NELSON. [From the Nelson Examiner, March 10.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 379, 21 March 1849, Page 4

NELSO N. [From the Nelson Examiner, March 10.]

The condition of the aborigines in this neighbourhood has always been a subject of interest to us from the day the settlement was formed, and we have from time to time derived considerable pleasure in witnessing the progress they were making in the arts of civilized life, and tho accumulation of property. The natives were far too acute a people not to discover, at a very early day, the advantage of having a settlement of Europeans in their neighbourhood, and the benefit of disposing of their produce to actual consumers, getting , payment in money, and furnishing themselves with goods at the market prices, instead of dealing with coasting and Sydney traders, who measured them out yards of calico against the same measure of potatoes or maize placed along the beach in kits or baskets. But although their interest to cultivate a good understanding with the strangers who had come to dwell among them was thus palpable, and felt and acknowledged by the majority of those who came in contact with us, there were still some who, from a restless spirit, a jealousy of self-importance, and a fear that the power and authority they had been used to exercise over their followers would be destroyed, who little relished our presence, and strove to keep the minds of the peaceable disturbed. This feeling, however, seems now to have passed away, or to be held by so few in number, as to render them perfectly harmless among the large body of their more reflecting and sagacious countrymen, and the majority now seem anxious in every way to profit by their intercourse with us, and to consider themselves wholly under the rule of British authority, and amenable to British laws. It is only necessary to refer to the statistics, taken at the end of last year, to show how the native condition has been improved. The land then in crop belonging to the natives in this district was no less than 1758 acres, out of which there was ] 137 acres of wheat, to which property may be added several head of horned cattle, horses, and goats, pigs almost innumerable., and a few coasting v&ssfils oi-about twenty-five tons each. Seven years ago,. and the wealth of this people consisted in a few acres of wretched potatoes, barely sufficient to- bring their principal men a little clothing, and a scanty supply of the luxury of toba,cco. ; And to show also the improved disposition of the natives,, we will mention what occurred the- other dayae the Motueka, where a question respecting the reserves set aside for the raaories, which by delay and neglect had grown into what was apprehended would be a troublesome business, was disposed of with the greatest ease in a few hours. ' ' When the Jand was originally purchased of the natives, a tenth .part. of the whole was reserved for their use, to be held in trust for their! future: ibenefit. The unfortunate state'

in which the colony was placed fora few years, so deranged the trust which had been appointed to take charge of this property, that nothing was done with it, and the natives at the Motueka undertook, in several instances, to lease and sell parcels of the reserves in that | district on their own account. The gentlemen I recently appointed as the trust board, expecti ed considerable difficulty in getting this property back into their bands, but were induced a few weeks since to make the attempt. After a few hours' talking with all the parties concerned, who were got together on the spot, the whole thing was arranged in the most amicable manner, to the eutire satisfaction of all parties. But the mission of these gentle- | men did not terminate here. The Govern- [ ment had lately laid out the site of a new vil- | lage in the Motueka, and furnished the natives with a model on which to build their i houses. This has been adopted by almost all — and the whole district, with the exception of one or two families, have engaged to ! build themselves wooden houses and abandon their old filthy pas. A small premium is to be given to those who get the first two or three houses completed, which will cause the whole to hasten their operations. The good effect of this arrangement has been alieady felt, for the natives at Wakapuaka have also shown an anxiety to have the same course pursued towards them ; but as they on more than one occasion had treated the authority of the Government with disrespect, their wish was not regarded, until they came forward with the assurance that Paramatta, the chief who had led them astray, had gone to reside at Taranaki, and promised better conduct for the future.