New Zealand Colonist. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1842.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 10, 2 September 1842, Page 2

New Zealand Colonist. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1842.

The news from England supplies a striking comment upon the policy of the more violent party in this place. From the brief and imperfect notices which we have received of the conduct of Lord Stanley, and of the position of the New Zealand Company, it is quite evident that the reckless and inconsiderate measures of that party are producing their predicted results. It is sufficiently annoying to feel that the violence of a few intemperate persons, may have created a feeling towards this settlement from which we may long suffer ; but it is idle to conceal that such appears to be the case. The correspondence of Lord Stanley with the Company, manifests an almost contemptuous coolness, for which the inhabitants of this place are, we fear, in some degree responsible. No reason can be assigned for any personal or party hostility to this place, on the part of the noble Secretary of State for the Colonies. Many of the Directors of the New Zealand Company are among the warmest supporters of the government of which he is a member, and some, we believe, are his familiar acquaintances. Nor can he be ignorant of the strong claims to consideration, possessed by a body of men, to whom the establishment of this colony is almost entirely owing; and who have performed this great public work at some immediate expense, and no inconsiderable ultimate risk. We believe that had there been no counteracting motives, the New Zealand Company would have found as cordial a supporter in Lord Stanley as in Lord John Russell. These counteracting motives the people of Port Nicholson have supjflied, and we must be prepared to submit to the consequences of our proceedings.

It may be, and probably will be said, that the acciftsion to office of Lord Stanley is an accident, upon which the framers of the addresses and resolutions did not calculate; and for which they are not responsible. That is, however, but a poor policy, which is adapted only to one course of events, and makes no provision for probable contingencies. Had Lord John Russell even remained in office, it was at the best dbubtful whether the intemperance displayed in the proceedings of those gentlemen,

would not have defeated its own object. To have selected the very moment when all opposition between the Company and the Government at home had ceased, for an ostentatious display of unmeasured hostility to the Colonial Government, was certainly ill-timed; and to have done this in a manner which admitted of no concession or qualification,’ was as certainly injudicious. Nor can we wonder that a person, jealous of the semblance as well as of the reality of power, as Lord Stanley-is reported to be, should reply to these demonstrations of hostility by a punctilious adherence to established rules, in order to show that he is neither to be influenced nor intimidated by an opposition thus conducted.

We have never dissembled our opinion, that at the time of the first address, praying for the removal of Captain Hobson, we had strong apparent grounds for dissatisfaction and distrust. And it was because of our confidence in the strength of our case, that we deprecated the imprudent measures then adopted. Much that was within our reach was overlooked or disregarded, in the vain effort to attain a result improbable in itself, and of doubtful benefit even if attained. The establishment of an adequate local judicature, which we do not yet possess, as well as the acquisition of other powers, now in some measure conceded to us, might have been secured, together with an adequate security, if it had been needed, against any repetition of the act of which we then complained. But these matters were passed by. We do not pretend to know what were the ulterior objects, if they had any, of the directors and actors on that occasion, but the result has shown what was then predicted, that they took the very worst method to accomplish their avowed purpose.

But the coolness of the Government affords no ground for either apathy or despondence on the part of the New Zealand Company. Under their arrangement with Lord John Russell, and in consequence of the liberal interpretation given to it by Captain Hobson, who has allowed their Principal Agent to complete his imperfect labors; the Company will possess immense tracts of land, possessing every element of value but capital and labor, and these elements it is in their power to supply. In a few months more probably, within little more than three years from the landing of the Surveying Staff in this place, the surveys of all the preliminary sections will have been completed. When this has been done, .it will be an easy task to survey such a quantity of land as to be always in advance of the sales in England, and thus to give to any purchaser there the assurance of being able at once to commence the work of settlement upon his own farm. Some advances will, no doubt, be required to render the surveyed districts accessible, by the formation of roads, but for these advances the Company may, and undoubtedly will, reap an ample profit. To whatever extent emigration may be carried, we have land upon which the emigrants may be advantageously established. And we trust that no doubts as to the capabilities of this place, arising from imperfect information, or from any other cause, will paralyze the efforts of the Directors, or prevent them from persevering in a course by which the Company and the Colony will be equally benefitted.

