THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, January 14, 1843.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 45, 14 January 1843, Page 178

THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, January 14, 1843.

Lea jourauix deviennent plui n&esMire* it tnesure que 1(P bommei «ont plus igaux, et 1' indmduulume plus i Craisdre. Ct terait dirainuer leur importance que de croire fltt* "il« ne tervent qu' it ganntir la liberty : tit nuuotiennent UttfilUuion. D* TocaoxviLLx. De U D&nocratie en Amerique, tome 4, p. 390. Journal* become more necewary as men become more •gnu, and individualism more to be feared. It would be to ouderrate their importance to nippoie that they »enre only -to wcun liberty : they maintain civilisation. De TocttUxyiLLK. Of Democracy in America, vol. 4, p. 820.

We Ijaye been rather surprised to find so little gen#4 interest excited by the fact that ttieware"now in this settlement individuals well acquainted ■with the preparation of the JSuropean flax, who have come out, wholly induced to do so by the reports of the valuable qualities of the flax of this country, «nd who aie now endeavouring to bring their acquaintance with the nature and SBode of working a' material, at all. events, to some extent similar, to hear upou the preparation of that which we have been always

led to expect would be the staple of this colony, and which is undoubtedly capable of being by some means made so. It is almost impossible to attach too much im portance to this subject ; and we regret to observe how little inclination there is with the settlers in general to take the thing up with spirit. The preparation of either the European flax or that of New Zealand is not a subject with which we profess to have acquaintance^ nor do we suppose that in this respect we are much behind hand in information compared with the mass of our readers. We have, therefore, nothing specially to say either in favour of or against any plan which has been hitherto proposed, or any which persons at present occupied in the endeavour may be attempting to mature ; we can only say that we have had repeated conversations with Mr. M'Lashin, who is assisted by Mr. Anderson, both of them professing to be well acquainted with what is, we believe, called flax-milling (i.e., the preparation of the flax for sale to the dresser), and with flax-dressing, and confident that they have discovered a method by which the New Zealand flax can be prepared for exportation in a stute superior to that in which it is usually imported into England, at a repaying'price. It musV be known that the expenses of removing from their native country, procuring a passage, establishing themselves here, and supporting themselves during the period which must elapse before there can be any return, must be a heavy draw upon the resources of persons of small means, such as those are likely to be who are practically acquainted with their business, and whose trade, nevertheless, was not sufficiently flourishing to induce them to remain at home. Under these circumstances, and seeing of how much importance it is to us ail that this flax exportation should be brought to bear as speedily and effectually as possible, it seems to us that it would only be evidence of the most ordinary foresight and wisdom, if we were to unite for the purpose of affording assistance to any persons whose claims to such might be considered sufficiently established. No--thing could be simpler than the management of such an association ; the expense to each individual being really little more than nominal. A very small subscription from each would suffice ; and if it were made actually a small subscription, we do not believe that a single settler of moderate means and respectability would refuse to become a member. By this means, the attention of the whole settlement would be more immediately attracted to the subject. A committee should be appointed, of men of business, who should meet at stated and known times, and to whom persons having the flax under experiment might apply for assistance. The committee should of course require, so far as it could be obtained, a statement in writing as to tlrl^expense likely to be incurred, feasibility, &c, and some calculation as to the probable price at which the article would be produced. This statement would not necessarily imply the telling of any secret process which the applicant might profess to have, on which subject the committee would of course exercise their best judgment. It would be the duty of the committee also to take, when it could be obtained, security for any taoney advanced, and, under any circumstances, to secure to themselves a lien upon any machinery to be made, and upon the flax produced, until the advance should.be repaid, with interest or not, as might be determined. Thus we might secure to ourselves information to be depended upon as to the Results of the different experiments, and not be misled by the partial statements of inventors or experimenters. Any plan known to have failed, after fair trial, will be removed from the field of future speculation, and thus narrow the scope in which success might actually lie. The experimentalists would be enabled to occupy themselves wholly with this one business, not having to go about seeking assistance in various quarters, nor

having 4e employ a large portifta of 4k*ir time in other work, in order to obtain they means of existence and of further prosecuting their endeavours.

