PORT NICHOLSON.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 46, 21 January 1843, Page 183

PORT NICHOLSON.

[From the New Zealand Colonist."] The arrival of the New Year was greeted with the usual salute of cannon, .musketryj &c. j.aiid. the bells of the ships in ■ harbour, addecj 'their* din to the general noise. • -.**',,'.' \y "^ At ten minutes befs're- f sevoa o';clock;<^ day morning, January ! Ist,, a- ratfier^s^rere shock of an earthquake 'wasCfe.tt,-. anoV: again about eleven o'clock at night. ". ;•"' - •' . Our fellow colonist, Mr. Greenwood, has recently arrived at this place from East Cape, by way of the Taupo country. He brings news of Mr. Shortland and Mr. Spain, whibh leads us to imagine that their arrival here is not to be expected for two or three weeks. It appears that, on their landing at East Cape, they found a serious warfare existing among the natives, which they were unable to restrain. The Victoria was accordingly despatched to Auckland to fetch fifty soldiers, and she was to wait until the war was concluded, and then return to Auckland with the soldiers, and again call at East Cape to take on board the acting Governor and Mr. Spain, and come on with them to Wellington. It will therefore, probably, be at least the time we have mentioned before their arrival is to be anticipated. Captain Bell, of the Hannah, reports the loss of the Look-in at the Chathams. The war between the natives at Tauranga had been for the time quelled by the presence of the acting Governor, and the troops that he had brought with him ; and there seemed good grounds to hope that no renewal of hostilities would be attempted. A strong party of troops was, howei'er, left there, in the event of any hostile demonstration being attempted on either side, and they will amply suffice to maintain peace. The rumours which had been spread of the attempted resistance of the natives, and of the retreat of the troops, were totally without foundation. We understand that it is the intention of Mr. Shortland, before returning to Auckland, to visit some parts of the coast, for the purpose of using his influence to settle the disputed claims to land. As the New Zealand Company are prepared, at least we presume so, to make any reasonable payment, in order to complete their purchases, and enable them to give to the claimants under them peaceable possession of the land they have nominally professed to concede; we should trust that the whole question may soon be settled. At any rate, we are assured that nothing will be spared to place this complicated and perilous question upon a satisfactory footing, and to prevent the present misunderstandings and future collisions which would inevitably result from its being any longer left unadjusted. [From the New Zealand Gazette, Dec. 31.] We had hoped to lay before our readers the conjoined report of the several gentlemen who have lately returned from all the diverging lines of newly opened country which they have, with unabated energy, taken a personal survey of previous to the approaching selection of the remaining sections belonging to this First and Principal Settlement. Although we have not been able to converse with them individually, yet we think we may anticipate their unanimous concurrence, that the holders of the late choices will have less cause to regret the delay which, from a variety of causes, it would be useless to refer to, has hitherto deprived them of an earlier selection, and that the difference between the value and locality of the earlier choices and those yet to be made will be found to be comparatively small, and eventually become beautifully less. There is no doubt the weather, in this portion of the island, has not only been unusually stormy, but extended far beyond its ordinary duration. We have now, however, become sufficiently naturalized to the various changes of climate in this our newly-adopted country to be able to form pretty correct notions by which to regulate not only our agricultural movements, but our coasting, trade, Which we may congratulate our readers are both in a healthy, safe, and prosperous progress. Notwithstanding the long-continued inclemency of the season which has just passed, we may congratulate ourselves on having passed through it little, if at all, affected by it either in the general health of the settlers, or in the appearance of our agricultural productions. The exhibition of the Horticultural Society, which took place the .other day, the details of which we this day lay before our readers, will show how little we have to fear from the effects of our winter season upon our garden productions, whilst the luxuriant vegetation which meets the eye on both sides of the River Hutt, sufficiently proves that we need entertain no fears for our crops of grain, which are fast extending themselves in 'every direction around us. We have been favoured by a communication from a resident on the River Hutt, who states that he commenced cutting barley on the 9th of thia month, and the result was, when cleaned, after the rate of 74lbs. to the bushel, and that he contemplated cutting wheat by the beginning of next month. We heartily congratulate our correspondent upon the results of his labours, and trust we shall have an equally favourable account of his wheat ; and if, in the next communication, he would state the average produce per acre, the quantities from which those averages are calculated, and the tiihe, the respective crops were put in, he will be conferring a great benefit upon us all. That the result of the barley crop might have been anticipated, we can, from our personal experience, state, that last season we grew barley, drilled a foot apart in the rows, which averaged 72lbs. per bushel weighed in bushels.

We may further congratulate ourselves with the prospect of an ample supply of fodder for cattle, as the young clovers «re everywhere presenting a most promising appearance, and the English grasses, which have been sown with equal, prospects of success ; at the same time, wfc would caution our friends to reserve the operation of laying down for grass until they have, by a course of drill cropping, prepared the ground for its reception. And lasCthough not' least, we may say we are making steady* progress- towards the perfection of .our experiments in preparing the native flax 'for exportation. Let us but once fairly accomplish this, and we need not' covet the mines of Peru. [From the New Zealand Gazette, January Jr.] "Time and tide wait for no man," but both are continually fraught with matter calculated to demand our attention, and to call forth feelings pleasurable as well as serious. We are fast approaching the revolution of time which will bring with it a train of reflections well calculated to create a rapid diversity of emotions in the breast of even those who are the least given to philosophize upon the past, the present, or the future, The 22d of this month will be the third anniversary of the arrival of the first body of settlers at Port Nicholson, and for ourselves at least, and we think for even those who are not disposed to look at things in the most favourable point of view, we may justly say there is no reason why we should not hail its completion with every feeling of satisfaction, and mutual congratulation of our present state as well -as future prospects. In old settled countries it is not unusual to hear the misanthrope and those who are continually looking behind them, and one side of them, or up in the air, or under their feet, in fact anywhere but the right, giving vent to their discontent by longing for the return of those good old times, which some are so anxious for the return of, though it would puzzle them sadly if called upon to point out what bygone period they would fix^ on as coming nearest to their Utopian ideas of human enjoyment. Here, however, we doubt if there is even one so enamoured of the beauties and luxuries of those good old times when poles and bundles of toetoe where deemed a comfort, and if to these were superadded a few baskets of tiwa's and a spare rib of native pork to grace the festive board ; language was too poor wherewith- to express our delight. [Our contemporary then states the result of a public meeting held at Barrett's Hotel, at which it was determined that the anniversary should be kept in the usual manner, and that the amusements should consist of a sailing and rowing match, running for a soap-tailed pig, climbing a greasy pole, jumping in sacksr foot race, wheeling barrows blindfold, hurdle-race, rifle match, and a canoe race.] We hope, before another opportunity presents" itself for celebrating this anniversary, we shall find ourselves in a position, to extend our objects of attraction, by the establishment of an agricultural show; and we think our present progress, both as to our gradually increasing herds cf cattle and sheep, as well as extending agricultural operations, will, at no very distant period, afford us the opportunity of exhibiting specimens of our success which will bear comparison with many of the productions ,0/ our neighbouring colonies, and that our funds collected to further these objects will allow of our offering prizes not only for the best articles, but for the best treatise on the nature of the soil, climate, and the proper seasons of the year for following out our pursuits of those objects.