New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1846.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 98, 8 July 1846, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1846.

The New Zealand Company have at length obtained their first Crown Grant of land in this colony. . A grant has been received by Colonel Wakefield, the Company's Principal Agent, of 400,000 acres at Otakou. — The deed was signed by his Excellency on the 13th April, and registered at Auckland the 30th April, and has been issued without the payment of any fees. The new settlement may therefore be said to have commenced under a combination of favourable circumstances. The settlers on their arrival will find both the town and country lands surveyed and ready for selection ; there will be no impediment to their immediately commencing operations on their own land, in which they will be fortified by a Crown title. The tedious delays, the harassing anxieties which have been inseparably connected with the land claims in the first and principal settlement will be absolutely unknown at Otakou. In addition to these advantages the settlers there will be free from any interruption or annoyance from the natives, of whom there are very few in the district. We need not dwell particularly on the natural advantages of Otakou. which are familiar to most of our readers from the descriptions that have already appeared of the country ; but from all these causes united if the success of the settlement is not immediate and rapid, the want of it must be attributed to some mismanagement on the part of the settlers or its founders. But while we have every desire that the new settlement should take root and flourish, our immediate object in referring to these facts is for the purpose of contrasting our own situation with that of the intending settlers at Otakou. Of all the Southern settlements, the only one to which a Crown Grant has been issued is as yet without any settlers, while the earliest settlers, those who by their untiring energy have made New Zealand a British colony are still tenants at will of the natives. Such ai anomaly must strike the most inattentive observer. And yet how easily it might have been otherwise. Had Mr. Spain been actuated by a sincere desire to effect a speedy settlement of the question, a few months would have sufficed to have ascertained if any further compensation were due to the natives, and to have settled the amount equitably ; but he appears, altogether to have mistaken the objects of his mission. It is impossible, however, to suppose that this anomaly can continue' much longer. Thei c can be neither peace nor safety for the Governor or the governed while the land claims remain an open question. And ,as soon as these claims are finally disposed of, the great cause of irritation the stumbling block in the way of the progress of the settlement will be removed. We sincerely hope therefore that every effort will be made to promote a speedy settlement of these claims, so that in a few months we may have the satisfaction of recording that Crown Grants have been issued to all the settlements in" Cook's Strait. We believe it is the intention of his Excellency immediately •to resume, the negotiations with the natives for the settlement of the land claims at Wanganui, which were so suddenly broken off.

Mr. M'Lean will be intrnsted with this difficult and delicate task, and if he is allowed to prosecute his labours without any interference from other parties, however well meaning on their part, from his known prudence and acquaintance with the native character, we may reasonably anticipate a successful result to the negociations. But however speedy may be the settlement of the question, recent events render something more than a Crown Grant necessary for this settlement. The effect of the late contests with the natives at the Hutt has been to throw the whole of that district out of cultivation for the present season from the insecurity and dsnger attendant on agricultural pursuits, while in the other districts in the neighbourhood of the town which are less exposed to the incursions of the rebels, the withdrawal of labour for the erection of stockades and the duties of the militia will seriously interfere in preventing cultivation. Under these circumstances care should be taken that the labour now at the disposal of the Government should be so employ ed as to leave lasting proofs of the expenditure, which late events have rendered unavoidable, having been directed for the good of the settlement, and not made for the attainment of temporary advantages. It is not enough to have a title to our land, to maintain ourselves in possession, to secure the efficient protection of the Government we must have good roads to the several districts. It is a matter of deep importance to the settlement that these works should be urged on with all possible expedition, particularly the road to Porirua, and that up the Hutt. If it is intended to defer operations against the rebels until spring, the completion of these roads will be of the utmost consequence in contributing to a successful result. And while a communication must be maintained between the camp and the advanced post at Taita, every effort should immediately be made to cut down the bush on either side the present road, so as to have a clear open space of about sixty feet wide the whole distance. With the friendly natives and the soldiers at the camp (their numbers together amounting to between three and four hundred), it may be supposed that such arrangements might be made as would insure this being speedily effected, particularly when it will add so much to the safety of both positions, by removing the opportunities for lying in ambush which at present exist, and ivhieh, as we have seen, the rebels are very ready to take advantage of. If any dependence can be placed on Rauparaha's recent professions and statements, the Hutt is the only district in which any apprehension need exist of aggression on the part of the rebels. While adopting then all necessary precautions to guard against surprise, it would be most desirable to employ the militia in improving the roads of the districts to which they belong, instead of their present duty, granting them additional pay in proportion to the additional labour required of them. They would then be paid for doing what they hays previously been obliged every year to do at their own expence, and the advantage of a good road to the country settler is of such great importance, that in the event of such an arrangement, the prospect should stimulate him to renewed exertions ; while it is certain that if the militia are employed much longer in the routine of military duty, habits will be formed very averse from the persevering steady habits of industry, indispensable to success in a New Colony. But his Excellency's experience of the nature of the country must have convinced him that these works will not admit of delay, they must be done, and when done, they will so much reduce the expense of governing the district, and insure the maintenance of peace by the increased facility of communication, that there is no room for hesitation. We may also consider that the active prosecution of these works is in some degree due to the settlers as a compensation, an instalment of justice for the sacrifices imposed upon them, for the losses they have incurred while patiently waiting 1 the issue of events; and it is certain that the

