New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, March 20, 1847.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 171, 20 March 1847, Page 3

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, March 20, 1847.

We have the satisfaction of announcing- that after a good deal of negociation, and two days' personal conference between his Excellency and the Natives, an arrangement has at length been made, by which we may hope that the harrassing question of the Land Claims, as regards the disputed lands in this district and those at Waiiau, is finally disposed of. This arrangement has been made in a fair and liberal spirit,' a considerable sum of money is to be paid to the Natives claiming the land (belonging chiefly to the Ngatitoa tribe), and ample reserves made for their use, and they have ex-

pressed themselves perfectly satisfied. As much anxiety exists to know the particulars, we have collected from different sources the following account, which we believe to be correct : — The amount of compensation in money to be received by the natives is £5000, namely, £2000 for the disputed lands at Porirua, and £3000 for the Wairau ; these sums are to be divided into five annual payments, the largest instalment, amounting to £1600, will be paid this year; this sum has been divided into two portions; a part (£600) was paid on Thursday ; the remainder (£1000) will be paid the Ist April ; two payments of £1100 will be made in the two next years, and the two remaining instalments of £600 each will be paid the following years, the last instalment being paid in the year 1851. Three blocks of land have been reserved in the neighbourhood of Porirua for their use. The first block is bounded towards the south by a line drawn from Jackson's Ferry through section No. 62 to the back of the last section (t3B) in the Ohariu district, and thence to the coast ; and comprises the land between the south-western arm of Porirua Harbour and the sea, including that claimed by Mr. Couper. The second block consists of the five sections from No. 106 to 102 on Porirua Harbour, extending from Jackson's Ferry. The third block commences at the Taupo pa and extends to Wainui, containing all the unsurveyed land between the sea and the back of the sections in the Horokiwi valley, including the potatoe grounds and clearings at Pukerua. In the reserves above described are included sixteen sections chosen by the holders of prelimary land- orders, for which the Company receive in exchange ten Native reserves. By this arrangement the Government obtain all the land from Wainui to the Xararua, comprised in the New Zealand Company's limits, with the exception of the reserves above mentioned. On the Middle Island, the land extending along the shore of Cloudy Bay from the mouth of the Wairau river to Port Underwood, and half a mile in depth from the shore, is given up to the Government, together with the whole of the Wairau plain, and all the land beyond it to the Kaikoras. The scene of the melancholy catastrophe of the Wairau, at the entrance of the Waitohi valley, is also given up, comprising about a mile in width on each side the Tua Marina, and four miles in length up the Waitohi valley; the stream then becomes the boundary ; that part of the valley on the eastern bank, about a mile wide, and to within about four miles of Queen Charlotte's Sound ? belonging to the Government, and the land on the opposite side extending to and including the Kaituna valley, and lying between the north bank of the Wairau river and the sea being reserved for the Natives. The Kaituna, which runs through the centre of the valley of that name, falls into the Pelorus river, and the Tua Marina into the south-western arm of Queen Charlotte's Sound. During the discussions which ensued on the sale of the land, the Natives evinced considerable anxiety for the release of Rauparaha, but they were given distinctly to understand that for the present he would not be liberated. It is impossible to overrate the advantages resulting from this measure. This part of the land question was confessedly the most difficult to arrange. All the difficulties that have surrounded it, aggravated by the previous failures of those who have attempted the task, by delay and by the late disturbances, have given way before his Excellency's firmness. The way in which the arrangement has been made gives every promise of its being lasting and satisfactory. The money being paid in instalments, the Government have an effectual control over the natives, who are themselves greatly interested in the preservation of peace, as they would forfeit all claim to payment by a renewal of the late disturbances. And the reserves being made for them in large blocks of their own selection with well defined boundaries, there is less chance of future disputes arising be-

tween them and the settlers who may occupy contiguous sections. We hope that the Wanganui and Taranaki claims may shortly be settled in as satisfactory a manner, so that the difficulties connected with this question, which have so much impeded and embarrassed these settlements, may be finally got rid of.

We are informed that his Excellency has made the following appointments under the Resident Magistrates Ordinance, which will immediately come into operation in this settlement. H. St. Hill, Esq., to he Resident Magistrate at Wellington, Major D.^S. Durie, to be Resident Magistrate at Waikanae and Otaki, and Capt. Laye, the Officer in command at Wanganui, to be Resident Magistrate of that district. The Ordinance has been some time in force at Auckland, where its provisions are found to answer exceedingly well.

On Thursday afternoon the division of the Armed Police at present in Wellington was inspected on Thorndon Flat by his Excellency the Governor, acccompanied by his Honor the Superintendent, Major Last, Major Durie, Inspector of Police, &c. The men afterwards went through their evolutions, and his Excellency expressed himself in high terms of satisfaction at their neat orderly appearance, and at the highly efficient state of the corps. One-third of the force on the ground were Maoris. Owing to the unfavorable afternoon there were not very many spectators.

His Excellency the Governor left Wellington on Thursday evening in the Inflexible for Auckland. It is expected that his Excellency will return to this district in about six weeks' time, when it is supposed the orders in Council will have been received, giving instructions for the division of the colony into two separate Governments, and furnishing the details required for carrying into effect the provisions of the recent Act of Parliament for the Government of New Zealand.

Wellington Savings Bank. — Mr. Langdon, Mr. Levin, Mr. Loxley, and Mr.M'Donald, the Managers in rotation, will attend to receive depositsptt Messrs. Johnson & Moore's store, froth seven to eight o'clock on Saturday evening, the 20th March, 1847, and at the Union Bank of Australia, from twelve to one o'clock on Monday forenoon, the 22d March.