We insert in another column an extract from a letter written by a gentleman at Auckland to a friend near Edinburgh. That any one, having the least regard for truth, should venture to put forth knowingly such false statements respecting our port, and the surrounding districts, would surprise us, did we not know that the party in question has an interest in disparaging the Company’s settlements, in order to enhance the 'value of his property at Auckland. We cannot, at present, refer to the exact number of vessels which have entered our port since the first emigrants arrived; but we believe we are

not far from the truth when we assert, that, at vessels have entered our harbour, many of them successfully beating in against a strong north-wester, and that no accident of any importance has occurred. The best answer to his statement that we have not “ 200 acres of land fit for cultivation,” is, that in the Hutt district, there are at least thirty sections, (or 3000 acres) of some of the richest soil perhaps to be found in the whole of New Zealand; while the Karori and Ohiro districts (in the immediate neighbourhood of the town) will furnish as many more; and that, in the course of the ensuing summer, the whole of the country sections of the Preliminary Settlement will have been given out. The assertions respecting Taranaki are almost a tissue of falsehoods from beginning to end. We believe, that in no instance have the emigrant vessels discharged their passengers at Cloudy Bay, into .small crafts, for the purpose of 'landing them at Taranaki. That there is no harbour we must admit, but strong moorings have been placed there by the Company, for vessels to ride by. The Company have also built large surf boats, for the purpose of discharging the vessels, and this is the only transhipment that we are aware of. With respect to parties emigrating from this port to Auckland, the writer was correct; but that does not prove that they had proceeded to a more prosperous place. The writer must be convinced, by this time, that there is not much likelihood of any more labourers leaving Port Nicholson for the seat of government. With regard to the assertion that Auckland is the most healthy spot in the South Seas, we need only advert to the prevalence of malaria there for the last three months, to refute the statement; while Port Nicholson has been entirely free from that and omir similar disorders. We have no jealousy of the Capital of New Zealand. May its exports of copper, sulphur, and manganese, prove as beneficial as the writer anticipates. All we request is, that when describing Port Nicholson and its neighbourhood, he will, if ignorant, take a little more pains to ascertain the truth, or if well informed, as is possible, that he will at least give to his misstatements some semblance of probability.

CORONER’S INQUEST

Yesterday, (Thursday September 1,) an Inquest was held at the South Sea Hotel, before J. Fitzgerald, M.D., Coroner, and a respectable Jury, on view of frie body of William Cousems, late cook on board the Whaling Barque, Lady Mary Pelham. It appeared, that about twenty six miles off Cape Campbell, during a heavy gale of wind, and whilst shortening sail, the deceased fell overboard in getting a bucket of water. Two boats were immediately lowered, but from the high sea running were unable to reach him for upwards of half an hour, during which time he was struggling hard for life; which was nearly extinct on his being hauled on board out of the boat. Every effort was made by Captain Harper to restore animation, but without success, there being no surgeon on board.

Verdict. —Died from exhaustion, consequent on long immersion in the water. The Jury in returning their verdict, stated, that they could not separate without expressing their sincere thanks to the Captain and chief officer, as well as the men on board the Lady Mary Pelham, for the prompt assistance given, and strenuous efforts made to save the deceased William Cousens, at the same time recommending all vessels of her size to carry a medical man.

During the evidence, it was shown that the greatest risk had been encountered by the men, who pulled off to their unfortunate fellow seaman, one boat, from the tremendous sea Tuning, being in the most imminent danger of swamping ; and great praise is due to them for the alacrity and courage shown in their endeavours to extricate him from his perilous situation.