HONOLULU. From the Polynesian, Oct. 16,1847.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 163, 22 December 1847, Page 2

HONOLULU. From the Polynesian, Oct. 16, 1847.

Having in our last number shown the importance of agriculture as a means of improving the temporal and spiritual welfare of the people, it remains to consider some of the measures to be adopted in order to secure the blessings which industry aud thrift will bestow One great drawback to the prosperity of the nation, is lh j indolence of the people, and their inability to appreciate the advantage! conferred upon them

by the eouititution and laws. Their transit from a state of the most abject lervitude to one of freedom, has been too sudden for the intellects of the mast to comprehend. The advances of the government in correct principles amid the concession of the rulers to the subjects, iv securing to them by law so many rights and liberties, which the Chiefs, as framers of the laws, might easily hare withheld, is unparalleled in the history of nations. The course pursued by the rulers is highly commendable ; it speaks well for their liberality and justice, and is the best compliment which can be paid their teachers aud advisers from other lauds. But the people must be made to comprehend the design of the concessions, and to improve the advantages conferred upon them, or the good intentions of the government will be of no avail. They must improve the talents given them, or like the unprofitable servant who buried his talent in the ground, the privileges they now enjoy, will pass into other hand;. There are many of the natives who are industrious and enterprising ; but their earnings are all swallowed up by a trihe of hangers-on.— While every inducement should he offered to voluntary labor, the vagrants who now throng our streets, and live upon the earnings of the industrious part of the community should be compelled to " earn their bread by the sweat of the brow." If with all the inducements now offered, the people remain in idleness, it only remains for the government to enforce labor by penal enactments Idleness it a crime against the commonwealthandistotreatedbyroany communities, The Hollanders, in the early ages of their republic, punished idlers as criminals ; and unless those with no visible means of an honest livelihood, could render a satisfactory account of themselves, they Were put Ho labor. The lawgivers of our own kingdom also seem to have so considered it, and for fear their wise provision on this subject may have been forgotten, we extract the following f i om Part ll f, Chap, vi, of the " Act to Organize the Executive Departments." " IV. The Minister of the Interior may cause to be seized any subjects of His Majesty, living in idleness and without occupation or visible neans of support, and he may impress them into the service of the government farms and plantations, the working of stone or other enterprises for the use and support of government. He shall also have power to bind out iuch idleri and vagrants to labor for a term not : exceeding one year at anyone time, and at a rate of hire, two-thirds to the apprentice, and one-third for the exchequer, with any agriculturist, planter or farmer in any of the islands, or with any artizan or mechanic who will undertake their training and instruction in his art or trade. He shall have power to authorise the master of any such bound apprentice to use coercise means, to be indicated and limited in the articles of apprenticeship, in case the apprentice neglect or refuse to do the reasonable labor required of him." Let the existing laws respecting vagrants be rigidly enforced, and many who now louuge about our streets would soon find employment in voluntary labor on the lands. The effect upon the morals of the. people could not but be salutary, as it would compel numbers who now flock to the sen-port towns, and who are dependent upon chance for a subsistence, to remain- on their lands, and labor to improve them. It is the first duty of a government to look after the interests of its own subjects ; and no alien can complain if privileges are btstowed on subjects which they do not enjoy- It would be unfair to the subjects of a nation to accord equal privileges to those owing allegiance to a foreign power. But if, as is the case with this country, it be desirableto encourage immigration, it becomes necessary to give aliens who come with the intention of settling in the country, all the rights and privileges which can be given without doiug injustice to the subject We believe the settlement of a few thousand foreigners among this people would develope the resources of the soil, strengthen the nation, and contribute more than any one tb»ng else to benefit the condition of the people. The old world is overburdened with population, while we have a soil capable of supporting ten fold its present number. In the circumference of a few miles, we have a variety of climate suited to the raising of almost any product, from that of the temperate to that of the tropical clime. Oue quarter of the money given gratuitously to supply the wants of the famishing in Europe the past year, would have transported a little colony of them to our shores. The introduction of Chinamen is strongly urged by some, and so far as our knowledge extends, there is no class better calculated to cultivate profitably the staple products *, but we would like also to see a community of Europeans,

By the Marys, which arrived yesterday from Tahiti, we have received news from that island to the 27th ult. A scarcity of food prevailed generally, and was causing sorrie distress. Things were very quiet, and the French were'on their best behaviour ; although the morals of the islanders were not said to have been much improved by their " protectors." A set of regulations had been enforced for the due peace and order of the port,— necessary on account of runaway sailors, et id genus omne.~ No native was allowed abroad after the eight o'clock gun ; and no European after ten o'clock, without a , light. We hope affairs will soon so much improve as to enable the "Protectors" to, lay aside such stringent regulations, which do not smack much for freedom, especially in U Oceanic,

The Sir John Franklin, schooner, arrived on Monday from the Feejee Islands, aud the missionary brig John Wesley, yesterday ; the after a pas&ge of nineteen days, and the latter of nine days from Rewa. The Rev. Walter Lawry,General Superintendent of the Missions in these seas, has returned in the John Wesley, aftervisiting the various stations in the islands. . At Rewa, a sanguinary war has been kept up for a considerable lime, and many of the villages and settlements have become depopulated in consequence ; but at the other islandi which have been visited, peace prevails, and Christianity appears to have taken root, and is tending to produce a civilizing ioluence.

Union Bank op Australia. — We are iequekted to state that the delay in opening the Bank here has arisen from the notes not having arrived at yet from Wellington, where the New Zealand Notes of this Bank have been sent from London. The next arrival from Wellington, it is expected, will enable the Manager here to open the Bank without furher delay. *

Programme of the performance of the Band of the 58th ' Regiment, for Thursday, 23rd instant, at 4p. m , on the space of ground in front of the Council Chamber. Orerture, Opera " Fra Diavolo " Auber. Cat., Opera, " Scaraooucci '' i . . . Ricci. Quadrille, " The Britiih Army " Jullien. Car , Opera, " Eliza and Claudio "... Mucadtnte. Cpt., Opera " Norma," " Caita Dir& "... Belini. Waltz, •♦ I'be Presbourg " Lanner.