New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, March 27, 1847.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 173, 27 March 1847, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, March 27, 1847.

The recent settlement of the Land Claims may be expected to have the effect of lowering the price of land by bringing a larger quantity into the market. Towards the end of Capt. Hobson's administration of the government and during Mr. Shortland's interregnum, when the settlement of this question appeared to be indefinitely postponed, the extravagant terms required for land offered for occupation in the districts in the neighbourhood of Wellington precluded the possibility of purchasing, while the unsettled state of the natives, the unsatisfactory relations of the Local Government to this settlement, and other causes, induced many settlers to emigrate to the neighbouring colonies. During the long interval of anxiety and inactivity which has since elapsed, ■changes have occurred in the ownership of many of the sections belonging to absentees in these districts, and it is possible these changes will have the effect of throwing more land into the market, while experience of the unreasonable nature of their former expectations may induce others to accommodate their terms to the actual value of the land. The New Zealand Company too, if ever it is raised from Its present inert and lifeless state into active operation, must of necessity dispose of land to a large amount to defray its current expences even, much more to provide a dividend for its shareholders who, like the original purchasers of land must be wearied out with expectation and hope deferred. But we merely allude incidentally to the Company's operations, to i show the effect which a renewal of them

must have in keeping down the price of land by bringing a greater quantity into the market. Other opportunities will occur of considering the effect of the settlement of the land question in their relations with the original purchasers of land. The additional ! extent rendered available by the roads now in progress, and the debateable land of the ! Porirua district now ceded to the Crown, increase the quantity open for occupation. We have noted these causes (and others such as the probable low price of grain from the effect of native competition, &c. may be added) as bearing on the value of land, because there is at present a demand for land among the working classes which we should be glad to see satisfied at a reasonable rate. It is very probable that the works on the different roads will be suspended during the ensuing winter, as it will be impossible from the shortness of the days and the interruption of wet weather to make much progress. Many of those now engaged on these works, who have not previously leased or purchased land, will then be anxious to make arrangements for its acquisition in order that they may profitably employ their labour and their recent savings and become independent. Thus the demand for the importation of fresh labour becomes continually on the increase as this absorption of labour and its withdrawal from the market increases. For some time past there has been a great scarcity of labour, as we have often previously taken occasion to point out, and if immigration does not recommence in a few months this inconvenience will be sensibly felt. The same causes operate to produce a scarcity of capital, from the tendency which a certain portion of it has of being changed into fixed capital from being expended in the erection of buildings, the cultivation of land, or other investments required for the profitable pursuit of business. The tendency then of the causes at present at work is to keep the price of land within a reasonable limit, and greatly to increase the demand for capital and labour, and this will be felt the more, the more cultivation and trade increases, particularly the coasting trade of this settlement. We may hope, then, that the stream of immigration which has for so long a period been stopped, may once more be directed to this settlement and infuse fresh vigour and activity into the attempts now making to develope the resources of the colony.

Govbnrment Contracts. — We believe the following to be a correct list of the persons whose tenders have been accepted for the supply of provisions and other articles required by the Commissariat. For Wellington. Meat, Mr. P. M. Hervey ; Bread, Mr. P. Murch; Rum, Mr. W. Fitzherbert; Hospital Stores, Mr. M'Beth ; Firewood, Mr. Simmonds. — Porirua. Meat. Mess. W. B. Rhodes k Co. ; Bread, Mr. J. Wade ; Rum. Mr. J. Johnston ; Firewood, Mr. J. Wade. Messrs. Rhodes & Co. have the supply of all the articles required by the Commissariat at the Hutt, and Mr. Revans has obtained the contracts for the supply of the stockade at the Porirua Road. Messrs. Ridgways, Hickson, & Co. have the contracts for supplying the ships of war, — and Mess. Rhodes & Co. have the contracts for the supply of the troops stationed at Wanganui. The contracts have been divided among a greater number of persons than on any previous occasion. " .. --- .

Sale of Stock. — The following prices were realized at Messrs. Smith & Cos. sale of stock imported in the Garland Grove. Bullocks, highest price £7 10s., lowest price £5 10s. ; Cows, at from £7 10s. to £8 per head ; Heifers averaged about £5 55. ; 350 ewes averaged 17s. each, and 190 wethers 16s. each. The horses realized about £24 each. The ,above prices were considered satisfactory. The attendance at the sale was very numerous, and we were glad to see the cows bought in lots of twos and threes by the cultivators of small farms in the districts surrounding the town. The sheep sold by Messrs. Bethune & Hunter, realized from eighteen to twenty shillings a head.

The invalids belonging to the 58th and 99th Regts. (about twenty in number) who were in the Military Hospital, embarked on board the Sir John Byng on Thursday, and will proceed to Sydney under the care of Dr. Gajbraith of the 99th Regt. Several of them vx€ suffering from the effects of wounds received during the military operations against Rangihaeata last winter.

W* are requested to direct the attention of the public fo the notice which appears m this day's Spectator, respecting stray cattle, and to state that the police have strict directions to carry out the law in every instance : we may remind the owners of goats that these animals come within the operation of the law.

Cricket. — On Wednesday last a match took place ou Thorndon Flat, between the employes and the civilians. The day was remarkably fine, and with the play on both sides, during the first innings, no fault could be found, and we hardly know whether to praise the bowling, batting, or fielding most: the employes scored 100 in the first innings and the civilians 112, the latter being 12 a head. All the parties then retired to Barrett's Hotel to partake of an excellent lunch, after which the employes went in for their second innings, and when they left off they had scored 192 runs with only three wickets down, Waring having scored 37, Mr. Hamley 90 runs, and Mr. Master (not out) 45. We defer publishing the score until the termination of the game, but as four of the players go away this day in the Calliope, and many of the civilians from the nature of their avocations, can ill afford to spare more than one day in the week, we fear some time may elapse before the game can be played out.

Pigeon Shooting. — A match will take place this day, between G. Duppa, Esq., and the Hon. Arthur Petre, atTe Aro. We have hefcrd that the terms of the match are eighteen birds each, at twenty-one yards rise, with the usual bounds. The match is exciting a good deal of interest among the lovers of sport, as it is the first attempt to introduce this amusement into New Zealand. It may perhaps be necessary to state for the information of our readers out of the colony, that the pigeons are of the English breed.

Notice. — The police have been instructed to lodge informations against the owners of all cattle found wandering at large in any street or public place within the limit of the town of Wellington after this notice. Resident Magistrates Court, Wellington. 24th March, 1847.

Wkllington Savings Bank. — Mr. May, Mr. M'Beth, Mr. Mills, and Col. Wakejfield, the Managers in rotation, will attend to receive deposits at Messrs. Johnson & Moore's store, from seven to eight o'clock on Saturday evening, the 27th March, 1847, and at the Union Bank of Australia, from twelve to one o'clock on Monday forenoon, the 29th March.