New Zealand Spectator AND COOK’S STRAIT GUARDIAn Saturday, May 24, 1851.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 606, 24 May 1851, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator AND COOK’S STRAIT GUARDI An Saturday, May 24, 1851.

The most cursory perusal of his Excel] " cy’s address on the opening of the Le ‘ tive Council must satisfy every one of great benefits immediately resulting t 0 colony from the dissolution of the New Zealand Company, and the earnest desi r evinced by Sir George to avail himself’of the earliest opportunity to arrange all settled questions relating to land in th** Company’s settlements on the most satig 6 factory basis. From the extensive p so unwisely conferred upon the Comn a ” by Lord Grey, the Government for the fihree last years have been precluded from interfering in these questions, and have been reduced to a forced state of inactivity, while the Company have done nothing but pay off its previous obligations, by means of the pecuniary assistance afforded by the Go vernment. These years have thus been, in a great measure, lost to the colony, s i nce there can be little doubt that its prosperity would have been much more considerable if these questions had been then finally settled if Lord Grey, instead of continuing the Company’s existence, had made some final arrangement by which the Government would have been as free to act as it is now. It must also be evident that the ment proposed bv Sir nnroa ; e x r j ——••&'- luuvu more ..bvxul aim complete than any plan that could have been proposed by the Company, particularly that part of it which allows the exchange of land for scrip to be available at Government sales of land, and the suggestion for funding scrip by the purchase of Govern, ment debentures bearing a low rate of interest. In spite of all the difficulties purposely thrown in the way by Mr. Fox in withholding the plans and registries of the Company, in a few months we may hope to see this question finally set at rest by the issue of Crown Grants to all the Company’s purchasers. Another measure of nearly equal importance, the bill for regulating the occupation of the waste lands of the Crown, will have the effect of promoting the formation of stations and increasing the amount of stock in the colony, and consequently of increasing the amount of our exports, while an amount of revenue will bp dpri-or? r «.u;_ in the annual rents payable for runs, the proceeds of which will be available for immigration and. internal improvements. Under the Company, while every obstacle was thrown in the way of forming fresh stations, the colony derived no benefit in the way of rents as an addition to the land fund.. The Bill for placing at the disposal of anv corporation to be created in New Zealand one third of the gross proceeds of the revenue realized from lands disposed of by the Crown within the limits of such corporation is also a very important measure, conferring as it does so great a control over the funds derived from the sale of land, and placing at the disposal and under the management of the settlers in each district a considerable amount for the purposes of local improvements, diminishing thereby the pressure of local taxation. We have only briefly luded to these measures now, their tendency is plainly to set at rest those questions which have so long and so seriouly io* jured the Southern Settlements, to render the waste lands of the colony immediately available for immigration internal improvements, to afford every facility for the investment of capital in pastoral pursuits, and to give the settlers a considerable share in the management of ths revenues to be derived from the land. purchase of the Hawke’s Bay district is a most important acquisition in connecting the other districts with Port Nicholson# an when theWairarapa and Manawatu district® are obtained from the natives, the who] 0 0 the Southern part of this Island in of this settlement will be available *° r c lonization.

| The measures which have been introduced |ito the Council are so evidently calculated jo promote the prosperity of the Colony, gjat the unreasonable, and unreasoning jature of the opposition attempted to be sfiered to them in some quarters becomes Efficiently manifest, ft is enough for these Arsons that the measures are proposed by government to excite their opposition ; no natter what inconvenience or injury the folony may experience from delay, that is |e last consideration that would enter into |eir minds. Like spoiled children they are ®ly to be pleased on their own terms ; but jckily their numbers are so inconsiderable Jat they are not likely to meet with much mention.