New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, May 6, 1848.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 289, 6 May 1848, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, May 6, 1848.

The increasing number of mills for grinding corn belonging to the natives in this Province, may be regarded as a feature of great importance in estimating our future prospects. Four mills have either been built or are in progress of erection, and preparations are making f6r building two more. These mills not tanjy ensure a greater extent of cultivation in the districts which surround them than under the old system, and habits of continuous labour among the natives, but they do more. The reasons which have decided the Ngatitoas to erect a mill we have no doubt operate more or less with the other tribes whose example they are about to imitate. They find that wheat is the most marketable commodity they can produce, and flour the most marketable state in which they can dispose cf it, in exchange for those manufactures and articles of consumption which are daily becoming more necesary to them. The desire to turn their labour to the best account will thus lead the natives by degrees to become an agricultural people, and as the influence of this feeling 1 extends among them, the strongest guarantee will be afforded for the future tranquillity of the country. It is not our present intention to follow out this subject, we allude to it for the purpose of shewing the great increase of native grown wheat : in the different settlements in Cook's Strait there has also been an increase in the amount of wheat grown by the settlers last year, and in the ensuing season the amount will be still greater. The increased amount of wheat and wool, the growth of this Province, ought to have a material effect on the production of an article which on the colonization of New Zealand was counted on as a staple produce, and looked forward to as a principal export. With the increased amount of wheat and wool there must be an increased consumption of sacks and woolpacks, why should these articles continue to be imported, when we have the raw material in such abundance in our hands, indigenous to the country, when its preparation would afford continued employment to the natives, and when there exists an unlimited demand for it in the home market ? It is objected that the

present supply of flax by the natives is small and uncertain ; but this may be owing in a great measure to the fluctuating demand for it as an article of trade, A good deal has been said and written at different times about flax, but nothing has yet been done on a scale of sufficient importance to create a constant demand for it in quantities likely to have a permanent effect on the native labour market. If a manufactory of sacks and woolpacks from New Zealand flax by machinery were once established, so as to produce these articles at such a price as to compete with those imported into the colony, a constant demand would be created for considerable quantities of flax which would stimulate the natives to increased production ; new methods of preparing it would be discovered by which the quality would be improved and the cost lessened ; the natives who keenly observe everything affecting their interests, would learn to weave, would perhaps by joint subscription establish a manufactory for making sacks, as they have already established mills for grinding flour, and under European superintendence in this case their labour would be still more available, When arrived at this point, the preparation of flax as an article of export would increase rapidly, and at a low but remunerating market price the natives would as confidently prepare continually increasing quantities to keep pace with the demand as they will continue to grow wheat in the full expectation of obtaining a ready sale for it.

We have received a letter from the Rev. W. Colenso giving an elaborate denial to the report (for which we gave oar authority at the time) of Te Hapuku's having supplied Rangihaeata with muskets and ammunition, and which we are glad to find proves incorrect. Having contradicted the report, Mr. Colenso proceeds to animadvert on some of our observations, in the same number of the Spectator, on the general state of the natives. We have no desire to enter into a controversy on this subject, and shall therefore content ourselves with requesting him, when next we are so unfortunate as to incur his censure, not to misrepresent our meaning, if he desires his remarks to carry any weight. The tendency of our observations was to anticipate from the marked signs of improvement among the natives a peaceful season in the coming winter, " an exception to those which have passed," and we stated our belief that the inclination to be troublesome " may still exist among the old disturbers of the public peace, but we believe the power is wanting." Mr. Colenso, while he has perverted our meaning, affords sufficient evidence of the justness of our belief : a little consideration must have convinced him that our remarks applied to Rangihaeata, unless indeed he is himself disposed to consider his friend Te Hapuku as belonging to " the old leaven." We may add, in conclusion, that Mr. Colenso would have been more intelligible to the majority of our readers, if his letter to Te Hapuku had been accompanied with a translation.

We are sorry to learn that Capt. Henderson of the Royal Artillery, and that part of his company stationed in Wellington, proceed, to Auckland in the barque Indian. Throughout the disturbances in the Southern district, in the expulsion of the rebels from the valley of the Hutt, in the campaign of Horokiwi, and in the operations at Wanganui, Captain Henderson and his company bore an active and important part ; in one of the engagements in the last mentioned district one man was severely, and another mortally wounded.

Wellington, May 1, 1848. Spirits and Tobacco under bond this day : Brandy 6897 gals. Rum 13,169 „ Gin 2121 „ Liqueurs 6 „ Whisky 185 „ Tobacco, manufactured 45,584 lbs. „ unmanufactured 3335 „ „ Cigars 1289 „

Programme of the Performance by the Band of the 65th Regiment at Thorndon Flat, on Tuesday, the 9th May: — 1. Overture — Bianco Fallerio Rouini 2. Aria— Guillaume Tell Rosiini 3. Chinese Quadrille Jullien 4. Cavatina — Come per me Sereno "I i» e j# n s — Sonnambula J 5. Hyacinth Waltz Koenig 6. Cavatina — Come Dolce all Alma 1 »„,„•„,• Mei —^Tancredi J 7. German Galop Walch 8. American Polka Jullien