To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Straits Guardian.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume I, Issue 12, 28 December 1844, Page 3

To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator and C ook's Straits Guardian.

Sir, — In last week's paper I called tha attention of the New Zealand Company and New Zealand Society to the probable advantages which would ensue to these settlements if better known among whaling masters, and pointed out the best means of circulating the necessary information at a very moderate cost. It has since strnck me, that it would be well to piovide our friends at home with a summary of facts, to be advertised for a period with the chart in the New Bedford Whalemen's Shipping List. Unquestionably the first thing needed by the captain of a ship about to resort to a port, is a good chart of the neighbouring sea or straits, with a good chart oi the harbour itself on a large scale. The next piece of information is a good description of the headlands about the port. I have no where found a better description of the landfall in the neighbourhood of Port Nicholson, than that provided some years since by Captain Herd. I bpg therefore now to subjoin it : — " Waganui Atara, or Port Nicholson Harbour, (or, I "may a:ld as it is now called, Wellington,) bears from Cape Palliser, N. 74 deg. W. by compass, distant about 8 leagues, and from the high snowy mountains !N. -10 E. The course up this harbour is N. 6 deg. 30 mm. W. for nearly nine miles. Here all the navies ot Europe might ride in perfect security ; at the entrance there is 11 and 12 fathoms water. Viewing the coast on the eastern side of Cooks Straits (when off and within a few miles of Cape Campbell) from Cape Palliser to Cape Terawitte, it form'? in three tablelands, Cape Palliser being the first, (or most easterly) ; the table land which forms the east side of the entrance to Wanganui Atara (or Port Nicholson, or Wellington) is the second ; and Cape Terawitte is the third of these table lands ; between these table lands (all of which aie immediately backed with lofty hills) at the distance stated above there appear to be two bights, which is not the case, but the land is low and nearly Jevel with the water 5 (the bight nearest t're entrance to the harbour is called Lyall's Bay, and Evans' Bay, a part of Port Nicholson, is on the other side of the low land seen at that spot ; the other bight is the opening of a valley called by the natives Ohiro, and which is approached from ihe town of Wellington.) By the above description this harbour may easily be discovered, as it is close under the north part [ of the middle table land." I In this descripton of Captain Herd's, I have taken the liberty of adding the word 1 Wellington, and describing the bights to which he refers." Descriptions cannot be too full, in proof of which, I would state that 1 had a printed shipping list of a port in this part of the world put into my hands the other day, into which 3000 tons of shipping entered in a week or teu days, and not a settler of this place could state where the port was situated. The port is Lahaina, Maui, and I have since been told that it is one of the Sandwich Islands. Of the three table lands to which Captain Herd refers, it should be stated, that they have all bold cliffs. The table land at Terawitte is about seventy acres in extent, and from what I have seen of that near Baring Head and Cape Palliser, I do not think that either of those, -table lands are of larger surface than that at Terawitte. There are now three excellent land marks at the entrance to oar harbour ; the beacon on ! Pencarrow Head on the eastern entrance of the port — and the signal station and the Company's beacon on the western side of the entrance to our harbour, all of can be seen many miles at sea: The bearings of these ought to be obtained, and sent home to be laid down upon the chart which I,ptoposed, in your last paper, to be advertised -monthly in the New Bedford Whalemerts Shipping

