New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAITS GUARDIAN. Saturday, December 6, 1845.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 61, 6 December 1845, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAITS GUARDIAN. Saturday, December 6, 1845.

"We. are so thoroughly .convinced that the • great balk of the European 'population can -never obtain any of the benefits of a,Govern- • ment so long as the capital is retained at Auckland, that we need offer no apology for ißgahv recurring to the subject, more especially, as we^will. prove that' the very* reasons which induced Captain Hobson to select Auckland are precisely those which .render the absurdity o£<his choice most manifest. Jf, as has been stated in the House of Com--mons, the Governor will arrive amongst us unfettered with instructions, there can be little doubt of his possessing sufficient power, should the vital interests of the colony re- • quire it, to change the seat of Government to such of the settlements as he may deem 'most fitted for the purpose. We will therefore consider the reasons and principles on which the choice of Auckland was made, and compare its site and neighbourhood in reference to its qualifications and capabilities with the district of Port Nic"hblson; we will thereby not only shew that the selection was in the first instance incorrect, even upon, the reasons < and principles alleged to have dictated it, but also prove, that under the changes which have taken place in the progress of the colony, and which must inevitably occur, it. is more than ever expedient at onde to rectify former errors and remove the seat of Government to Cook's Straits. The aspect and circumstances of the colony appear very differently now to •whafr'they diiin the first few months of its existence, — the experience of six years has brought under observation .many points in connection with .the.se islands which were previously unthought of, and has rectified ' jnany mistaken notions respecting the coun- j

try, and its inhabitants : not a little has the misgovernment of the colony and its results tended to demonstrate which locality is most fitted for the executive and directing powers. We find no fault with the principles upon which Capt. Hobson argued for determining where should be the proper site of the Government. He, however, omitted one important •consideration, particularly important since the colony consists of a gronp of islands, with extensive tracts of coast, viz. — that cf a facility of external as well as internal communication. The seliction of the capital was a -subject which required a mind capable of anticipating the progress of the colony and the various phases would assume consequent on the development, from time to time, of its resources, capabilities and importance. "There appear to be good reasons for selecting the position wmVh you poi'it out of the south shore of the Waitemata, in the district of the Thames, for" the seat of Government ; that is, however, a question of great importance to the future interests of the colony, and one on which your final opinion should be settled with great deliberation." Thus wrote Lord John Russell in a despatch, dated April, 1841, replying to one of Capt Hobson's dated in October, 1840, informing him that he hai decided on forming the Government settlement in the north ; the reasons on which he acted are given in the isame despatch. — " In the choice I have made I have been influenced by a combination of circumstances ; first by its central position, secondly, by the great facility of internal water communication by the Kaipara and its branches to the northward, and the Manakou and Waikato to the southward, thirdly, from the facility and safety of its port and the proximity of several smaller ports with the most valuable timber, and finally, by the fertility of its soil, which is stated by persons capable of appreciating it to be available for ( every agricultural purpose." We will not now allude to the authorities I on whom Capt. Hobson depended, — towards whom he inclined, for information respecting the valley of the Thames and the districts | adjoining Cook's Straits ; — we will -not even enquire into the truth of the statements relative to the Auckland district, but will grant all the capabilities claimed for it. Nor is it our intention to refer here to that extravagant absurdity of placing the Government i in a desert, when a settlement of 2,000 souls j already existed, and into which a continued -stream <of immigrants was pouring, nor the 'Commencement of that principle of dispersion -the example of which was, by such conduct, set by the Government itself. Our object at presentis simply to contend, that evenif Auckland had been well adapted for the seat of Government in 1840, under the then existing circumntances of the colony and the information then possessed of the middle and southern islands, however much Auckland then justified its pretensions to be the seat of Government, the present circumstances and statistics of the colony and its several settlements, the events which" have happened during the last five years, and the information which during that time has been obtained, evidencing as it does the prospects and future interests of the colony, most clearly manifest that it is no longer fit for that position, but that one more central and more commandmg is now positively required. The first qualification in Capt. Hobson's judgment was the central position. When Capt. Hobson was appointed Lieut. Governor, the northern island was considered the only one of importance, and the inhabitants of that alone to have approached civilization and independence ; the inhabitants of the middle island were termed by him " wild savages." Assuming therefore, as we must suppose he did, that the middle and southern islands' were mere deserts, unfit for a\d to be avoided by European footsteps ; that the northern island alone was. in fact, the colony of New. Zealand ; he might at that time view the south shore of the Waitemate as a central position in the colony. But so early as June, 1840, was this erroneous impression with respect to the southern islands shaken by Major Bunbury, who, in his report of the proceedings to obtain the sovereignty of the islands, dated in that month, states—-"! am

