NELSON.

New Zealander, Volume 2, Issue 65, 29 August 1846, Page 2

NELSON.

The cutter Royal William, entered our port on Wednesday evening, after a tedious passage from Nelson of five weeks. She brings us Nelson Examiners to the 18th July, but they contain no intelligence of the ,state of affairs at Wellington, of a later date than that which has already been before our readers. The Examiner of 27th June, in an article on Mr. Spain's decision, that the Wairau was not purchased by the Company, professes to treat this award as *' waste paper ;" and— after setting forth the necessity of obtaining, by ssorea c means or other, more land for pasturage, for the fast increasing herds and flocks of the settlers, — says : " Why not ask the Governor to sanction the occupation of the Wairau at once for pastoral purposes, until the Company's title to it shall be established, and the rural districts shall be delivered? He would not be embarrassed by such a request,, because it would not involve any decision on his part on the merits of the question which Mr. Spain has thought proper to report upon without enquiry." With all due deference to the opinion of our talented contemporary, we conceive that such a request would embarrass His Excellency ; because it would place him in the delicate position, either of offending the settlers by a refusal which they would construe into a mark of his disregard of their wants, or^of running the risk, by complying with their wishes, of embroiling himself more deeply with the Na*

tives Of Cook's Straits, and converting those of them who are vow his friends into fierce and irreconcileable foes. The disadvantages experienced by the Nelson settlers in consequence of the limited quantity of land available for pastoral purposes, however great they may be, (and we are by no means inclined to speak slightingly on the subject), cannot, in our opinion, justify so_ dangerous an expedient as the taking possession of the Wairau, without a previous and distinct arrangement with the Natives to that effect. We have no desire to witness the recurrence of another Wairau tragedy, though we apprehend that some such result would follow the adoption of the Examiner's suggestion by the Government. It would be tantamount to a declaration of war ; and would inevitably alienate the feelings of the few Native adherents ■who now range themselves under the British standard in Cook's Straits. We venture to predict that His Excellency will judge it less hazardous toincur the displeasure'of the settlers, than to provoke the ill-governed passions of the Natives by such an invasion of the disputed district. The same paper contains the official correspondence between the Colonial Office and the New Zealand Company, relative to the ararrangements affecting the recent loan of £150,000, obtained by the Directors from the Government, extracted from the appendix to the Company's 19th report; but we do not deem the subject of sufficient interest to our readers, to justify the transfer of the entire letters to our columns. Our readers are already aware of the nature of the transaction. The possessions of the Company, actual, as •well as those "in mibibus," are mortgaged to the Government for seven years, for the abovementioned sum at 3 per cent, per annum ; and at the expiration of the term, the Government may, " unless the loan, together with the interest, be repaid, foreclose, if it think fit— or take such other measures as it may deem expedient for realizing the security." It requires no extraordinary degree of precience to toretel the upshot of this arrangement, as far as the money is concerned ; and we think the Government, when reckoning day arrires, will hardly be cajoled into any "other measures," than those which will in effect for ever relieve, both themselves and the Colony, of the incubus that has fettered their operations, and retarded our advancement. We annex the titles of several local Ordinances which are to be laid before His Excellency, with the view to their being submitted to the Legislative Council. They appear to be adapted to the wants of the settlement, and will probably promote the interest ot the inhabitants of Nelson district :— An Ordinance to prevent the Spreading of Contagious Diseases among Sheep. An Ordi. nance to prevent Entire Animals from going at large. An Ordinance to prevent Injury arising from Trespass by Cattle, &c. An Ordinance to prevent Injury and Nuisance by Dogs* An Ordinance to apportion the Expense of Mutual Fences, &c. An Ordinance to prevent Injury by incautious Firing or Bush, Fern, &c,

