NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, September 7, 1853.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 845, 7 September 1853, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, September 7, 1853.

The news of the recent purchases of land from the natives in the Wairarapa and Hawke's Bay districts, effected by his Excellency, which we briefly announced on Saturday, has diffused the liveliest satisfaction throughout the community. The acquisition of any district in the Province is a great advantage gained, since ' it removes a fruitful source of difficulty by extinguishing the native title, and renders available for sale and settlement additional blocks of land, the proceeds of which will provide funds for immigration and internal improvement. But in this case the districts acquired, from their relative position to Wellington, and from the quality of the soil, are among the most important and valuable in the Province, and the natives have only been induced thus readily of their own accord to make this arrangement from their implicit confidence in the Governor, and their desire to have their claims settled by him previous to his departure from the colony. These negotiations, undertaken at an inclement season of the year, and carried on with the natives on the spot, necessarily involve on the part of lriV Excellency the sacrifice of personal comfort, and by indefinitely postponing the period of his departure occasion much personal inconvenience, but these are sacrifices that are cheerfully made by him to the higher considerations of public good. In connection with this subject we may mention that a deputation waited on the Governor on Saturday to obtain his sanction to a plan of small farms for the benefit of those of the work- | ing classes who wish to avail themselves of the arrangement, and as an inducement to new comers, — men of small means from the neighbouring colonies — to settle in the Province. As is generally known, a plan of small farms for working men has been in agitation for the last six months, ever since, in short, the reduction made in the price of land by the Governor's new regulations. The Governor, we understand, has .given every encouragement to the scheme, and suggested that in each newly acquired district a block of land, (some 15,000 or 20,000 acres,) should be set apart for a limited period to afford facilities to the working classes, and especially to new comers, for the purchase of land under certain- regulations. These blocks might be laid out on the plan of the pensioner villages at 4he North, and form the nuclei of agricultural settlements, and the Provincial Council in the approaching sitting could pass such regulations for the sale and settlement of the land as would effectually secure the objects contemplated. In answer to some objection to the possible interference of scrip with the proposed scheme, the deputation were informed that the whole of the unselected scrip does not exceed 30,000 acres, and that the holders of 20,000 acres had consented not to allow their scrip to interfere with the working of the proposed system of small farms. From these and other considerations in connexion with the reduction oi the price of land, it has been determined to take advantage of his Excellency's return to Wellington to invite him to a public dinner, in grateful acknowledgement of his exertions, and though the shortness of the time may necessarily render the arrangements somewhat imperfect, we have no doubt the attendance at this last demonstration by the settlers of their regard for his Excellency will be most numerous.

The Screw Steamer Ann arrived on Saturday from Sidney via Nelson. At anytime it would be a most important and gratifying circumstance to record the arrival of the' first commercial steamer in our Port, but it becomes a matter of still greater importance when we learn that this visit is an experimental trip and may lead to the establishment of steam communication, not only between the different Southern set!tlements, but also between Wellington and

Sydney. The Ann is in connection with the P. and 0. Steam Navigation Company, and we understand it is probable that on her next trip 1 } the Company's Manager at Sydney, Capt. Sparkes, will Visit Wellington with the view Of making arrangements for running two steam boats between Sydney and the Southern ProAinces of New Zealand. The Provincial Council will then be sitting, and we hope a disposition will be shown on their part to encourage the introduction of steam by a liberal bonus. The advantage to New Zealand of regular steam communication such as is now proposed will be incalculable, and every effort on our part should be made to avail ourselves of the assistance of so powerful a company.

In consequence of the unfavorable state of the weather yesterday, the public meeting on the subject of the New Zealand Company's Debt is postponed to Monday evening next.

The election for the Wanganui district terminated in the return of H. S. Harrison, Esq., and Mr Watt as members for the Provincial Council.

By the steamer Ann we only received one Nelson Examiner, the intermediate papers between that and those received by way of Port Cooper having been forwarded by another vessel, and not having yet come to hand. The Nelson elections were over. Mr. Travers, not having been returned for the Provincial Council, had resigned his seat for the General Council, on the ground that the result of the election for the Provincial Council shewed he did not possess the confidence of the electors.