inclined to believe that the capabilities of the ; island (the middle) for purposes of agriculture have been much underrated, to say nothing of its splendid harbours and miner* alogical productions. And I am also certain that the intelligence and enterprising character of the naiives have been equally misunderstood." How fully, in every point, has this opinion of the Major been confirmed ! But Sir George Gipps at ihat very time entertained different opinions on this point with Capt. Hobson, That clearheaded and farsighted man turning his thoughts, like Loud J. Russell, to the future interests of the colony rather than the immediate, at once fixed upon, as the most commanding position, the one which the i-hort course of time since has fully proved to be s-o. la a despatch to Lord J. Russell, dated in October, 1840, detailing his correspondence with the deputies from the settlers of Port Nicholson, then in Sydney, he declares his opinion of the district. " it is quite true (he writes) that in the 1 1-0,000 acres which are to compose this township there will be a considerable proportion of mountainous or barren land, but on the other hand, tketeis some of first-rate quality, and the site of a town which will command one of the best harbours in New Zealand, and the one, perhaps, best suited to commerce in the whole country." No one, we presume, will deny that in a new country at this epoch of the world, where the seat of commerce must be, there should be the seat of Government. How far missiorary and interested representations biassed the one man, and the perfect freedom from all such influence left undisturbed the calm judgment of the other, we have said we do not purpose now considering — 'ye are dealing here with I acts. Let us examine its second qualification for the site of Government, viz. — "the great facility of internal water com- ; munication by the Kaipara and its branches to the northward, and the Manakau and Waikato to the southward." We i epeat, that we will allow to Auckland what is claimed for it, a great facility of internal water communication with the adjacent country ; but to what extent of country does this facility extend ? to a country comprising not much more than 1,000,000 acres. In comparing the facility of internal water communication of Auckland and Wellington, Cook's Strait is to all intents the main channel of the latter. The quantity of available land on either side of the Strait very far exceeds* that in the neighbourhood of Auckland available by the means of water communication. On the northern shor^ there are the several valleys in the neighbourhood of Port Nicholson containing land of the richest quality -, there are the valley, x>r rather plains, of the Wairarapa with its river and lake, and port at Te Kopi the districts of Otaki and Manawatn, the latter having its river navigable for vessels of 50 tons burden for alon.r distance up ; the country of Wanganui with i s settlement ofPetre, and river navigable for vessels of 200 .ton? burden as far as the town and for smaller vessels a much further distance ; and at the western end ihe settlement of New Plymouth, the district of Taranaki, the acknowledged garden of New Zealand. 1 here are the several rivers of the Waikanae, Otaki, Ohou, and Rangatiki, all navigable ior some distance vith boats, emptying themselves into the Strait on the same shore. On the southern side of the Strait are the plains of the Kai koras, the extensive districts of the Wairau and its river, the district lying between the two last mentioned, the river Pelorus or Oyerri which discharges itself into Admiralty Bay, the settlement and fertile valleye and rivers cf Nelson, and at the western end of this shore is the country extending >from Massacre Bay to south Wanganui. The whole distance from one end of the Strait to the other Is, with a fair wind, often performed in 30 hours. If, in the two qualifications, we have considered the District of Port Nicholson is superior to Auckland, much mure so is it in the third, viz. — " the facility and safety of its port and the proximity of several smaller ports with the most valuable timber." The facility and safety of the harbour of Port Nicholson is no longer doubted, and as to the numerous port* in its vicinity when in comparison with tne ports and harbours of Manakau. Kaipara, Wangaroa, Wangari, Corromandel Bay. and Mercury Bay, ihe chief of which, are bar harbours, we mention -the ports and anchorages of the Lookers-on, Cloudy Hay, Porirua harbour, Port Underwood, Queen Charlotte S<und and its coves, East Bay, Port Gore, Kapiti, Guard Bay, Admiralty Bay, the estuary of the Pelorus, Poit Hardy, Blind Bay, Croixilles harbour, Nelson Haven, Blind Bay, Massacre Bay, and South Wanganui Bay, that excellent timber abound ra all, and large vessels in many may ride in safety within a few yards of the shore we think that the pre • tensions of Auckland tried by the very same tests which dictated its selection as the seat

