NELSON. [From the Nelson Examiner, Feb. 2.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 475, 20 February 1850, Page 3

NELSON. [From the Nelson Examiner, Feb. 2.]

If there was anything uncommon in the circumstance of people searching, sometimes in vain, at a distance, for the very thing which lies at their feet, we should feel astonished that a long, tedious, and difficult route to the Wairau from Nelson, had been " discovered" and used, while a short and easy one lay all the time before us. For seven years it has been known that the districts of Waimea and Wairau <. were not more than from twenty to thirty miles apart, and yet a tedious journey of nearly 100 miles has at all times had to be undertaken to pass from one to the other. What makes this the more extraordinary is, that several exploring parties have been out

to seek a shorter* route, which, though* discovered, has beeifreportfcd as vunfiavourable for a roadi Notwithstanding these repeated, failures of discovering a practicable route, our own belief always has been that some shorter way of communicating with the Wairau did exist, and would some day be found out. We never could persuade ourselves, when we saw the fires in the Wairau illuminating the sky of an evening, that a journey of 100 miles was necessary to reach the spot. This opinion, shared also by many others, was right. It has now been proved by Mr. Tinline, that so far from a journey of 100 miles being necessary to reach the Wairau Plainj over thirty miles of hill, the same spot may be reached in about forty miles by crossing only one hill of no great height, nor difficu<t of ascent. From the Happy Valley (to which a road already exists) the Pelorus can be reached in eight or len miles by going over one hill, where a roail would open Up a beautiful wooded valley. Crossing the Pelorus, the remaining distance to the Wairau, through the Kajtuna, is quite level, and presents nowhere any difficulty but at one spot near the entrance of the K.aituna, at which, for about a quarter of a mile, a side cutting to avoid the river would be nenessary. The practicability of an easy road by this route can no longer be questioned. The whole distance, saving the eight or ten miles from Happy Valley to the Pelorus, has been reported upon most favourably by Mr. Fitzgerald, the Government surveyor and engineer, and when we are at liberty to publish the report which he i as ma ie to the Government upon this and the intended Waitohi road, we shall again recur to the subjet, and we hope also in the meantime to lie furnished with the notes of Mr. Tiuliue's important I journey.

Accident to the Barque "Berkshire." — A serious accident occurred io the barque Berkshire, on her attempting to enter our harbour on Wednesday morning last. In consequence of the illness of Sterling, the pilot, Captain Walker, who has been for some time on our coast in charge of small vessels was acting temporarily in that capacity. He accordingly, on the morning in question, went on board the Berkshire on her arrival in the gulf, and took charge of the vessel. Unfortunately, before reaching the entrance to the harbour, the tide had turned, and as the wind was light, and fell almost a calm when she got to the Arrow Rock, the vessel ran on the spit after passing the Whitby Beacon. Here the vessel hung, and when the tide fell, threefourths of her keel was high and dry on the boulders, the stern alone being in the water. By starting the water casks, and otherwise lightening the ship, she came off again at tie lop of high water the following tide, but was not brought into harbour until the next day. What amount of damage the vessel has sustained, it is at present impossible to say, but as soon as her cargo can be discharged she will, we understand, be laid on the bank for examination, and a survey held upon her. It was doubtless a great error on the part of the acting-pilot to try to bring in the vessel after the tide had turned, with so little wind, because the slightest knowledge of the port should have told him that such an attempt must be highly dangerous. With only ordinary prudence, such an accideet as happened to the Berkshire never could have occurred ; and it should be remembered, that the only two accidents of any note which have ever happened to vessels entering or leaving our harbour, have occurred when persons not properly qualified have been temporarily acting as pilots, during periods of sickness to the pilots themselves. Such was the case during the illness of Cross, when the Fifeshire went on shore alongside the Arrow Rock, on leaving the harbour, in February, 1842, and such was again the case on Wednesday last, when the Berkshire was laid ashore nearly abreast of the same spot, on the opposite side of the channel. We cannot exculpate the Government from blame in this matter, which, as usual neglects what is really essential to the prosperity and convenience of the various settlements, because it would cost a little money to do what is necessary, while at the same i time it will squander away thousands of pounds in idle patronage, or on works of but little utility. It was reported to the Government long ago, and the opinion has since been conr firmed by Captain Stokes of the Acheron, and other competent authorities, that, tor the insignificant sum of £100, rocks might be removed which would increase the width at the entrance to our harbour by exactly one-third. The Government can afford £200 a year to its Nominee Councillors from Nelson, but it cannot spare £100 to render our harbour so much more easy of access. Surely an end must come to this at last. We hope, however, that some good may spring out of the accident, and that it may lead to the return of ■our former excellent pilot, Cross, who we believe has a strong desire to leave Auckland, and resume his old duties in Nelson. The Weather. — In January, which is the principal harvest month in New Zealand,

-rite weather is not usually such as to give on* farmers great concern. A shovrer or two may fall at intervals, which as it greatly benefits potatoes and gre,en crops, and causes late corn to plump out, is viewed with, no disfavour. The late month was <an exception td this rule. On the 19th, we were visited with one of the severest gales of wind and rain we • have ever witnessed in New Zealand. No very material damage was done by it to any of the crops, as the weather cleared up the following day, but on the 23rd, rain again returned, and the weather 'Continued showery until the 26th. As a great deal of corn was down at this time, we fear it may have sustained some injury, but we do not believe of^ sufficient amount to cause any serious loss. In other respects, the weather was highly favourable to vegetation. Since the day named, we have had a return of our customary blue sky and balmy winds, to the delight of the farmerß. There has been, we find, this >ear, some injury inflicted on the barley by the caterpillar, but it was confined to the early Vowd, and to particular localities. Despite these drawbacks^ the harvest will be an unusually fine one» We have had beautiful hardest weathsr during the past week, which has seen the bulk of the crops safely stored. fhiire is however a quantity of late sown barley yet standing, which is yet barely ready for the sickle. The prolonged winter and late spring of last year has not been Without adVantagey as by delaying ihe sowing on wet lands, the harvest has been spread over a longer period than usual, which, with the limited supply of suitable labour in the colony, has been a great convenience. — Ibid, Feb. 9.