List for six months. Captain Herd's- instructions would lead ship masters to suppose that they had to sail nine miles up our harbour IN. 6° 30' W. to arrive at Wellington, but a chart would show where the town is situated, and that before arriving at Ward's Island, the smaller of the two islands in Port Nicholson, the course is altered to the westward and subsequently 'to "the southward ; the town being at the south and not at the north end of our harbour.. ' l ' 1. 1 am not aware that any of the probable wants of a whaling vessel could not be supplied here upon the most moderate terms. "Her entrance, stay, and departure would be unattended with any expense that was not entirely voluntary. If her hull needed repair she could be hove down or could go upon a slip, of most ingenious construction, invented by Mr. Mathieson of this place, laid down at very small cost, and proved to be equal in all respects and superior in some to the European j patent iron slip. Timber for the repair of the hull, and spars, can be had here equal to and as cheap as any to he found in any other part of the world. Iron and copper of all kinds, if a certaiu demand existed, would be supplied to shipping here at the same prices as they are furnished in neighbouring colonies, it being the good fortune of this colony to be connected with most highly respectable commercial houses in Great Britain, prepared to supply New Zealand with goods of any description known to be required, upon the most reasonable terms. Canvas, ligging, and whaling gear can be had at all times, either manufactured of European hemp in Great Britain, or manufactured of New Zealand flax in Port Nicholson. Whale boats, built in this port, by competent persons, can also be had at all times on very moderate terms. Should there be sickness on board, or any of the crew have met with serious accident requiring surgical assistants, I am fortunate in being able to state Port Nicholson may be backed for services of the kind against any port in the world. Should provisions be required, such as a whaling vessel requires may be had on most reasonable terms. Whaling vessels, especially American ships, rarely require flour or biscuit, but should they, such articles can be had hete even now at a very moderate advance upon prices in the neighbouring colonies. But for the dispute which has so long existed between the Government and Company, by this time these articles would have 'been as cheap as in Van Diemen's Land, and cheaper than in New South Wales. And now that our various kinds of timber and bark are likely to prove such advantageous shipments to Europe, and that the titles to land question is about to be terminated in a manner satisfactory to the settler and advantageous alike to the immigrant and native population, I feel confident that in two years from this date, if not within twelve months, this will be found to be the cheapest port in this part of the world at which even flour and biscuit will be obtained. Beef and mutton must necessarily be dearer here for some time than in New South Wales, especially if the prospects now apparently opening to New Zealand should prove substantial. Whaling shipping, however, require but comparatively small quantities of these articles. They chiefly need fresh pork, and this article now can bo obtained at much lower prices than in the neighbouring colonies, and will yet be cheaper. I have no doubt that, at no distant date, fresh! pork will be regularly supplied to the shipping at from thice half-pence to two pence per pound, in any quantity required retail. Of vegetables it may be remarked, that they will be had here in the greatest abundance and variety at a cost far below tl c prices at which they cou\d be supplied -by the neighbouring colonies. I' have no doubt that^ at an ' early period, shipping will b& regularly supplied with the very best description of potatoes at about forty shillings per ton ; and poultry cannot fail to become very abundant, as even the natives are now rearing them. A whaling ship needing supplies might obtain them either by the sale or shipment of oil or bone, or by disposing of undoubted bills upon any part of the world. Port Nicholson enjoys the advantage ol having "a branch of the most important Banking Institution in Australia. Port Nicholson is unquestionably the commercial head quarters : of New Zealand, andis very properly the - seat ot the principal banking establishment in the colony. The facility this advantage affords, and is likely hereafter to afford this port, in a still higher degree, enables the merchants of Pott Nicholson to be purchasers at all times of all kinds of prodnce useful for home consumption, and for export. Should, however, the master of : a whaler prefer shipping his produce to GreatBritain to disposing- of it here, vessels in i which to send it forward will generally b.e found loading in our port, and our merchants, with the aid of the Bank, will be found able and willing to make reasonable advances

thereon, et'iher irthtr shape _of- stores for the whaling vessel, wr la zuuyey require.d'*for the use of the captain and crew Mile in, port. Or should the master of a 'whaler resorting here be possessed of suitable letters Qf-pnedit, and prefef obtaining funds upon such" cfocuroents, he would find no difficulty ingoing so. , „ I have been assured that the whaling, masters. are looking about for aew ports at which to refit ; but tothis hour they continue to receive most unfavourable statements concerning Port Nicholson. For instance, a whaling vessel was recently 1 at Port' Cooper, and as supplies were required the captain was advised to proceed to this port, when he replied he had been informed that Port Nicholson was so bad a harbour to enter that it would be .necessary to anchor at Kapiti, and send his boats round for supplies. It is palpable that whaling ships cannot do better i than resort to Port Nicholson, for our port is free from all dues, every kind of supply and assistance required' can be had on most - moderate terms, and the alteration of the British Tariff, with shipping constantly loadting for Eugland,. aided by a good banking institution, affords the means of selling oil iat a good market price, or of sending 'it forward on owners account. ' s: r. ;