Government Gazette. — A number of this official publication was issued on Thursday. Its contents are of no special importance. A sale of Town, Suburban and Country Lands, is advertised for the 30th of Sept —97 Debenture Certificates for sums between £50 and £loo each, amounting in all to £604-8 15s. OA., have been forwarded to the Treasury for issue.— Mr. Nathan is to sell by public auction, on the 16th September next, a variety of Government Stores, consisting of agricultural implements, naval stores, saddlery, tools, clothing, &c., &c— The Customs receipts for the quarter ending sth July, 184-6', are published as follows: on Spirits ii J 1265 7s. 6d., Cigars and Snuffs £19 15s. 6d., Tobacco £387 15s. 6d., British Manufactures £409 25.3d. Total receipts during the quarter for the Auckland district,— £2,oBl 7s. 3d. Supreme Court.— The half yearly sitting of the Supreme Court, for the trial of criminal cases will take place on Tuesday next, Ist. September; and for civil business on Monday, the 7th September. Police Office.— A charge of cattle stealing was preferred on Thursday, betore Mr. St. Aubyn, J.. P, against one of the Butchers, residing in this Town; and the case was partially investigated yesterday. We refrain from giving the particulars at present, as the evidence is not complete : on Friday next the case will be resumed, and the result of the inquiry will appear in our next. The increasing number of cattle in the neighbourhood of Auckland, and the known carelessness of the men who are employed by the butchers to drive in the beasts destined for the shambles, render it highly desirable that the interests of Stock holders should be protected by some kind of Legislative interference. The character and respectability of the butchers, so liable to be called in question, would also be less exnosed to suspicion if some specific arrangements were adopted, calculated to make it aore difficult than it is at present, for them to drive in and slaughter cattle belonging to others, without the mistake being detected. In the other Colonies we believe, there is an officer specialy appoiuted to inspect cattle intended for the knife, and to register their brands, and doubtless the precaution adopted is found to work well, both in protecting property, and preventing crime. We hope that during the ensuing session, some such regulafiou will be enforced here. Cleanliness and Comfort. — We really hope that the Legislative Council, when it is convened, will take into consideration the filthy state of some of the minor thoroughfares leading from Shortland Street towards Chancery Street, with a view to the adoption of some remedial measure. The whole of the bade part of the Town immediately behind Shortland Street, is one mass 'of mire and dirt; drains there are none, and the disgraceful practice ol'slaughtering animals in the Town being still tolerated, the nuisance is heightened by the offal and refuse, washed from the higher to the lower ground, that accumulates in this neighbourhood. If some improvement is not effected, we shall not be surprised if ere long, some contagious disease breaks out amongst the inhabitants of this» quarter.

Auxiliary Bible Society.—We are glad to perceive that an effort is about to be made by the friends of Truth to establish an auxiliary to that noblest of noble Institutions, the British and Foreign Bible Society. Limited as our population is, we are not too few to do good. We owe our all of civil and religious liberty to the Bible, and Bible Christianity ; and we trust that the attendance at the meeting, which by reference to our advertising columns will be noticed as announced for Wednesday Evening next, will be such as to prove that the inhabitants of Auckland are not insensible to the value of the Scriptures. We have often trembled for the fate of Auckland, when standing on the rising ground at the back of the Town, and looking down upon the closely packed houses, we have figured to ourselves the awful rapidity with which a fire, if once it broke out, would convert the Town into aheap of ashes. Kawri wood is at all times an ignitible material, and the houses are now so thoroughly dry, and the chimneys, many of tkem at least, suffeied to remain so foul, that the danger of conflagration is materially increased. Is it not the bounden duty of the authorities to adopt some precautionary measures ? A fire engine ought to be procuied and arrangements made for a sufficient supply of water, in case of need. We trust the Legislative Council will take this subject into consideration at the earliest opportunity.

Important to the Labouring Classes.—lt is reported that many useful artizans, and labouring men, are leaving Hobart Town in search of a home affording a better prospect of profitable employment. Such persons would do well to direct their steps towards New Zealand. At present we are suffering grest inconvenience from the scarcity of labor; and a large number of industrious, sober men, would be certain of immediate employment, and good wages. Female servants of good character, are also greatly needed, and could be provided with comfortable situations, without delay. If these remarks should catch the eye of any in the neighbouring colonies, who are in straitened circumstances, and anxiously looking out for an opening elseV7here, we trust that they may be of service by raising the drooping spirits of such persons, and directing them towards a country where industry never wants. The Auckland Press, which we announced as set up in the place of its short-lived precursor, the Antipodean, has also disappeared.