NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, June 8, 1853.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 819, 8 June 1853, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, June 8, 1853.

Wb perceive from an advertisement in our present number that it is proposed to hold a meeting, at Messrs. Bethune & Hunter's stores, on Friday next, of those who are favourable to the introduction of steam communication between the different Provinces of New Zealand, to receive from Capt Williams, the Agent of the Company now forming for this purpose, an explanation of its views and intentions, and to confer with him on this important subject, It is understood that two iron steamers of a very superior character of 320 tons each, and of great power s have been constructed for this Company, one of which may shortly expected to arrive in New Zealand. As we feel persuaded that this subject is of vital importance to the well being and future progress of New Zealand we may be permitted to throw out a few suggestions in connection with it. Perhaps so favorable an opportunity as the present may never again occur for securing to New Zealand the advantages of steam communication, it will rest with the colonists whether they will avail themselves of it or suffer it to escape them through inattention or indifference. It may perhaps be thought that two such vessels of so large a tonnage would be too much for the present requirements of New Zealand, and that as steam communication is now established between England and the Australian colonies, it might be a more advantageous arrangement to employ one vessel to maintain the communication between the different New Zealand Provinces, while the other might be profitably occupied in connecting New Zealand with Melbourne, carrying New Zealand produce to that market where it is so much in demand, and offering the means of expeditious transport to this colony to numbers at Melbourne who would gladly avail themselves of it ; particularly now the recent land regulations offer such inducements to intending settlers in the shape of cheap land as, even if we were to leave out of consideration the other advantages peculiar to New Zealand, are not to be met with in any of the neighbouring colonies. The chief point to' be considered, as it appears to us, is what arrangements can be made with the Company so as to secure to New Zealand the advantages it offers. The first introduction of Steam and the working of it during the first two or three years would necessarily be attended with certain drawbacks ' and expences that would afterwards disappear.- It is in the very nature of steam communication to provide additional work for itself, with the increase of the means of communication and the facilities of transport, trade flourishes, and the amount of traffic and of passengers is increased in a still greater ratio. This has been so repeatedly proved to be the case in England with regard to steam communication, that it may appear to be uttering a truism to repeat it, and in a new and thriving colony like New Zealand the increase of traffic under such circumstances would be still more rapid. Perhaps the most desirable arrangement would be to vote to the Company a yearly sum for a limited period, as a bonus, for carrying the mails between the different Provinces, by each Provincial Council, and a -grant by the general government for the same purpose for connecting New Zealand with Melbourne and, by this means, with the steam communication with England. If, for example, the sum of £5,000, equitably divided among the six Provinces of New Zealand, were voted the first year for intercolonial communication, decreasing the amount each year, until the grant ceased altogether, and a sum of £2,000 in like manner were given by the general government for the communication between New , Zealand and Melbourne, it might afford sufficient encouragement to the Company to commence its operations with every prospect of success, while it would be found that the increase of revenue from the extension of trade caused by steam would be very much greater than the sums to be granted. Add to this the saving of the annual expense of the Government Brig (which would then be no

longer wanted) amounting to £1,500 ; and the 1 sum to be provided appears to be a mere trifle in comparison to the objects to be gained. If we only look at it in the light of so much roadmaking, it is very certain that the advantages to be obtained from the expenditure of so small an amount in any one province in j improving the means of communication would be perfectly insignificant compared with those which the whole colony would derive from the introduction of steam communication. We have confined our attention in these observations to the impetus trade would receive, and to the large increase of population certain to' follow the introduction of steam ; but the advantages in a political view would be equallyimportant, since the separation of the colony into so many different Provincial Governments, and the establishment of- a General Legislature, render increased facilities of communication in New Zealand by means of steam more than ever necessary:; '

The Barque Lord Duncan; /.belonging to the Southern Whale Fishery Company, arrived in port on Monday from the Whaling Grounds. When about 1500 miles from 'any land, the Lord Duncan picked up eight Japanese men and three Javanese women in a state of starvation in an open boat after having been a month at sea. They belonged to the Barque Caldew, bound from Sydney to San Francisco, which was wrecked about the end of January last on the Phoenix Group. These unfortunate persons thus providentially rescued from impending destruction h£ve been treated with great humanity by Capt. Barton.