AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, February 17, 1847.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 162, 17 February 1847, Page 2

AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, February 17, 1847.

In a former number, when treating of the statistics of this settlement we promised to give some account of the advancement in civilisation made by the natives in the neighbouring districts. We shall endeavour to redeem ourpledge in the following account of the improvements made daring the past year, and those in immediate contemplation by the natives at Waikanae and Otaki, and we believe this plain recital of facts will not fail to be interesting to our readers. On the arrival of the Tory at New Zealand, just before the establishment of this settlement, the Ngatiraukawas were perhaps as barbarous as any of the aloriginal tribes. They had just fought a desperate battle with the neighbouring tribe of the Ngatiawas at Waikanae, in which very many on both sides were killed and wounded. The greater part of both these tribes were heathens, and they followed generally the habits and customs of their savage forefathers. This was immediately previous to the ministrations among these tribes of the Rev. O. Hadfield, who came to reside among them towards the end of 1839. Seven years have elapsed, but.what a change has taken place in the interval! Let us examine -their cultivations. At Waikanae there are about 250 acres, at Otaki about 200 acres under wheat this year. Last year there were about 9 acres of wheat at Otaki, and the quantity at Waikanae also was inconsiderable. Next year the natives say they shall have more than twice the present breadth of land under wheat, as about the , sowing time last season their labours were interrupted by the disturbances caused by the rebels under Rangihaeata. The crops at Waikanae, where the soil is light and sandy, are said to have suffered from the drought, but those at Otaki, where the soil is alluvial, are described as being most luxuriant. The whole of the ground was prepared by spade husbandry, the previous crop having been potatoes, and next year s these natives, who have been informed, and have become sensible, of the advantages of aroiation of crops, intend bringing their deserted potato grounds under cultivation with wheat. The cultivation of the kumera is now neglected as being, in comparison to wheat, an inferior article of food. They thrash and grind their own corn themselves, using for the latter purpose some steel corn mills given them by his Excellency Capt. Grey, and some which they had purchased ; they dress their flour with seives and sell what they do not require for their own use at the rate of 2d. per lb. They are their own bakers, and are said to be proficients in making bread. But this is but the beginning of improvement. They find the grinding of -corji by means of steel mills a tedious and laborious operation, and are determined to imitate their more civilized neighbours by having a flour mill erected, which shal 1 be adequate to the grooving wants of their districts. A fine stream at Otaki which offers several eligible . sites for a water mill has been selected, having a plentiful supply ofwater all the year : rourid, and on its banks, about two miles' from the shore, -will be erected the first mill in this district owned by the Maories. The fall of water is about