of Government, must fall far behind Port Nicholson in every respect. But it is not the facility of internal water communication only for which Wellington stands pre-emi-nent above Auckland. It possesses the greatest facility of external or coast communication from the central and commanding position which it holds in reference to the whole of the islands, a superiority and quafication of which neither time nor circum>tance can deprive it. It is as easy of communication with the north cape as the south cape, with the East oast as the West. It is as near to Sydney as Auckland, and nearer than it to P«rt Phillip, Adelaide, and Van Dieman's Land, it lies, moreover, in the track of the homeward bound Australian vessels. Auckland may be central enough for and of easy communication with its one million adjacent available acres, but the capital of New Zealand must be the centre of upwards of 85,000,000 acres, and possess a facile and speedy communication with every settlement, from the north to ><>uth. While i he formation of the settlements of Akaroa, New^ Plymouth, Wangaiiui, and Nelson — the^rarge grams of land to banafide settlers in the soa.h, Foyeaux Straits, and Stewart's Island, the commencement of occupation of the extensive grass districts of New Minister as sheep and cattle runs, and the establishment of the principal whaling stations on the coasts of the same island have left Auckland in a position remote as regards civilization and commerce, the same, ana all existing circumstances, all anticipated movements, tend daily to roakeWellingion that central and commanding settlement of the colony, *' the best suited to commerce in the i 'hole island" — the most adap:ed by nature and circumstances for the capital of the country.

His Excellency, Governor Grey, sailed from Auckland for the Bay 'v of Islands in the ElpHnstone on the 22nd nit. The Elphinstone has brought a reinforcement of artillery, and forty artillery men. It is reported that Mr. Shortland has been made Governor of Nevis, one of the West India Islands. Major F. H. Robb, 87th Regr. has been appointed Governor of South Australia.

Si. Andrew's Day. — This anniversary was observed on Saturday last by many of our fellow colonists who are natives of the land o'cakes ; several games of ikinty were played at Kaiwarra, and a dinner concluded the day's amusement. On Monday a dinner took place at Mr. D. Munn's, Cottage of Content, where a numerous party met to celebrate this anniversary of Scotland's patron saint ; the festivities were prolonged to a late hour.

We are informed that the stock by the David Malcolm has been disposed of as follows : — ' 33 cows and heifers 10 Captain Robinson. 20 heifers to Captain Daniell. 15 do. to Mr. Conper, Porirna. 13 do. to Mr. D. Williamson, Wairarapa. 40 do. to Mr. John Drummond, do. 126 One hundred head of the cattle which remain have been put aside by Mr. Dunn, to supply Her Majesty's troops with meat ; and the wetheis brought by the same vessel have also been put aside for the same purpose. The c.utle disposed of, which were the best -the importer ever landed in Wellington, and in ihe finest condition, brought £8 and £9 a-liead, with which price he was per.ectly satisfied.

A good deal of activity prevailed yesterday at the Custom-house : a considerable sum was received in payment ol duties in consequence of some intelligence from the North. The Edzabeth is expected in a Jew days from Auckland, when we shall probably obtain information of impoitance.

The following passage, on the change produced in plants the natives of temperate climates, when introduced into wnrmer regions is extracted from a letter of the celebrated Dr. Cartwright, and cannot fail to interest those who feel a pleasure in horticultural pursuits:— U I must observe, that the seeds of plants already known and cultivated will be acceptable, as they may be the means of introducing new and improved vaiieties, even though tl.ey be the seeds of plants originally transported troin Europe Four or five year 3 ago, T was indebted to the kindness of Lord Charles Somerset for some garden-seeds from the Cape, almost all of which were evidently of European evtraction, and yet the greater part of them differed, and most of them for the better, from those of the Fame family here. JSarly ripening, in articles of field-culture, is a great desideratum in this climate, in which the hopes of the agiiculturist are frequently disappointed by n laic and protracted harvest. Precocity, I have observed, is one of the properties which plants generally acquire by having had a removal into a warmer climate than that of which they are natives, and which they retain after they are brought back These considerations make me wish for specimens of wheat, peas, beans, retches, &c, if such are to be met with ; as also seeds of such grasses as appear to be hardy and productive, and thrive in cool situation*."

Wb are sorry to report the loss of Mr. Pirn schooner Isabella, in the Bay of Plenty, about seventy miles, to the south of Auckland. Mr. Pimble has returned overland tc Wellington, and entertains hopes that the schooner may be repaired.

We are sorry to state that the constable sent to apprehend the Spaniard, Emanuel, whose robbery of Tommy Rauparaha we gave an account of last week, was unable, from the roughness of the weather, to cross the Str its. There is too ranch teason to fear that the thie' lias escaped, as the brig Bee was seen off Steven's Island on Friday last bound to Sydney with a fair wind, by the cutter Wave.

Wool. — The export of wool from this Port last year, was upwards of 27,0001b. This year, it will probably amount to 30 tons, namely — From Nels'<n 10 tons. „ Banks' Peninsula and Otakou .. 5 „ „ Wairarapa and the stations around the Town 15 „

Axakoa. — The Police Magistrate of the Southward proceeds immediately to Akaroa in the Mana.