We are exceedingly anxious, as are, of course, our fellow settlers, that nothing should happen to baulk the evidentlyincreasing tendency to agricultural endeavour now showing itself amongst us ; on the contrary, it is plain that everything should be done to encourage it ; and the large number who, of necessity, cannot apply themselves to such an enterprise, may well give their assistance and forward with a helping hand those who are willing to undertake the risks and undergo the roughing attendant upon it. The agricultural body is the most valuable to the settlement, must be the real support of the place ; by it the professions and trades of the. town have to get their living ; upon it depends their prosperity. By no means as yet apparent can this encouragemejit be given, this helping hand be held out, at once so easily and so advantageously, as by the establishment of an Agricultural Association — some such thing as usually passes under the title of an Agricultural and Horticultural Society. It is not only as distributors of prizes and encouragers of meritorious endeavour after gigantic cabbages and Brobdignag turnips, or quaint varieties of herb and flower, that such societies are valuable ; the pursuit of such objects has a decided value, whicli we are not inclined to underrate, and, as fixing attention upon the growth and peculiarities of the vegetable or flower cultivated, have a much more important result than the single production of individual specimcens of enormous size or unprecedented beauty : but the principal object of such societies — the most important benefit which they confer upon the community — is that of being a body by means of whose assistance important facts are noted and registered. To them are and should be addressed communications containing details of experiments, data as to seasons and sorts, profit and loss, breeding and stock. Their annual or half-yearly report should not be a mere account of the state of their funds, the number of prizes given, for what and to whom, but should contain all the novel information which could possibly be obtained from individuals on agricultural matters, and the result of experiments in their own garden (an adjunct which no such society should want whose funds can afford it). We daily expect the arrival from Wellington of copies of an almanack, advertised some time since as to be published there at the commencement of the year. From this much information will doubtless be gathered ; but there is a considerable difference in the " times and seasons " of this place and of the vaiious districts of Wellington. We are either earlier or later. Various things, such as prevalent winds, .exposed positions and sheltered ones, economical application of the means lying at hand or at a distance ; all these matters require experiment in the place itself to secure strictly verified data. Such experiments the society would encourage and, if necessary, superintend. Such data their report or their correspondence would, when published, furnish to the public. It is needless to urge further a matter which it is so palpably to the interest of all to take up with energy. We only express a hope that we shall see some Agricultural Association established here at once : every delay is so much absolutely lost; for in this, as in other things, it -is time that give* the value. * Since writing the above, we have seen the advertisement which appears in another column, calling a meeting for the purpose of making arrangements for the celebration of the first anniversary of the founding of the settlement of Nelson. We think that there could be no better opportunity for mooting this subject. It would be well to make one of die exhibitions of such a society form a part, in all future years, of the amusements with which the inhabitants, of Nelson will regale themselves on the recur-

fence of this anniversary. The period of the year falls most fortunately for such, ft . purpose ; and no fitter adjunct to the celt- | bration of this event could, we think* be 3 i well devised.

What has become of the proclamation that " the islands of New Munster and New Leinster, with the islands adjacent, aha)! form a district, to be called the district j»f Nelson?" Where is our County Court, " to be holden monthly, at Nelson, in the said district of Nelson?" Where is o*Q£ — Judge? Where are our Jury Lists?*— A where our Sheriff ? — where the first sitting ' on the third Tuesday in January, 1843?— and where, oh where, is the Government Brig ? Verily and indeed this is a prettjjr state of things. " Only leave us alone" is * not such a bad prayer after all, if one could * only get an answer to it, yea or nay, so that we might know at least what we had to expect. But this trifling with our most important interests is past all bearing; thU sitting on legislative benches and executive seats of honour, and playing at government, is enough to try beyond endurance tb* patience of a community of Jobs ; this acting there, overlooking the colony and " seeing it go," is weakness or wickedness, or both, beyond the ordinary experience or calculation of such vices in rulers, however bad they may have been. What is there to say of such treatment? Nothing fitting but what we cannot and dare not say ; nothing but what it would he at once ridiculous and dangerous to say in earnest, and lowering the just character of our complaints to say in jest.

The Colonist, some weeks since, put forward a claim, on account of the settlers a£ Wellington, to a considerable share of the land which will be allowed to the New Zealand Company by the Government, on account of the funds expended by them in emigration. The Gazette, also, evidently joins in and seems inclined to back the claim, as considering it founded in justice. We commented upon this (as it appeared to - ' us) extraordinary claim " with some degree of asperity," according to the Colonist, and a reply, in the way of justification, appears in that paper of the 23d of December. As prelude to what we have to say upon the matter, we would frankly confess that it is no business of ours especially ; but having been, as it were, startled by the singularity, injustice, and, we must add, apparent absurdity of such a demand into indignant protest, it becomes us at least -to justify that protest, though running tin risk of being considered meddlers in jitters that do not concern us. Far £t from us to underrate the amount of aer-' vice rendered by the first settler* at W«l-. lington to the New Zealand Company;^ their fellow countrymen anxious to cQlon|*» the same field, and to ourselves amongst the number, or the risks they ran — or, which is the same thing, that they were supposed by themselves and others to be running — ia this " hazardous enterprise," an expression we believe to be not at all too strong. We can sympathize with, and should look upon as just and reasonable, any request for extraordinary assistance, for unusual expenditure, from the Company, upon the ground of these services, this risk, and also upon the ground of the various checks to the progress of the settlement in its early stage, - and consequent unreturned expenditure 0t capital, which checks arose wholly from th» early arrival of the settlers, and not from fault or neglect of their own. When we hear that (he Wellington settlers are pressing the New Zealand Company to tnfke roads for them, to expend money there for various public purposes, the only feeling we have on the subject is an earnest wwh thft the requests may be attended to, and that the works, when carried oat, may be *•-. beneficial as they are expected to be. Onsfr L sense of justice is never offended by datn%| which seek only gratefuj. aclrnowle4gmaj* of favours received. In this instance, how* ever, the. thing is vastly different. Dropping the tont of one who has no clainv no tight

