paid officer. It is a disagreeable process, that of eating one's own words — disagreeable to the stomach — a dose of rather an emetic character. Nevertheless, this one disagreeable being the only point put forward as an argument against objecting to the appointment, we decidedly recommend the taking the dose as speedily and with as little absence of decorum as the circumstances will admit of. True, you have memorialized for a Harbour Master — with some humility be it said — in somewhat foolish haste. Better repent, nevertheless, now than hereafter — far tatter. If any can give good reason for continuing to back the previous memorial, let him give his reason and back it accordingly ; but, if not, why not confess his etror and announce that he was mistaken ? If courage is wanting for this, we shall consider that, unless 'some answer is given — to which answer our columns are open — our fellow- settlers agree with us, and shall look for the exercise of influence in a different mode to prevent the colony being saddled with an useless burden. We had rather see the thing done openly : say at once, " We were mistaken ; we do not want a Harbour Master."

There is every reason to be gratified with the reports which have been sent to England of the settlement of Nelson. We cannot refrain from drawing attention to a most sensible remark, in a letter from Mr. Sinclair to his uncle, that the Company will pour in their emigrants too fast. It cannot be too strongly impressed upon the Directors that labour is not the only element of prosperity ; that there must be some proportion, and a carefully balanced proportion, too, in the importations of labour and capital. As a clever friend of ours remarked on this subject, one cannot catch wandering capitalists, bag, and export them. But there is another mode of keeping a due proportion, viz., ' limiting the exportation of labour. However, the accounts from England do not at all incline us to be in a grumbling mood. The accounts received of our position, &Vc, are of such a character as to induce the emigration of capital to an amount equal to our wants. Having every other element of prosperity, this last apparently creates what it only accelerates. The settlement or Nelson is now a rich field, with tools lying about, begging to be used. The machinery is ready made — in the highest order — only deficient in the motive, power. We now daily expect the increased flowing of the stream which shall set the great wheel in rapid motion. Far be it from us to cry " Eureka !" too soon ; yet are we confident that such materials cannot long lie comparatively idle.

A new publication has appeared in London, called the New Zealand Portfolio. We have received copies of the first number, containing a letter from Mr. Chapman to Lord Stanley, on the administration of justice in New Zealand. The early part of the letter gives a capital sketch of the dealings of the Colonial Government with the Cook's Straits settlements, of which, however, one

13 sick of writing. A great deal of intelligent remade upon the Courts of Quarter Sessions and Courts of Requests has ceased to be applicable, the Second session having undone all that had been done in the first of the Legislative Council. We quote, however, on account of a significance sufficiently remarkable, the following : — " I will take it for granted, then, that at the present time there is no settlement in New Zealand, of any magnitude, which does not enjoy a Court of Quarter Sessions and a Court of Requests. Nelson, with its population of more than 2,300, and New Plymouth, with its population of 800, cannot, with any decency, be placed on a worse footing than the nominal town of Russell, without any population at all ; or even than Auckland, with 1,500, or, according to the largest estimate, 2,000 people. I will admit, further, that, before the present time, these courts have been rendered in every respect efficient for the attainment of -the objects for which they were designed. In other words, I assume that, at the present moment, all the settlements in New Zealand are furnished with means for the recovery of Bmall debts, and the punishment of small offences." Even Mr. Chapman, with all his experience of colonial misgovernment, never contemplated the truth. There is much justice in the treatment of the subject of a Central Supreme Court at Auckland (central ?), with a peripatetic judge. Mr. Chapman is a decided advocate for " administering justice under the district system, with a distinct judicial establishment for each." We recommend this pamphlet to the notice of our readers. Copies may be had at the office of this paper.

Some kind friends have, we understand, been lavish in their abuse of this settlement, at Wellington and elsewhere. There are no means of guarding against misrepresentations of this description, nor do we much fear the evil to be done by false statements. We wish our detractors no greater evil than that they may find another as good a place to settle in, and console ourselves by means of a certain indestructible faith which we have that truth has a tendency of the prevailing sort, while falsehood has the contrary. There is, or ought to be, a fable of one who continually sucked eggs, persuading his simple companion that they were valueless chalk stones only, not worth the picking up.

