New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, May 13, 1848.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 291, 13 May 1848, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, May 13, 1848.

The consideration of most of the public questions connected with this colony is generally twofold ; they are first discussed at the time of their occurrence, and after a considerable interval we have the secret history of the transactions revealed to us, with the motives affecting their decision, in the official documents published for general information. The last Blue Book relating to New Zealand affairs is unusually interesting in this respect, its contents referring chiefly to questions connected with the land claims and its settlement in this part of the colony. We have therefore republished these documents as forming part of the history of the colony, with which it was necessary that the settlers should become acquainted. The different measures rendered necessary to rectify the mistakes and mischief committed by Captain Fitzroy and Mr. Commissioner' Spain are

here related at length ; the last two years have been occupied in repairing the blunders nf the previous six years, and the settlers at last, after this interval, find themselves where, (if a proper system had been pursued at first, and proper men appointed to the business,) they ought to have been placed eight years ago. It is lamentable to think of the time and means which have thus been wasted and misapplied, but which under proper direction might have been turned to good account. While these questions were under fierce discussion, the colony every day languished, and numbers of settlers left the country. Now that they are adjusted, and the settlement is recovering from its misfortunes, immigration is indispensable to its permanent prosperity ; but the funds available for this purpose have long since been dissipated by the Company. And where are fresh means to be sought for ? not in the land in the neighbourhood of Port Nicholson, since that will be claimed by the Company in satisfaction of their grant; — not from the Company, since if they are able to continue their colonizing operations, their attention for the next few years will be too exclusively occupied in schemes of fresh settlements in the Middle Island, to give any consideration to the claims which their older settlements have upon them. And our experience of the way in which they have evaded the claims their original purchasers have established against them, would forbid us to hope from effectual assistance in this quarter. Our only hope of a renewal of emigration must be in the Home Government, a hope we conceive not altogether without foundation, since the only effectual way to maintain peace and render it permanent will be to increase the number of settlers and render them an equipoise to the native population. The colony could very well bear an annual increase to its inhabitants of at least four or five thousand divided between the two provinces, and if a loan were advanced by the British Government to the colony for this purpose it would be of infinitely greater service, and the prospect of repayment would be much greater than in their late loan to the New Zealand Company.

The bodies of the two men who were unfortunately drowned in the Mi tilda were washed ashore on Tuesday morning, half way between the pa Prangaharau and Pencarrow bead, and not very far from the sta-" tion of Mr. Donald, by whom they were discovered, and who caused them to be decently interred. The vessel lies on the beach, the masts, rigging, and anchors have been recovered, but it is feared that the hull is too much damaged to allow of her being repaired.

The Edward Stanley and Oceun arrived yesterday from Poverty Bay, with cargoes of native grown wheat. Both vessels had long passages owing to the heavy weather they experienced.