16 feet, and the mill, which will be turned by a breast wheel thirty feet in diameter, j willJje furnished with one pair of stones at first, but the machinery will be of sufficient power to allow the number to be increased as cultivation is extended. The machinery will be chiefly constructed by engineers belonging to this settlement. It is estimated that, exclusive of the labour for sawing the timber, forming the dam and executing other works which may be performed by natives under the superintendence of an European, the sum oosf s £300 will be required for its erection. This sum it is proposed to raise by means of a company, the amount being divided into thirty shares often pounds each. £120 has already been collected and it is confidently expected that the whole amount will be subscribed before the building is completed. Three shares are the greatest number held by one individual : some hold two shares, but the great majority of shareholders hold single shares. Some of these hold shares in their own name which are subscribed for by the hapus or sub- divisions of tribes of which they are chiefs. A set of rules has been prepared and a committee of management appointed consisting of four shareholders and the resident missionary. At Waikanae the natives have sixteen horses and one cow, at Otaki they have .nine horses, two cows, and ten goats ; besides these there are several cattle at the latter place belonging to settlers. At both places there is a great desire among them to increase the amount of their stock, and we are informed that they are in treaty for the purchase of more cows. Schools have been established at both places by the Bishop of New Zealand in which the natives are instructed by the resident missionary in the English language, writing and arithmetic. At Otaki the average number of pupils is seventy, of different ages from 4 years to 15 years old. At Waikanae there are not quite so many. These schools have lately been under the care of Mr. Tudor. There are seven barns either built or in progress, the average size being thirty feet by twelve, these are of wood, and one of them will be shingled. If we were to stop here enough has been said to show that these districts already begin to exhibit the aspect of an European settlement. But this is not all. The .Otaki natives have resolved to abandon their pa, and to build on a more eligible site, about a mile and quarter from their present locality, and nearer to their cultivations, a village laid out after a regular plan, with streets on the principle of an English village and a square reserved at the end of the principal street which the native village church will raise its spire. The houses will eventually be all built of wood, but is intended at -first to build some of the houses of raupo, the natives from their present numerous employments not being able to spare time to -saw a sufficient quantity of timber. We believe Mr. Collinson has kindly offered to assist them in the disposition and arrangement of the plan of the village. An engagement has been entered into with a person in Wellington to supply them with bricks for their chimnies at a stipulated sum, the natives agreeing to cut the wood for burning them. In the paper on bees by the Rev. W. Cotton in this day's Spectator it will be found that the natives at both places have been furnished by him with bees and have .been taught how to manage them, and that they are already proficients in the construction x>f straw hives. But let us go further. Let us take an individual of the rising generation on whom civilisation has made an impression, as a type of his class, and compare him with one of the old school. Perhaps a more striking contrast is not to "be found than in Rauparahaand his son. The old man with a great deal of natural sagacity, cunning to a proverb, and deeply implicated in every deed of blood that has darkened the history of this part of the island in his generation, has all the vices and qualities which belong to the savage. But his sera, — his only son, — the last of his race, {the others having fallen in the different wars in which their parent lias been engaged)— destined to continue his father's name and succeed to his authority- —

has profited by the lessons and examples of civilisation. Both he and his wife are always dressed after the European fashion. His house is composed of wood, built on the native construction, hut with wooden floors, doors, and glazed windows ; and is furnished with chairs and tables, and a bed. As he is about to remove with the rest of the tribe to the new village, he has not thought it worth while to incur further expense or trouble in altering his present dwelling. He always uses at his meals plates, and knives and forks, the table is covered with a white table cloth, and both he and his wife sit at table in the European manner on chairs. Tbey are always glad to see and hospitably entertain any settlers travelling along the coast. On Chiristmas-day Thompson gave a dinner to the people of his tribe. His table could only accommodate sixteen at a time, hut in the course of the day about sixty partook of his hospitality. The entertainment consisted of soup, hsh, pork, and plum pudding. Both men and women sat down together, a thing totally unprecedented in maori customs ; every guest was dressed in the European fashion, and sat down to dinner on chairs, using plates and knives and forks at their meal. To the first sixteen Thompson produced, 'twas all his cellar could boast of, a bottle of American cyder. In this description we may have been minute but we have carefully endeavoured to be correct. The facts above related show that civilisation has taken root and is advancing with rapid strides among the native population of this district. They do more, they offer to intending settlers the best guarantee they <can desire for the future tranquillity of the district. The natives are now most busily employed in the arts of peace; pleased with the progress they have made, they are most anxious to be still further instructed ; the fruits of their honest industry they dispose of to the settlers, and expend the proceeds in the purchase of British manufactures. They are too much interested — they have too much ,to lose, to allow the peace of the district to be disturbed ; and the more roads are opened and the means of communication improved, the more intimately the races are brought together: — in the very formation of these roads the European and maori may be found working side by side. It is possible that disturbances may occasionally occur, for with Rangihaeta and those who act with him the old leaven still remains, but the great bulk of the native population are peaceably disposed and rapidly advancing in civilisation. Let the force now in this part of the islanS be maintained for a few years longer, — let the present influences now at work be suffered to have their free development, — let the firm but kindly policy now pursued towards the natives be persevered in — and we have the surest pledges of the rapid progress and prosperity of the colony.