Government will derive an immediate return in the increased revenue which will result from the extension of cultivation, and the improvement of the trade of the colony, both of which will be greatly promoted by the formation of good roads throughout the settlement.

On Saturday his Excellency accompanied by Major Richmond and Major Last proceeded to the Hutt in one of the boats of the Driver, to visit the camp and to inspect the scene of the late engagements with the rebels. His Excellency walked from the Hutt bridge to the camp, and afterwards returned to Wellington by water. We believe his Excellency proceeds to Porirua to-day in the Driver, and will afterwards return to Wellington. His stay in the South will be short as his Excellency is obliged to return immediately to Auckland to hold the Session of the Legislative Council.

We understand that several excellent arrangements will be made at the suggestion of his Excellency, by which the comfort of the militia stationed at the advanced post at Taita will be materially improved. A number of live sheep will be sent to that stockade, and a supply of salt provisions and flour sufficient for three weeks' consumption will be supplied, so as to provide against any interruption of the communication between Taita and the camp. The supplies of bread will be furnished once a week. Two hundred stand of percussion muskets and accoutrements have been brought in the Driver for the use of the armed police and the militia. We hope no time will be lost in substituting them for the wretched pieces at present in use, which have occasioned more mischief to the settle? s than to the rebels.

I On Monday Capt. Campbell and Mr. Bell from Wanganui, had an interview with his Excellency on the subject of the state of that district, in consequence of the interruption to the negociations recently entered into for the settlement- of the Land Claims. We are informed that his Excellency stated it was his intention to direct Mr. M'Lean immediately to resume the negociations with the natives, and that he hope./ they would be speedily brought to a successful issue, f.nd that in the event of any serious disturbances occurring among the natives, so as to endanger the lives and property of the settlers there, he would provide for their removal to Wellington. His Excellency spoke of his intention to open a good road between Wellington and Wanganui, to establish ferries on the different rivers, and to adopt such measures as would improve the means of communication between the two places. Capt. Campbell and Mr. Bell retired highly satisfied with the result of their interview, which we hope vill have the effect of dispelling the apprehensions recently entertained by the settlers of that district. Capt. Campbell and Mr. Bell returned to Wanganui yesterday in the Kalherine Johnstone.

Yesterdat the natives of the pa Te Aro, to the number of between sixty and seventy, returned from the Hutt for the purpose of visiting their families, and remaining a few days in the town. On passing the pas at Pipitea and Kumutoto they fired a salute in compliment to the natives of those pas.

The arms and accoutrements sent out by the British Government by the R'llph Bernal, and intended for the use of this settlement, were landed at Mr. "Waitt's 1 wharf yesterday. They will be placed in the charge of the officer commanding the district.

Thkrb was a report yesterday that the rehels had returned to the Hutt, but on inquiry it proved to be without foundation.

Yesterday E Puni and several of the other chiefs of this district had an Interview with the Governor on subjects connected with the operations to be carried on against the rebels. The result of their interview appeared to be very satisfactory to them.

From the New Zealander we learn that a Police force, to consist of sixty men, twelve of whom are to be natives, under an Inspector and a Sub-Inspector, is to be established at Auckland. Oar contemporary objects to this force on the score of expense, and maintains that it is not wanted at Auckland, and in contrasting the present situation of Wellington and Auckland, takes the opportunity of indulging in several mis-statements, for .example, " that at Port Nicholson the natives are most hostile to the settlers universally? &c. If our contemporary errs through ignorance, a very little trouble on his part would have enabled him to correct his mistake, but from the general tone of his remarks his misrepresentation appears to he wilful. The best answer to such mis-state-ments, is the fact that although Bangihaeata

has been now more than four months in arms against the Government, so few have joined him that his adherents do not exceed two hundred in number; fhat all the Port Nicholsou natives have joined the settlers against Rangihaeata, and that the great body of the natives along the coast to the number of some thousands, either regard the contest with indifference, or are ready to join the Government to put down the rebels. We shall take the opportunity shortly (when publishing some official returns of the two districts) of exposing a few more mis-state-ments and perversions of facts into which our contemporary's jealous fear of this settlement appears to have betrayed him.