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New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 805, 31 December 1853, Page 2

It is our custom at the close of the year f> review the general progress and condition of the colony, and especially of llie Auckland district, and we are the rather induced to adhere to our usage just now. because the sailing of the Commodore this day will enable us to forward our present number to many in England who may feel interested in the welfare of New Zealand. Our statements must, however, on this occasion, be compressed within narrow limits, other demands on our space being so extensive and urgent. But we regret this thej less, inasmuch as the speeches at the Grejit Public Dinner to Sir George Grey, which occupy a large proportion of our columns, contain much matter bearing upon the subject, \ which will perhaps have more weight than anything we could ourselves offer. \

The year just endiiig will be memorable in the history of the uplony as that in which the New Constitution Met has been brought into operation. It has also been happily distinguished by an amount of agricultural and commercial progress, which we can unhesitatingly describe as far exceeding the advance made in any former year in Auckland and its district,—to the affairs of which we purpose almost entirely to confine our present observations.

The details of the proceedings connected with the introduction of the New Zealand Constitution Act are fresh in the memory of our local readers, and could scarcely have much interest for readers at a distance. The elections passed over in a manner and with results which—considering that the franchise has been rendered so extensive as to be virtually tantamount to household suffrage —on the whole speak well for the judgement and right feeling of the people. The Supcrintendency of the Province was the most warmly contested. hoped, indeed, that a contest for this oflße might have been avoided, but the volunteered candidateship of a person whom the great bulk of the intelligent, thoughtful, and unbiassed electors deemed singularly unfit for the office, forced that large portion of the community to solicit with a perseverance Shot ultimately was yielded io--tWfTiT)nnor lieutenant-Governor to permit hiinself to be put in nomination. The contest lerminated, in the return, by a majority of more than & 'hundred votes, of Lieut a gentleman who-~ allbougbanofficerouactiveservice —has become almost as a ciltftou from the lengthened period his regiment has risen stationed here; who has invested not a kiltie of his property in the soil of the country 1 ; who has always manifested She most lively and practical interest in tha welfare of the district; and who, in the oflficdof Lieutetiant-Governor of the Province of pew Ulster, (which he held up to the abolitioi of lhat\office by the provisions of the New constitution), won golden opinions from all classes of the community. Since his election to the Superintendency, his conduct has been such as to do honour to the public choice which rested on him in preference to his opponent, j The Provincial Counqil of Auckland (consisting of twenty-four members) met for the first time on the IBlh of October. The General Assembly of the colony had not (and has not since)been called together, it appearing to be Sir George Grey's policy to give the free institutions, —which have been conferred on New Zealand, mainly through his instrumentality,—the fairest and fullestscope for development, by bringing into exercise those powers of local self-government which the Act confers on the provincial Councils, before the Assembly—made up of members from distant and all bijtt unconnected Provinces—should enter on; its course of legislation. By the authority which the Queen was empowered under jihc Provisions of the Constitution Act to delegate to him, and which Her Majesty did delegate accordingly, His Excellency was enabled to confer upon the country that boon which, above every other, was most anxiously desired, —we mean Cheap Land; an 1, moreover, holding in his hands the powers of the Assembly un-

til iis meeting, he was further enabled to place at the disposal off the Provincial Councils the Revenues arising within their respective boundaries, nub no other deductions than the sums already appropriated by existing Acts of the Imperial or the Colonial Legislature. Had these benefits not been conceded, there would have been a strong and general demand for an im media te'Session of the General Assembly, with a view to their being obtained, if possible, from that Body. But now that these boons are actually possessed, there is in this Province little anxiety for the speedy meeting! of the Assembly,— there being in reality not more than one or two of the measures falling within the list of subjects on which the Provincial Councils cannot legislate, respecting vhich a solicitudefor immediate action is felt, and even thesedo not engross much public atUnlion or excite anything like agitation. That Provincial Independence which (as distinguished from what is called Provincial Separation) is we believe all

but unanimously aesired by our community, is now practically! possessed, and the great majority can patiently wait for a Session of the General Assembly at some future day.