The Bombay arrived on Wednesday last, with immigrants, bringing newspapers to the Ist of August, the day of her leaving Gravesend. She has had a tedious passage of 135 days, having encountered contrary winds in the English Channel, and light, baffling winds on the line. The mortality, considering the length of the passage, has been light, namely, six children. The immigrants appear to be of a respectable class, and among them we hear are some who paid their passage, and have the means which will enable them to farm on a small scale. Every man of this class we consider an acquisition to the settlement ; and we feel assured that the moderate price at which some of the best suburban sections can be rented will insure to those who go to work in the right way the most ample return. The ships advertised for New Zealand were the Essex, with emigrants, for Wellington and New Plymouth, to sail on the 31st of August; the Prince of Wales, with emigrants, for Nelson and Wellington, to I sail on the Ist of September ; the barque Union, for the Bay of Islands and Auckland, day of sailing not named. The Thomas Sparks, for Wellington and this place, is believed to have sailed from Plymouth the same day the Bombay left Gravesend : but as she had to call at the Cape of Good Hope, it is probable she may not have yet arrived. Letters sent to Sydney by the Mary Ann. on the 19th of March, had been received in London. •

The return of Mr. Cotterell from his exploring trip, which was looked for with much anxiety, took place on Sunday last. We refer our reader! to bia very interesting journal for particulars, which wilTbe found in another column. The result of this expedition is highly satisfactory, -aa it determines the practicability of an easy communication between the valleys

of the Waimea and the Wairoo ; Jind shows that within a short distance of the largest block of suburban sections there is ample land, of the.finest description, for the country district, whicn has the advantage of being well watered throughout. Independently of the valley of the Wairoo, there is, we belisve, another and a much larger one, extending a considerable distance into the interior if not throughout the length of the island, and of which there are some vague accounts. Mr. Cotterell states in his journal that, on the morning of the 21st, having obtained the summit level, and while following a south^ easterly direction, he observed a large wooded 1 valley, stretching S.W., bounded E. by a snowy range. The water which was here observed flowing eastward must have been the Wairoo, issuing from this valley. On the 23d he crossed a river coming down a gorge from the S.S.W., '* which, from the quantity of water, appears to come a long way." Had Mr. Cotterell followed up the wooded valley, or the gorge, we have little doubt that, instead of the Wairoo, valuable as it is, a much larger and equally fertile district would have been discovered. With the facilities which these large districts will give for rearing cattle, we look forward to an early period when stock will be abundant and wool exported to a considerable extent. If we were previously of opinion that a fortunate choice was made-in the selection of the site for this settlement, we now see much greater reason to rejoice, believing as we do that there is no known spot in New Zealand possessing greater natural advantages.

By the kindness of a' gentleman, wha came from Port Nicholson in the George Fyfe, we have a Colonist of the 6th of December. Our contemporary dwells at some length on the decision come to by the council on a previous day relative to the second election of aldermen (an account of which will be found in another column) ; and argues that, where so much was at stake, it would be wiser to have run no risk, for, should it be found that a new election was necessary, all acts committed by the present council would be null and void, and any parties who might suffer by their proceedings, could recover damages. The same gentleman informs us that, before the George Fyfe sailed, it was generally understood that the council had determined wrongly, [and that the corporation was in consequence extinguished for twelve months. The Pickwick had arrived at Wellington, and the Sisters was within the heads.

The George Fyfe, which took emigrants to Wellington, has brought us a few cabin and intermediate passengers. It is the intention of all these gentlemen, we believe, to immediately farm. Mr. Sinclair, in a letter to his uncle, which has appeared in the New Zealand Journal, gives as his opinion that if farming will pay any where in New Zealand, it will at Nelson. Whatever it may do elsewhere, we feel assured that nothing but ordinary energy is required to ensure its complete success in this settlement..

We were on Sunday last visited with the heaviest gale which has been yet felt here. The schooner Erin, which went out of the harbour on Saturday evening, brought up in the middle of the gulf, and rode out the gale in safety, with nothing but a three-inch bass rope and a wooden anchor. The George Fyfe anchored off Pepin's Island, and found the holding ground there equally good.

Mamubk. — The " Complete Farmer," observes as follows : — "Manures are intended either to repair the decay of exhausted worn-out lands, or to cure the defects of other soils, which are as various in their qualities as the manures used to ameliorate and restore them. Some lands are too cold, moist, and heavy, whilst others are too light and dry. To answer this, some dungs arc hot and light, as that of horses, sheep, pigeons, &c. : others, again, are fat and cooling, as that of oxen, cows, hogs, &c ; ana as the remedies used must be contrary to the distempers they are to cure, so the dung of oxen, cows, and hogs, should be applied to lean, dry, light earths, to make them fatter and closer, and hot and dry dungs to cold moist, and heavy lands. . ' To cbooss a Stock or Bees. — Place your ear close to the hive, and give it a tap ; if the inmates give a short and sudden buzz all is right ; but if it be a languid hum, or rather a purring sound, the hive must be rejected, for the bees are weak. — Wrighton on the Management of Beet. Pkodcci vnau a single Grain of Whxat. — A single grain of wheat planted in a garden in England, in the month of October, without any particular cultivation, produced-the following harvest, 64 straws or tillers, all bearing wheat, total num-^ ber of grains being 2,800, and the straw weighing T ■when thrashed 14 ounces. A gentleman, who signs himself " A Mhs Penitent," lately tent a donation of £1,000 to thfe London Female Penitentiary Society. The works on the Paris and Rouen railroad are in progress, and have been finished in several part*. There are at the present time more than 10,000 workmen engaged. u—jt.^ —