NELSON.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 101, 18 July 1846, Page 3

NELSON.

By the Ann and Sarah which arrived at Porirua on Thursday night, we have received Nekon iaaminers to July 11th. The Ann and Sirah left Nelson last Monday morning. The Royal William had arrived from Sydney on July the sth, and was chartered by Mess. Hooper and Co. to proceed to Taranaki. The quarter's revenue and expenditure to the 30th June had been published, from which it appears that the revenue amounted to £217:17:2, and the expenditure to £364:2:2. The receipts of the Post Office for the quarter were £21 : 18:1, the payments were £38t5f0. The 1 xaminer makes the following comments on the recent events on the Hutt : — *' The contiast afforded to our Indian successes by our New Zealand defeats is as painful as it is humiliating. The intelligence from Wellington, though scarcely so bad as was rumoured, is sufficiently mortifying. Another settler murdered in broad day ; and a second conflict between the rebels and the troops, which, if less disastrous than the former one, affords no room for congratulation. The authorities of Wellington have apparently resolved to incur no responsibility but such as may result from their disgraceful inactivity. The Governor's arrival was anxiously looked for by the settlers, and it is not unlikely that he reached Wellington on Thursday week, as a vessel showing two lights was seen by the Ann and Sarah making for the heads on Wednesday evening. His Excellency would probably have arrived sooner, if the Uncle Sam, the vessel which took the despatches respecting the engagement on the 16th of May, had not been wrecked in Hawke's Bay, and everything on board lost. The next arrival from Wellington, which may be looked for daily, jwe hope will bring intelligence of some decisive steps taken by the Governor to ferret out the nest of murderers and robbers at present acting under Rangihaeata ; and as a detachment of the 65th regiment must have arrived a: Auckland via HobartTown, from England, we trust he will have sufficient force to put these scoundrels down effectually, and give the settlers protection." The. Rev. Mr. Aldred and Mr. M. Evans were passengers by the Ann and Sarah.

Thb following extract re'ating to steam communication among the British settlements in the East and the probability of its extension from thence to the Australian colonies will be full of interest at the present period : — In the department of steam navigation our progress in the East- has been highly gratifying. During the past year, we have for the first time enjoyed a double communication with England every month, partly by means of the vessels of the Oriental and Peninsular Company, direct from Suez to Ceylon, Madras and Calcutta, and partly by way of Bombay. A monthly communication has also been established between Europe, and the Straits and China, by branch steamers starting from and returning to Galle, and the London mails have actually been found to reach China only, twelve days after our portion of them has reached Calcutta. The reverses which we have experienced from the aborigines of New Zealand, who have turned to our disadvantage the knowledge and skill which they derived from us, have rendered it necessary to establish a steam coprtnunieation with the settlements in Australia ; with the establishments on the continent of New Holland, Van Diemen's Land and New Zealand. The arrangements for this line will probably be completed early in the present year ; and to this object the third repulse of our troops by Heki ; the insurgent — or patriot — chief of New Zealand will be found to contribute in no small degree. We are also promised a line of steam packets from the' Mauritius and Bourbon to Aden,' in connexion with the vessels of the Peninsular and Oriental Company. All the links in the chain of communication with the colonies of the British Empire will then be complete ; and intelligence from the most*distant of them will periodically reach the centre of this grand circle of settlements, in London in two months. Thus colony will be connected with colony, and all our colonies with the mother country by a steady and periodical intercourse ; and the boast of Rome that no country should be considered finally conquered till a high military road had been made to, it, will be cast into shade by the still greater boast of England that no colony is without a direct monthly communication with herself by steamers laid down on our high road — the sea. We must ~ * fail to notice in connection with this branch

of the subject, that the- British Government is about to form a settlement on the island of Basilau, on the coast of Borneo, where excellent coal has been discovered, and which lies exactly in the track of our ships proceeding from Suez to China. — The Friend of India's Retrospect of 1 845 >