The Auckland /Provincial Council held its sittings regularly/from the ißlh Oct. to the •22nd of the month, when it adjourned for the Christmas recess, to meet again on the iOtii Jan. Ahhough there are com-

plaints because no public work have yet been actually commenced, yet it would be unjust "to j charge the members generally with apathy or negligeuce in the performance of their duties. Those duties were altogether new to some of them, and the preparation of the machinery in the first instance necessarily occupied considerable time which will not be required for the purpose in the future sessions. Several committees have manifested activity in collecting information of great practical value; and the discussion of the Estimates (which was completed before the [adjournment) was a work which could not be expected to be very speedily despatched, when all had to be arranged on a new basis and in altered circumstances. The salaries voted to officers have been liberal: —80(0/- per annum to Lhe Superintendent; 4<DO/. to the Law Adviser; and from 300/. downwards to Clerks. The salaries of former] officers, now placed under the Provincial (government, have in almost all instances been raised, [to meet the increased cost of living which the rise in provisions and other necessaries has produced. The total amount at the disposal of the Council was about 35,000/. and this, after the payment of salaries, has been appropriated to roads and other works of utility and urgency. Something has also been accomplished in the way of legislation. Besides an " Interpretation Ordinance,!* designed to explain and shorten the language of future Acts, an Ordinance has been psscd which will afford to to the Masters of Fornign Vessels visiting the port as complete and summary protection in cases of desertion \or refractory conduct on the part of their criws as probably they could find in any part oil lhe British Empire. A measure to prevent Disease in Sheephas also passed through committee, anil will be of great importance touhe rising pastoral interests of the Province! A City Council Bill is under consideralionJaud, when it has undergone the purgatoria purification of amendment in committee, is likely to come out eventually as an effective measure for the sanitary improvement] and the regulation in various matters of police, of our good and flourishing town of Auckland. Other mea-

sures are in progress; and, although some time has been wasted by the crotchets or private schemes of individual members, the Council, taken collectively, will, we confidently anticipate, bc| found at the end of its first session to have mjanifcsleda conscientious

sense of its duty and responsibility. AGnicuLTur.E appears providentially destined lo be a main so tree of the prosperity of the Province, and in this all-important department the progress has been equally remarkable and enco .raging. Sir George Grey's Cheap Land Regulations, issued on

the 4th of March last--by which the price of Crown 'Lands (except in certain exempt cases) has been reduced to ten shillings, and in some instances to five shillings, an acrehave given universal sa isfaction here. In the Southern Provinces, under the promptings of Mr. Edward Gibbon Wakefield and Mr. Henry Sewell (who are working together zealously for ends which we beliwe to be fraught with mischief and evil I an opposition raised to the legality pf these Regulations; but, even in the South, the vast mass of the settlers are in favour of the Regulations, whilst in our own Province of Auckland, there is not, so far as wcknowor have ever heard, a solitary individual wl/odoes not hail thereduclion in the price (f land as a wise and surpassingly beneficial neasure. For several years past, however, Ihe extension of agricultural operations in /this district has been advancing rapidly. A. few figures taken from official documents will show this. In 1844, the nuinber of acres in cultivation within a radiißof foyMeen miles of Auckland, was only 2,G9l ; —in number of acres had amounted to G,9l3i;U-in 1851, the number had still further augmented to 10,397; while 18pfc\showed| an increase which—viewed, as it should be, in proportion to the whole,—was perhaps without precedent in any colony, the number of acres in crop being returned by the„ Police as 17,299, and the number of acres fenced in as 20,207. The returns for 1 853 hape not yet been made up, and we are therefore unable to give figures exhibiting the exact progress made this year; but it is certain that —under tfie powerful inducements held on/, on the one hand by the largely remunerative market for the produce of New Zealand opjened up by the Gold Discovery in Australia, and on the other by the cheapening of land L—the enclosing and cultivation have this year been carried to an extent never before approached in this country. Both Europeans and Marries have entered with art earnest spirit of enterprise into the work of growing potatoes jund other crops for the Melbourne and Sydney markets; the breadth of the potato cultivation especially is the theme of general admiration; and at this hour several ships are already in our harbour waiting to receive the earliest crops for transportation to Australia, where they are sure to obtain an instant sale, and a handsome price. j The Commercial progress of Auckland during the year has fully kept pace with its agricultural advancement. The year 1832 was itself one of marked improvement on preceding years!, but the further onward movement made in 1853 may be understood from a few figures, derived from the most authentic sources, wich will afford evidence of t very satisfactory and conclusive character. The Imports at lb; port of Auckland for the year 1852* amounted to 138,578/.:—in 1853 they have amc tinted to 235,000*. The Exports from Auckland in 1852 amounted to 77,958/.:—in 1853 they have amounted to 145,000/. The Arrival of Foreign Vessels were as follows in 4852; Number of Vessels, 48; Tonnage, 13,592; Men, 725:—in 1855, they have been as follows: Vessels 96; Tonnage, 25,725; Men, 1,327. The Departures of Foreign Vessels in 1852 were as follows: Vessels 55; Tonnage, 12,840; Men, 730:—in 1855 they have been, Vessels, 95; Tonnage, 22,725; Men, 1,224.