to demand, being only justified in putting forward strong circumstances in favour of 3siderate and generaUy favourable treatit, upon the ground of some voluntary rifice or accidental loss in the attempt at ; a joint speculation for the benefit of both — dropping this tone, we have the demand, as „a right, of that which no just-minded man, fif granted, could look upon as any other Ijfchanm favour — a claim as for a debt due, ' which,, if satisfied, every liberal mind would and acknowledge as an act of .generosity. The shock given to one's natural sense of justice, the evident want of rjght minded ness, was what made us protest, ' hot any desire to depreciate the zeal or the . Reserving of the Wellington settlers, far less ' • any ungracious jealousy of their receiving any " recompense for labours to -which," as we are told and acknowledge, " our own existence is attributable." It would give us the most single pleasure, the most unfeigned gratificatron, to find that the New Zealand Company intended to expend a large su.n in making roads, and generally facilitating communication between various portions of their first settlement. "We can conceive of no juster exercise of the influence which the press has — no more beneficial employment of the talent engaged on it —than this one of pointing out and pressing upon the Company the policy of increasing the value of their own property and at the same time that of the settlers. We believe it to be a moat legitimate argument to back, that of policy to state, the zeal, the risks, the losses, if any, of the settlers, and the benefits which these have secured to the Company ; with the justice of urging , such moral claims to consideration, we perfeclly agree ; but all this is very different from the character of the claim -made by the Colonist upon which we commented, and of which we must say we have not at all altered Our opinion.

On Tuesday last Mr. Cotterell started on a second exploring expedition, accompanied by a man named Panter, who was with him in his former trip, and a Maori. Two men, carrying extra provisions for four days, proceed as far as the Wairoo, where the provisions will be deposited, and the men return. The object which Mr. Cotterell is instructed to attain, is to discover, if possible, an extensive valley, the head of which id said by a French whaler to exist behind the Lookers-on, extending southward to Bank's Peninsula, at the back of the coast range of hills, and within nine or ten miles of the sea. Mr. Cotterell will, we believe, endeavour to gain the Wairoo at a point higher up than where he met with it in his last expedition, and, 'by following up "the river to its head, he hopes to find an opening in the chain of hills which will enable him to reach the valley in question, should it exist. If no opening be found, he will cross the hill range. From the head of the Wairoo to the Lookers-on, the distance cannot be above three days' journey, and it is therefore hoped that, as each person will carry fourteen days' provisions from that point, there will be ample time to examine the country. ,

On Saturday night an accident occurred from the incautious use of firearms, which was likely to have proved of the most serious consequence. A man'of the name of Flowers had returned from work on the Waimea Plain, and a loaded gun having incautiously been left in the house, while examining it previous to putting it aside, it unfortunately went offl, and the contents were lodged in the side of Mrs. Moulder, a woman residing in his house, and in the face of his wife. We are happy to say that, by the prompt assistance- of Dr. Ren wick, the greater part of the shot was extracted, and we believe both are now doing well. On Tuesday last, a man having incautiously ignited some shavings, lying near timber intended for a house building by Mr. J. Saxton, in Brook Street, the' whole took fire, and was entirely destroyed, including some tools and clothing belonging to the carpenters employed. Yesterday afternoon, a warrie occupied by a shoe-maker, adjoining the bank, took fire from a spark descending from the chimney on the The rapidity of the flames was so great, , that but little property could be saved. We fear that some great conflagration must happen, before people will cease building their houses of such inflammable materials. We beg- to call the attention of the friends of Education, to the quarterly meeting of the school established in this settlement on the blan of the British and Foreign School Society. We regret to say, that the meeting stands' adjourned from Monday last, from the bad attendance then given. '

Grace in women is the secret charm that draws .ihe soul into its circle, and binds a spell round it for ever. The reason of which is, that habitual ~f»ce implies a continual sense of delight, of ease, and propriety, which nothing can interrupt, ever varying and adapting itself to all circumstances alike.—HazUtt.