Yestkrdat evening H.M. Steamer Inflexible arrived with his Excellency the Governor from Auckland, which she left on Saturday evening. The Inflexible on her passage down stayed for six hours at White Island in the Bay of Plenty. Tbe Driver sailed for England two days after the arrival of the /»- flexible at Auckland, and intended to go round Cape Horn. The Racehorse arrived at Auckland last Wednesday. There does not appear to be any news of particular importance, all was quiet at the North when the Inflexible left. The Inflexible appears to be a fine powerful vessel and came into the harbour in first rate style. Three officers of the 58th Regt. have* arrived in her as passengers.

We are informed by Mr. Dan, that the Lady Roaena, now daily expected, proceeds to Valparaiso, immediately after landing her cargo of cattle and sheep. This will be an excellent opportunity of forwarding letters to England. The British Sovereign, Sir John Byng, and Portenia, after landing their cargoes of live stock, proce«d to the Sandal Wood Islands.

A meeting of the Committee of the Horticultural Society was held on Monday evening, at Barrett's Hotel, which was numerously attended. The list of prizes given by the Society was carefully revised, and several articles were struck out, mnd several prizes added to the list.

A meeting of chiefs and other Maoris interested in the erection of a mill was held at Otaki, January 25th, 1847, when certain resolutions, of which the following is a translation, and which is referred to in our leading article, were unanimously agreed to : 1. That a mill be built at Otaki. 2. That the money to be raised for this purpose be divided into thirty shares of Ten Pounds each. 3. That four pounds be paid immediately by each shareholder, and be entrusted to the keeping of Henry St. Hill, Esq., of Wellington. 4. That a call of three pounds be made on each shareholder on the Ist of January, 1848, and that a further call of three pounds or such part thereof as may be necessary to complete the mill, be made on the Ist January, 1849. 5. That each shareholder be entitled to have forty bushels of wheat ground annually in the mill. 6. That all other wheat ground in the mill be paid for at the rate of sixpence per bushel. 7. That a book be kept of all wheat ground in the mill, and of all money paid for grinding, &c. 8. That the accounts be made up annually; and if any surplus remain, after paying for the current expences of tke mill, and for repairs &c, it shall be divided equally, one half being divided among the shareholders, the other half to be reserved as a deposit to meet contingencies. 9. That Zachariah Te Reinga be appointed Treasurer. 10. That a Committee of Management be appointed to consist of five persons, namely, Zachariah Te Reinga, Thompson Katu, Henry Martyn Te Wiwi, Abraham Te Ruru, And some Pakeha not yet named. To reduce the cost of the building, the Maories belonging to the district have agreed to do all the labour required in forming the dam, &c, gratuitously ; and to-pre-vent any delay in the execution of the works those Maories who may be employed in sawing timber, &c, for the building, have agreed not to receive payment of any sums due to them until all the work executed by Europeans has been paid for. To insure its early completion some of the shareholders also' hare expressed their willingness to advance money on the building at the rate of 4 per cent.

In connection with the subject of native mills, we may state we have been informed that there are two water mills for grinding flour now building at Taranaki for the natives of that district. One is nearly completed, and the other is about half finished. The price to be paid to the persons who have contracted to erect the mills and make the machinery is three hundred pigs for one, and two hundred pigs for the other. The natives saw all the timber and perform all the labour in the formation of the dam and other works that may be required. The value of the pigs in money may be estimated at the average of a pound each.

The return match at cricket which was to have been played on Tuesday has been postponed until to-morrow morniog, when it is expected to come off on Thorndon flat. In connection with this subject we may state that his Excellency has kindly consented to become Patron of the Britannia Cricket Club at Wellington.

"Wellington Savings Bank. — Mr. J. Dun, Major D. S. Durie, Dr. Fitzgerald, and Dr. Featherston, the Managers in rotation, will attend to receive deposits at Messrs. Johnson & Moore's store, from seven to eight o'clock en Saturday evening, the 20th Februaiy, 1847, and at the Union Bank of Australia, from twelve to one o'clock on Monday forenoon, the 22d February.