THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE CANTERBURY SETTLEMENT.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 608, 11 February 1852, Page 3

THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE CANTERBURY SETTLEMENT.

[Fiom the "Lyttelton Times," Septembci 20.] Our first birthday is past, — and we have celebrated the event as a public festival with every manifestation of public rejoicing. This is the best comment upon the events of the past year : notwithstanding the disappointment which many have experienced — for disappointment is an inevitable companion in all the undertakings of mortal meu— it has been recognized by the great mass ol the population of this settlement that it is good for them to be here. Let us review biiefly the history of our settlement. The first ships arrived on the iGtli of December, 1850. The colonists found upon landing a small town laid out and prepared for their reception, — prepared to the extent of a good jetty for landing goods, n wharf along the sea, streets cut and levelled, barracks built for shelter, a store for warehousing goods. There weie two public houses, and one private store, and some few small whares. They soon found however, that Lyttelton was not Canterbury. The piomised land was not yet attained. Those who surmounted the mountain barrier told of the plains beyond, and it was clear to all that on the plains was the desired place of habitation. Then arose the first great difficulty. The road was not opened. There was not even a bi idle track (or travelleis ; to convey luggage across the mountains was impossible. The communication by water was the only one available, but even that was mteicepted by a bar at the mouth of the river, and a sea always boisterous in the easterly winds of summer, surrounding the bar with, much real and ten-fold imaginary danger. And if there had been no bar, there were but some half dozen small boats, whilst more than a thousand tons of luggage was waiting for conveyance. This was the state of affairs when the first meeting of the colonists took place. They decided that Christchurch on the plains should be the capital, in spite of the difficulty of getting there. The work commenced in earnest ; boats plied as fast as they could, whilst gentle women and tender children plodded their way across the hills and through the swamps to arrive at homes which were still amongst the things to be. The bridle path, however, was soon finished, ai\d the way became easier; in answer to the demand boats came m from the neighbouring settlements, and freights became more reasonable. Saws were busy in liiccarton bush, and materials for building were provided. But the most cheering and most important event was the speedy selection of their properties by the land-purchasers, by which the mass of labour at first pent up in the narrow limits of the port town, flowed out upon the land. Very shortly after the colonists ai rived, it was determined to abandon the Sumner road , and to devote the funds at the disposal of the Agent to the accomplishment of such works as were within present means. Experience has completely justified this policy. The road from the ferry to Christchurch alone has been of infinite service to the colonists, whilst the sum which | it cost, spent in the still incomplete Sumner road, would have been sunk without any corresponding benefit. Since the opening of that road, Christchurch has rapidly increased, and farms have sprung up in us neighbourhood. So that now the traveller who takes liis place in the public car which runs daily from the ferry to the Capital, finds it hard to recall the dreary and uninhabited waste over which he toiled through water couises and swamps when he first arrived in the settlement. The land-office was quickly lun up, and houses clustered round it. The temporal y chuich followed, and new roads are spreading, like spidei's legs, in all directions, fiom the centre of civilization in the new colony. For accurate statistical information as to our progress, we shall look anxiously for the publication of the Census which has recently been taken by the Government. We believe, however, it will be found that the population of the settlement considerably exceeds three thousand souls. Eighteen ships have arrived which must have brought nearly that number, in addition to which there was a population of two or three hundred when we arrived, chiefly employed on the works of the Association ; and many hundred persons must have since ariived from the neighbouring colonies. There cannot be less than 550 HCies fiom which ciops will be gathered .it thp first lmivesr, and theie must bo fom times that quantity of land efficiently fenced. The impoitation of stock has been attended with great difficulty, but there are about 30,000 sheep in, or in the immediate neighbourhood of our district, besides cattle and horses. So many of the colonists ate now turning their attention to pastoral occupations, that we may soon expect to see this number but a small fraction of the annual return. Such has bepn the physical progress made. To those who are acquainted with the history of other settlements it is full of hopeful promise for the future. Turning to the political aspect of affairs, if we have less to congratulate ourselves on for the past, we have scarcely less to hope for the future. Looking beyond the immediate boundary of our limited political horizon, we may remark that Canterbury has been founded at a time when the great battle which tbo southern colonies have been fighting is almost won. It seems inevitable that before long all the important and valuable features of the British constitution will be applied to the government of each. In the mean time we have been most foitunate in displaying a unanimity in politics almost unexampled, and, what is scarcely less a matter of congratulation, a total absence of political excitement, and political agitation, except only when we are called on by his Excellency to declare our sentiments. Nor can we conclude these remaiks without noticing the relation in which we stand to our elder sisters, the other settlements in New Zealand. Something of irritation no doubt there was, something scarcely friendly | on their parts towards us at first, a feeling certainly caused, perhaps justified, by the unconsciously grand and big way in which we talked, and were talked of whilst yet in England. That feeling has wholly disappeared, a result equally creditable to our friends here and in other settlements of this colony. Lyttelton has much to thank the Wellington settlers for, a good deal of capital, most of the best shops, and much general assistance has been derived from old Wellington settlers. Nothing could be more discreditable to ourselves, or more disastrous to the colony at large, than the revival of any unworthy rivalry between fellowcitizens and fellow-labourers. Nor are we less backward in acknowledging the debt we owe to the Australian colonists who have joined our ranks. They have brought us not only capital, but experience ; valuable knowledge in the especial craft of a colony, the production of wool ; and they receive from us in return the forms and fashions of civilized life at a reasonable distance from their squatters' homes. Such has then been our first year's work ; — small indeed compaied with that which we once contemplated might have been done ; but far from mean when compared with similar undertakings. Failure, so far as the original scheme of this settlement has been a failure, may have taught us some useful lessons, and impressed upon our community a more healthy tone ; but all will admit that when the Canterbury Association dies, as we hope it soon may, with its honours green about its brow, it will not only have achieved a great and admirable work, but will leave behind it an example to governments, of how much might be accomplished by a wise system of colonization, vigorously, ably, and wisely conducted.