New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK’S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, December 27, 1851.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 668, 27 December 1851, Page 3

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK’S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, December 27, 1851.

We understand that Mr. M'Lean, the Commissioner for the purchase of lands from the natives, has succeeded in completing the purchase of some very valuable and extensive districts at Ahuriri. We hope that the particulars of this purchase will shortly be made public, at present we may merely state that it consists of three blocks of land containing together between six and seven hundred thousand acres, and may be regarded as the most important and extensive purchase that has been made from the natives in the Northern Island. In saying this, without entering into any critical examination of the purchases made by the Company, we take for granted that it could hardly be attempted ’ to compare their claims to land, which were , so imperfect and still left so much to be done before a title could be given to their purchasers with an arrangement which is so effectual and complet ethat the Government is in a position at once to issue Crown grants to purchasers, whenever the district >s opened for settlement. This important acquisition is calculated to exercise a very beneficial influence over the future prospects of this settlement. We have seen that, durmg the last three years of the Company’s existence, though every available means Were placed at their disposal by the Government for the acquisition of fresh Districts, nothing was done by them to advance the mterests of Wellington. Though extravagant salaries were paid to their officers, no and was sold, nor any fresh purchases by them. Now, however, while r ll Grants are befog issued to the former c asers of the Company, fresh districts

i are opened to the capital and enterprise of new comers, or of the residents who feel disposed to avail themselves of the opportunity, a new country is made available to satisfy the numerous applications continually made for stations for stock, of which Wellington will be the shipping port, and all the supplies for which must be drawn from Wellington. We may also note, that while the Independent is continually pouring forth column after column of laboured and-prosy invective to prove the Government have no available means to acquire any fresh districts from the natives, fresh districts of several hundred thousand acres of the finest land in New Zealand have been purchased, thus answering in the must complete and satisfactory manner the assertions !n the Independent, and shewing what little attention need be paid to its statements.