In connection villi j these statements we may mention that the in umber of vessels registered at the port of* Auckland is 124, of

the tonnage of 5,11 J. This does not include the very numfroiis coasting vessels under 15 tons" whichlare constantly trading withiheport; these, filing only licensed, are not comprehended Jnllhe list of registered vessels. It may IflacYlcd (hat a considerable proportion of mfesregistered vessels have been built ucrevtfnd tlfni those of Auckland construction arelo>tfesfiedly amongst the most sea worthy, hancredtm and in every respect excellent "of the ships coming into the harbour. \

Neilher of course does this return include the canoes belonging to the Natives, which are continually arivmg with produce from the country, and carrying back articles of British manufacture. The Returns published in dHj Government Gazette show that in 1852 the number of Canoes which arrived at Auckland was 1792, bringing Native produce of various kinds valued at 5,504/; and lhe number at the adjacent port of Onehunga was 324, with produce valued at 700/. The Returns for this year not beimx, yejL us, we can only we are assured on competent a>vflborily that the Native Canoe trade cuViso3 will be found to have shared j_Upe general prosperity. This, however, is one part of the Native commerce in produce, vlmmense quantities are brought into the back loads; and, in addition lo their camoes, the Natives were twelve months ago ov.vners of thirly-seven coasting vessels,— a nunuker which no doubt has since been increased. \. The Revenue affoim-v further evidence of the year's progress. In 1851$ it was 19,425/. in 1853, it has amounted to 3'r,J">oo/. These facts and figures furnish evtUbnee of the rapid advance of Auckland and its district ■ with an imprcssivoness which precludes all necessity for illustrative comment. Some of the matters lo which ihey refer will be found (as we intimated above) enlarged upon in the speeches delivered at the Dinner to His Excellency the Governor, by gentlemen well qualified by local information to do them justice; and several additional details, all tending to the same gratifying conclusion, are unavoidably postponed until the official Returns for the complete year shall be before us. Meanwhile we have much—very much to be thankful for as a community, in the accumulated and still accumulating proofs that His Honour the Superintendent sketched no overcharged picture of the condition and prospects of Auckland when, in his Opening Address to the Provincial Council, he said.— " Extending from the North Cape loMokau, a distance of nearly 500 miles, with an extreme breadth of about 150 miles, the newly created Province of Auckland is in the direct line of steam communication about to be established with Great Britain, and will shortly become the nearest, instead of the most distant of her Australasian possessions ; with an extensive seahoard, indented into numerous and commodious harbours, with its surface generally available for cultivation, having a healthy climate and fertile soil, abundantly watered, rich in valuable timber, and not without indications of mineral wealth, I believe it would be difficult to find any equal portion of the earth's surface, which cornprises so many natural advantages for British colonisation as the Northern Province of New Zealand." And again.

" Actively engaged as are the inhabitants of Hie Province in productive industry ; raising already a large excess of food; having a ready market close at hand for all their surplus produce; with no rivalry between the races but the pursuit of peaceful industry; and with an improving revenue and rapidly increasing trade, it may be doubted whether any portion of Her Majesty's subjects enjoy in a more abundant measure, the blessings of peace and plenty, or have before them a more certain prospect of a prosperous career."