New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, December 19, 1846.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 145, 19 December 1846, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, December 19, 1846.

•The Ralph Bernal sails to-morrow for London with a valuable cargo, the produce of the southern -settlements. We shall therefore (as usual on such occasions) take the opportunity of •briefly- referring to such "topics as will most interest our English readers, and a notice of which may be of use to the settlement The most important information we are able to convey is the confidence reposed by the settlers in <Ithe1 the energy and ability of our present Governor, and the consciousness -df increased security, of *which abundant evidence is ' daily given in a variety of ways, in the increased activity of trade, and other signs of reviving prosperity. It is true that the apprehension •of 1 future disturbances has not altogether ceased, for as long as Rangihaeata is at large he wall never want *the inclination, if the opportunity -presents itself, of being troublesome, but from the numerous military outposts that have been established, and other precautions that have been taken, the settlement is in a much better position than before to resist his incursions, if ever he should find himself strong enough, which appears very doubtful, to renew thera. The land claims are not settled, "bat while so much exertiomis used -to suppress disturbi ances, and to establish t among the natives the authority of the Government, it is hardly possible that this harrassing question will 'be allowed to remain much longer in its present state. The main lines of .roads •leading from Wellington to the coast and the interior are being prosecuted with additional vigour, affording employment to many of the settlers, and to large bodies of the natives, besides the troops engaged in the execution of these important works. Opportunities for the employment of capital and labour present themselves on every side, and we hope these considerations will operate in re-establishing confidence in England, and in causing a fresh influx of emigration and capital to the southern settlements of New Zealand. From the effect of the various! causes above enumerated labour has become scarce, and without afresh influx of labourers the progress -of the settlement will be seriously retarded. The average wages of a labouring man is now 3s. 6d. a- day, and unless emigration is renewed, the price of labour is likely to advance rather tEan to recede. Another advantage, and one too

important to be overlooked in estimating i the advantages which this colony holds out to intending emigrants, is the certain prospect of an abundant and cheap supply of the necessaries of life. The amount of Euro- ! pean cultivation in the different settlements in Cook's Strait is at least as much as that of last year, in some of the settlements, as at Nelson and Taranaki, the amount is much greater, while the quantity of wheat grown by • the natives on the East Coast, and on that portion of the West Coast in the neighbourhood of Wellington is very much greater than in any former year ; the stock on several of the stations has been very much increased, and the formation of several new sheep and cattle sta-tions-is in contemplation- The amount of sheep and cattle imported during the year is greatly above the average of former years. We hope these signs of the times will have their due weight in confirming the ir"resblute and in giving additional energy to the preparations of those wfeo have determined to make this colony the country of their adoption- The opportunities fcmthe .judicious employment of labour and capital exist in a greater degree now than at any former period since the formation of the settlement, and we hope the knowledge of these facts will be widely circulated in England and extensively acted upon. In this brief notice of the different causes the future prospects of the Southern settlements, we must not forget to< allude to the relative position of the settlers t and the New Zealand Company, and the ; universal dissatisfaction that exists at the •proceedings of the latter, a-feeling which (the Company will find it difficult to remove un- ' -less they adopt more just views, and are prepared to make the most liberal concessions to the settlers. In every settlement the land purchasers have in the most decided and unequivocal manner denounced the Company as having violated' all the condi- v 'tions of their printed terms of purchase, and have expressed their fixed determination to obtain redress for the wrongs inflicted upon them, The Directors may rest satisfied that? the longer-the just demands of the settlers, are refused the more impossible it will be for them to renew their colonising "operations. Had reasonable concessions been made in' • time, had any disposition to discharge their obligations been evinced by the Company, much of the present dissatisfaction would -probably have been prevented, but the con-;< tinued irfdMFerence so long manifested by the "Company to the interests of the settlers has raised such a feeling of hostility against them as almost to preclude the possibility ef any friendly relations ever again subsisting between them. f

[ The 'Ralph Bernal is the first vessel 'this season for London direct from this port., She takes a valuable cargo of oil and bone, ' wool and other produce, the estimated value of which may be stated at about £9000. She has on board about 265 tons of -oil and 20 tons bone. There are also about 15 tons of flax from Nelson, which has been-pre-pared and packed with .great care. Particu- j lar attention has been paid to keeping the fibre perfectly straight and the bales have j been submitted to the pressure of an hy- ■ draulic press. The 'Ralph Bernal takes about fifteen passengers.

