NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, March 1, 1854

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 895, 1 March 1854, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, March 1, 1854

By private letters received by the Statehfs mail we learn it is decided that the Pacific steamers, forming- the line from Panama, shall touch at Wellington on their route to and from Sydney and the Australian colonies, and that Messrs. Willis & Co.. ! who have so long been commercially connected with the Southern Settlements, have entered into a contract to supply these vessels with coal for two years commencing from this present first of March ; and that in accordance with this contract a large vessel may be shortly expected out from England, to be moored in this harbour as a depot for coals, and for receiving from these steamers the goods destined for this port. The Nelson steamer may also, we understand, very shortly be expected to arrive from England at these settlements, when it will depend in a great measure on the arrangements which may then be made by the settlers and the different Provincial Governments whether her sei vices are secured for the colony. It is impossible to overrate the importance of this information or to calculate the effect it will have on the future progress of this country. The advantages of steam communication by the speediest and most direct route are about to be immediately conferred on New Zealand j almost without an effort on the part of its inhabitants, New Zealand will, as soon as this line by the best and most direct route comes into operation, be the nearest oi the colonies in the South Seas to the Mother Country, — as near in point of time as America was by means of ordinary sailing vessels. These steamers too,on their wayout will first touch at Wellington j and the effect oi this cannot fail to increase our population in a much greater ratio, and give a much greater impetus to the prosperity of this Province than would otherwise be the case. But something remains to be done by the settlers, some exertions require to be made on their part to realize all the advantages which seem to be shadowed forth. Every effort should be made to render the Nelson Coal available, to supply coals on the spot to steamers so as permanently to secure their calling here. Strenuous efforts also should be made to establish steam communication between the different Provinces, (without which even the boon of steam communication with the mother country would fail of its full effect; Each Provincial Council has spent much time iv deliberating over lines of roads, j and in providing the means of making them, but the sea will always be thei highway {between the Provinces, and iti : should be our first care by means of steam to provide the' best, the speediest, the most certain conveyance, by this highway r-any cost spent in the attainment of this object will be well bestowed, any outlay in this direction is sure to be returned with interest to the. Provinces whose Governments are provident enough to make it.

Yesterday the Festival of the founders of the settlement.which has been for some time past in preparation, and which has for various reasons been postponed, took place in the large building erected by the Natives at Pitone, -with the most complete success. The idea of this entertainment owes its origin to Mr. E. G. Wakefield, to whose exertions, with those of the

istewards, is mainly due the success with which it has been carried out. The weather proved j most favorable, the day being a beautiful summer's day. The arrangements were well made ; two rows of tables being laid out the length of the building, with a raised table on the north side in the centre of the line, at which the chairman, H. St. Hill, Esq., was seated; there •were also immediately near the chairman, and in the body of the room, a great number of old settlers with their wives and female relatives, numbers of settlers from Wellington having come over to attend the entertainment. Not thejeast interesting part was the presence of sixty natives with the venerable chief Epuni, who joined with the settlers in this commemoration, as they have ever heartily co-operated with them in the work of colonization. Upwards of three hundred persons sat down to the entertainment which passed oif jn the most gratifying manner. After the toasts were all drank and duly responded to, the tables were removed and preparations ' ;were made for dancing, for which purpose a good floor had been laid down the greater part of the length of the building. The Band ' of the 65th Regiment by Colonel Gold's kind permission was present, and dancing was kept up with great spirit, the assembly pot. separating till daylight this morning. In our next number we intend giving a full report of the proceedings, and of the speeches made on this interesting occasion. ]

The Golden dreams connected with the supposed discoveries at Whanganui have speedily been dissipated. The Governor Grey arrived on Monday, bunging some specimens of the supposed gold which were forwarded to Dr. Prendergast, 65th Regt., who submitted them to the usual chemical tests, and who has demonstrated the "Whanganui gold to be Iron pyrites. We have been favored by him with an account of his examination of these specimens which we subjoin, and which will probably act as a sedative in allaying the excitement which " gold prospecting" had caused in that flourishing settlement. I have examined the reputed Gold from Wnnganui, and consider it to be the Bisulphuret of Iron, or Iron Pyrites of Mineralogists. Under the Microscope it presents a yellow colour and metallic lustre, and is rapidly dissolvid by Nitric Acid; whereas Gold is not dissolved by any of the pure acids, bat mny be by digesting fragments in a mixture composed of two measures of Hydrochloric and one of Nitric Acid. 1 R. K. Prendergast, Surgeon, 65th Regt.

Isle of Pines. — The barque Juno, , which arrived yesterday from this island, brings intelligence that the French frigate Constantine had arrived there, and the commander had taken possession of it in the name of Prance, attended with the usual formalities. — Sydney Herald, Feb. 9.