New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, December 18, 1847.
Our Nelson contemporary has in some degree anticipated us in some observations we intended to make on the necessity of establishing a regular plan of steam communication between the different settlements ( of New Zealand. As we > are deeply impressed with the great impprtance , of this measure, we have reprinted our; contemporary ?s. remarks, and are glad to ' be a fellow-labourer in so good a cause,;.by enforcing them ,with a few additional considerations. Th'e'Want of a regular and frequent communication.between the different settlements has been one of the crying evils ot'ih.6 colony. It was a standing complaint in Captain Hobson's and Captain Fitzroy's time ; nor considering the increased means at his disposal have matters greatly merided under our jpresent Governor. To take the most recent instances r On a late occasion, we received news' from Auckland by, way of Sydney, of more recent date than .direct from the capital ; and although the Legislative Council have closed their labours rather more than two months, a list even of the ordinances passed during the session has not yet reached us, although the greater part of them come into operation on the first day of the new year. < It is true a war steamer has for some time past been stationed on this coast, but although we are hot a't~'ail*disposed to undervalue the importance of its presence, particularly on the occasion of any sudden disturbance 'among the natives, yet this is not precisely the class of vessel most 'wanted. In order that the Government of the colony should be conducted with the greatest advantage,, it is necessary there should, lie, a regular and frequent communication' between the different settlements of New Zealand, , an( i this could easily be accomplished if the Government had at its disposal a steamer of the proper class strongly builtj< with powerful engines, and of shallow draught of water, for entering bar rivers. Starting from Wellington as a centre, the circle ofjjts visits; including the 1 new settlement ■of Otakou, could be completed in three week's, - so that once in that period a communication might be made with every'settlement. , Our Nelson contemporary has , shown how conducive such an arrangement would be to the commercial prosperity of the colony in equalizing prices, in increasing traffic, and in' extending* cultivation'; and these results are so obvious, as hardly to require further illustration. r« IBut uts" effect ih^cdhdubing 'towards good fGovSrnme^tf would; be--stiU'.greater» f At present there are no actual disturbances,! and,, a large force is stationed in the cbjony to maintain peace and support the authority of the Government. 'But howmuch' would a regular and frequent communication between the different settlements assist in promoting l this end, and by cbnVeying the' earliest information of any disaffection • enable the { Government, by.Jhe adoption of timely- measures, to prevent disturbances. And even' if .unsuccessful in* altogether preventing theft, such additional meads' of transport 'and communication at ttie !disp6sal.lpf"the ! disp6sal.1pf"the Government would; (effectually, contibjute to their speedy suppression. From the present- imjieri feet means.of cbmmunicatighit hasbeeu found exceedingly difficult to conduct the .Government of the colony with equal advantage to all
Ithe settl 4 emetots,>nd this has tended to establish a separation of interestsgand to place the differerit'settlements iao|^Qsition. to^ach other. And this effectJ^Jbeincreased^fr"' more by the operation of the New-ChaT&r, unless means are shortly taken by the Government to remove it. And if the inconvenience is found to be so great now, it will be 6Spgh.-^^f l^^n/emi^on from • England; is r£n^>i^a>d %her settlements are formed to the southward, so as to compel the Government from absolute necessity to adopt this measure. Tn the roads now in progress an attempt is made^ eventually, to unite the two extremities of this' island, and although these works are of the utmost importance 'to tfie'settlements in which' they are carried an, yetit would be a, useless diture at present to continue, them through the heart'of the country where there are nb Europeans and but few natives, so that years must elapse before they become the means of communication between the two provinces. But in the sea we have a natural highway which it is only necessary the should turn to the best account for the good of the settlements. It would not be difficult to show that the effect of steam communication would be so great in~ promoting the civilization of ' ttie natives/and in increasing the revenue, by increasing the trade of the colony, as necessarily to insure -its speedy adoption; while even on.' consideration's of economy it would be" found that the*increasing traffic would soon render it a Source of revenue; rather, than of expense to *the Government; *- " .
The Ralph Bernal arrived" last from Taranaki, which, she left, on Wednesday evening. " Tlie Governor was* daily expected there, but his visit to the South* seems to be indefinitely deferred. . ,
Programme of the Performance by the Band of the 65th Regiment, on Thorndon Flat, Tuesday, 21st inst. : — 1. Overture — Le lac dcs Fees ........ Auber. 2. Selection — I Lombardi .,.'.'. Verdi. 3. Ecco ,QuadriHeB. .-.,..-,, t . .-. ■■>, .g . «-„. . ,. «; Mutard. 4. Grand Selection from the Opera' of the Bon'dm&n : . . . : . < .* Balfe* 5. Garland Waltzes .' ". Seonig. 6. Song — There is a Flower, thfat Bloom-. < , eth— Maritana .-, i... Wallace. 7 . Galop— Orikal Rutshen f Meytr. 8. \mericaa Polka Jullien.
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New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 249, 18 December 1847, Page 2
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882New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, December 18, 1847. New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 249, 18 December 1847, Page 2
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