On Wednesday last the natives engaged on the Kutt road set fire to i;he timber wvhieh had been cut down on that part of the line near the T-aita, when the flames unfortunately spread to the adjoining bush, and burnt down the house of Mr. Bryce, and all that it contained. The loss occasioned by this calamity, is estimated at upwards of £200.

On Thursday afternoon a boat pat out from Kai warra and has not since been heard of, which has occasioned considerable anxiety for the safety of the persons embarked on her. A party of thearmed police have been sent to Evans' Bay to endeavour to ascertain their fate.

Wellington Savings Bank. — Mr. N. Levin, Mr. J. Macbeth, Mr. J. Macarthy, and Mr. W. Lyon, the Managers in rotation, will attend to receive deposits at Mr. Ross's office, from seven to eight o'clock on Saturday evening, the 19thDecember,lmd~atrtfae' Union Bank of Australia, from twelve to | one o'clock on Monday forenoon, the 21st December.

A_ ferry has been established at Parramatta Point, Porirua Harbour, under the sanction of Major Last, which will be found a great convenience to travellers along the coast. The following is the scale of charges : — i *. d. For crossing at the point, each person. .03 Do., do., each horse.. 1 0 Do., ■ do., each pig... » 0 3 To or from Jackson's, each person. . 1 6 ■ Cooper's 0 9 Fort Strode *..,« 0 9 Pahautanui 1 6 We hope that ferries will also be shortly established on the Manawatu and Rangitiki

rivers, as the traffic along the coast may be expected to increase greatly in the course of the ensuing year.

On Tuesday last a Cricket Match was played upon Te Aro flat, between two elevens of the Britannia Club. By the score below it will be seen that Mr. Catchpooi's side was again victorious; by 50 runs. In consequence of a Court Martial being held on the same day, Major Arney on Mr. Catchpooi's side, and Mr. Master on Mr. Cator's side, were unable to attend 1 . Notwithstanding the disadvantage to Mr. Cator's side from the absence of Mr. Master's bowling, the game was spiritedly contested throughout. The fielding on both sides we consider an improvement apon the last match ; whilst the batting of Lieut. Page (who scored 49 runs in the second innings) and that of Ashmore, (who scored in both innings 55) was excellent. We understand the return match 4s to be nlaved.on Tuesday next.

I Ist. Innings. Mr.-Catchpool b. Ashmore .........»•••• 42 Lieut. Page c. Cator . . 0 Major Arney, (Page) bd. Ashmore 0 Mr. H. Wallace, c. Lardner •• • 6 Mr. D Wallace,c. Goode -6 Mr. W. Allen, not out. . 1 Mr. King, run out .... 1 ~i. Herbert, c. Waring . . I W. Luxford, run out . . 7 Yates, 99th Regt., c. Goode '1 Corpl. Porter, 58th regt. 4». Waring 12 2nd* Innings. Bd. Waring.. 12 Bd. Waring.. 49 ,(G. Luxford; c Baker .... 0 Ct. Lardner.. 5 Not out 0 Bd. Waring.. 1 Run out .... 2 Run out .... 4 Bd. Waring. . 17 Ct. Ashmore 10 •Bd. Ashmore 13 47 Byes ....I 10 113 Byes 15 Wide balls 4 NobalL... 1 57 133 Total 190 Ist. Innings. Mr. Cator, c. Catchpool 4 Mr. Goode, b. Catchpool 0 Mr. Lardner, leg before wicket (b. Yates) .... 5 Major Baker, b. Yates. . 0 Mr. Master., 58th Regt. (Cator) c. Catchpool . . 6 Dr.^Galbraith, 99th regt. b. Catchpool 1 J. Benge, b. Catchpool 1 H. Winleringham, b. Yates 3 Waring, R.A. c. G. Luxford 3 ftshnvore, not out ... 19 Alcock, 99th Regt., b. Catchpool .■* 1 2nd. Innings. Ct. Yates 17 Ct. Young.... 0 Bd. Herbert 3 Run out .... 1 (Me. May) run out. 1. 1 Ct. JLuxford.. 2 Ct. Herbert.. 10 Bd. Catchpool 8 Ct. Page 1 Not out 36 Ct. Catchpool 1 , 43 -Byes -« 3 80 Byes s. 13 No ba11.... 1 46 94 Total140