NELSON. [From the Nelson Examiner, May 18.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 504, 1 June 1850, Page 2

NELSON. [From the Nelson Examiner, May 18.]

Since the ownership of land in this settlement has been definitely fixed by the reielections and other late arrangements, we have been asked more than once r/hether or not it is the intention of the New Zealand Company's Agents to issue any more complete and formal conveyances than the land-orders and scrip under which the land has been hitherto selected and held, and which create only what the lawyers call an equitable title, instead of that full legal one of which every owner of land ought to be possessed. We are glad to be enabled to inform our readers, on the best authority, that within a very few weeks the purchasers of land in all the Company's settlements will receive their final " conveyances. The seal necessary for their execution was sent out by the Mooltan, which was followed by instructions in the 1 Monarch, which will enable the Company's Agents at once to issue the desired grants. The only cause of delay consists in the necessity of obtaining the confirmation by Sir George Grey of the appointment of the parties nominated by the Company in the different settlements to execute these documents ; and this, we understand, was applied for by the Principal Agent by the first mail to Auckland after the receipt of the instructions, a reply to which may be expected by return in a week or two. As the names of the parties appointed had already been assented to by Lord Grey, and the Governor's consent is only a matter of form required by the Act of Parliament, his Excellency's sanction is a matter of certainty. Some anxiety has, w» understand, existed among derivative purchasers, as to whether the conveyances in such cases would be made directly to them, or whether they would be made to the original holder of the land-order, who would have in turn to execute a conveyance to the subordinate purchaser from himself. In some instances, where the land has passed through several hands, this would be attended with considerable expense; and in all such cases with more expense than if the conveyance was made direct to the final purchaser. We are glad to learn that it is the intention of the Company's Agents, wherever required to do so, to issue the conveyances direct to the derivative purchaser — a course which, as the Act of Parliament gives the holders of the seal full power to decide disputed titlts, and makes their conveyance valid and*final, seems to us to be free from all objection, and likely to effect a considerable saving of expense to the purchaser of land, particularly those on a small scale. If any derivative purchaser, however, should wish to be indulged in the cost "of intermediate conveyance, by having the grant made to the original holder under whom he purchased, he would no doubt be accommodated. We are informed also (which it will be satisfactory to purchasers to know), that the fees charged for the grants will be the smallest amount which will cover the bare cost of their preparation and endorsement of plans upon them. Full information will, we understand, be shortly given to purchasers of the steps necessary to be taken by them to procure their grants. Makkexs. — The demand for produce of all kinds for the Californian market, has caused a general rise in prices, and instead of our farmers finding any difficulty in effecting sales, as has sometimes been the case at this season of the year, it is buyers who are now unable to do business. Unfortunately, from a variety of causes, cultivation was not much extended last year in this settlement, so that from this circumstance, and -the augmentation of consumers by immigration, the surplus quantity of produce is not so great as it otherwise would have been. From the large demand, too, which existed last year for barley, there was more of this grain grown in the late season than in any former year. Wheat may be quoted at 4s. to 4s. 6d. per bushel, barley at 45., and potatoes £4 a ton. These prices are all firm. Onions for exportation have been selling at 4d. per lb., and are now difficult to be obtained at that price. Dairy produce is also high — butter Is. 2d. per lb., cheese Is. The retail prices of butchers' meat are unchanged — beef and mutton sd. a lb., pork 4d. — but a decline would take place if beasts could be more readily driven in from their pastures ; and a road to the Wairau is in this, as well as in other respects, an important object to us. Altogether, the prospects of agriculture in New Zealand have not for a long period been so good as at the present moment.

Thb following presentment was made by the Grand Jury at Nelson at the late Sittings of the Supreme Court :—: — , " The Grand Jury of Nelson present to your Honour the extreme inconvenience which this settlement continues to suffer from the uncertainty in the time when the Assizes are held. Apart from the detention which several persons summoned on the Jury have so repeatedly had to undergo on similar occasions, the hardship and injustice to prisoners of keeping them in goal for an indefinite time after their commitment by the magistrates, are so obvious as are calculated seriously to impair the confidence of the people in the administration of justice. In the present Session, two cases out of the three which have come before the Grand Jury have been withdrawn by the prosecutors, and in each case on the ground that the prisoners had already suffered a very long imprisonment: and the Grand Jury present their opinion that it is highly reprehensible on the part of the author- J ities whose duty it is to provide your Honour with the means of coming to Nelson to open your Court, thus to detain prisoners Against whom, on the day of trial, no charge is to be found advanced. Your Honour is aware that not more than half of the prisoners who have been committed for trial during the last fonr years have been convicted : and this fact alone ought to show the indispensable duty that devolves upon the Government not to increase for a day the imprisonment of any one beyond the proper time fixed for delivering the gaol in this settlement." His Honour observed in reply, that he was fully aware of the evils complained of in the presentment, and had on more that one occasion called the attention of the Government to the circumstance. He would now again, in forwarding the presentment, repeat the representations he had formerly made ; and he hoped, as there now seemed to be a prospect of establishing steam communication betwee n the different settlements, that such irregularity would not in future occur. —lbid.

Accident. —A melancholy accident occurred in our harb< ur on Monday last, by which a young man named Jackson, a seaman belonging to the Berkshire, lost his life. A boat belonging to the vessel, containing eight men, was engaged iv doing something with one of the chain cables, and got capsized. Seven of the men managed to save themselves by swimming, or holding on to the keel of the boat until assistance reached them, but the deceased was newer seen after the boat went over. The body we believe has not yet been found. —Nelson Examiner, May 4. We have been given to understand that we did the Colonial Government injustice, in saying the other day that it had refused, to pay the expenses it was put to by the Judge, when, five years ago, his .Honor chartered a small vessel to bring him and the Registrar and Crier to Nelson, to hold a sitting of the Supreme Court. The money, after a delay of some months, and a large amount of grumbling, was it seems paid, but it is a fact that the Judge was so annoyed with the rumpus kicked up at what appeared to be deemed a waste of the public mouey, that his Honor resqlved never again to incur the responsibility of putting the Government to expense without authority. To this circumstance we must therefore attribute the present absence of the Judge, and the consequent incarceration of two men who should have been liberated from Prison five weeks ago, as the prosecutions against both have been dropped, and they are only waiting the Judge's arrival to get their liberty. But no Judge appears to open the bolts and bafs and set them free, and they have not the consolation of knowing the term of their imprisonment —whether it is only to be another day, a week, a month, or half a year! It is upwards of three months since the Lieutenant-Governor took his departure from' Wellington, on his own pleasure, it was said, tnd to his long absence from the seat ot his duty must we lay the disgraceful fact of the unwarranted imprisonment of two men for five weeks after they should have received their discharge, for surely, had his Excellency been in Wellington, he would have found some means of sending the Judge across the Strait. 'It may perhaps be difficult, with the proviso in the Ordinance, that the Supreme Court is to be opened on certain days, or "as soon after as may be convenient," to show that the prolonged imprisonment of these men is unlawful; but that it would be so considered in any Court out of the colony there can be no doubt, We wish there was a possibility of the men recovering damages for the injury done them, and that the amount could be deducted from the salary of that officer, whoever he may be, who is primarily the cause of this gross injustice. If such an outrage on the forms and principles of justice had taken place under any Government that owed its existence to the popular voice, some notice would be taken of it in the Legislative Assembly of the country, but this and worse may be perpetrated by the miserable despo-

tism set up in this colony, and who is there to call the misdoers to account ? We are glad, however, to find that s representation of the facts has been made in quarters at home where such an abuse of authority is not likely to be suffered to pass unnoticed.-Jfa'rf.