The Sun.
London, England, 1847-10-15 00:00:00

they shall be enabled to carry to a happy practical
result those principles which the experience of all co-
lonies, in all ages, has shown to be sound. Subject
to such modifications as altered circumstances render
necessary, they are prepared to go on with land sales,
and to resume their colonising operations in the
existing settlements of Wellington, Nelson, New
Plymouth, and Otago; and they will, ere long, make
known what new districts they offer far colonisation.
It only remains to ptate that John Welaford Cowell,
Esq., her Majesty's Commissioner, has entered upon
the execution of his duties. The directors anticipate
much advantage to the company, and to New Zea-
land, from the great experience and sound judgment
of this gentleman ; and they regard his appointment
with sincere satisfaction, for the evidence it practi-
cally affords of the disposition of her Majesty's Go-
vernment effectually to co-operate in carrying out
the great public objects to which the efforts of the
company are directed, and for the confidence which a
knowledge of that co-operation will impart to the
public."
The CHAIRMAN said the proprietors were no doubt
aware that the Act referred to in the report rendered
it necessary that the proprietors should be called to-
gether, to say whether they would confirm or not the
arrangement with therGovernment, adopted by them
on a former occasion. His first duty was, to move
the adoption of the report.
Mr. BRENAN said it would be satisfactory to the
proprietors to be informed whether the 130,0001. would
be solely expended in colonisation or not. He wished
to know whether it would be devoted to completing
those districts already coloniied, or whether it would
be expended in colonising other districts now lying
bare and waste. It appeared to him if they devoted
the money_to the creation of new settlements, and left
those commenced in an incomplete and consequently
unsatisfactory state, that great injury and dissatis-
faction would be the result. Experience had shown
that such a sum as that borrowed would go but a
small way in creating new districts, whilst it would
go far if devoted to those already formed. Two years
ago 99,0001. and 100,0001. were devoted to the crea-
tion of new districts, but what benefit had the com-
pany derived from this expenditure ? Nothing. It
was true they had paid off many obligations which
they had contracted, but he hoped that there
was no necessity to expend this additional
sum in a similar manner. The settlers loudly de-
manded the improvement of their condition—such as
constructing roads and bridges, and sending out ca-
pitalists to settle and employ their means to the
best advantage. If the company were to do this, and
the public were informed of it, he apprehended that
eligible persons would be induced to embark their
fortunes in the colony. Influential persons perceived
the importance of doing what he suggested : for in-
stance, Mr. Ward, a highly respectable gentleman,
had published several letters, calling upon the Direc-
tors to fulfil their engagements and to improve the ori-
ginal settlements. It was incumbent upon the Direc-
tors to fulfil all the engagements,they had made ; unless
they did so, the settlers would be dissatisfied, the
proprietors would not receive the return for their
capital to which they were entitled, and the company,
would be nothing but a disappointment to all in-
terested in it, from beginning to end. Some of
the demands of the settlers were exceedingly
reasonable, and ought,' therefore, to be complied
with. He would not presume to say what the
directors should do, but if they thought proper
to adopt the course he had pointed out, and to give
publicity to their intentions, much good would be ac-
complished.Vothing that had occurred for some time
was so gratifying to him as the appointment of Mr.
Cowell—if anything could give him confidence in the
undertaking that gentleman's appointment did so—he
was the mainstay of the vessel in which they were all
in terestel.—(Hear, hear.)
The CHAIRMAN replied that it was never contem-
plated that the 130,0001. was to be devoted to im-
proving the old settlements. The Act of Parliament
prohibited such an expenditure of it. The
Act countenanced the old settlements con-
veyed by the Government to the com-
pany and expressly provided that the 130,0001.,
in addition to the 100,0001. formerly advanced, should
be devoted to the colonisation of a wide field, also
conveyed to the company, and the money was se-
cured on the lands of the company for a period of
three years, and was agreed to by the Government
for the purpose of extending emigration to the vast
territories in the middle island, from the southern
part of the northern island. It would, therefore, be
manifestly contrary to the Act if this money were
devoted to particular settlements, whether in the
northern or southern island, because the Go-
vernment never intended that it should be so
expended. The directors were most desirous
to fulfil every engagement into which they
had entered with the original settlers. They felt a
solemn obligation to do so. He did not mean simply
those moral and equitable engagements which might
be enforced in a court of justice by the law of the
land, because they thought they were bound to fulfil
them by far higher obligations than those which could
be enforced by such a court.—(Hear, hear.) They
would endeavour, therefore, to fulfil all their engage-
ments. Their powers might be limited, but they
would leave nothing undone to promote the prosperity
of the settlement, and to give the settlers satisfaction.
Mr. BRENAN said the directors ought to make
some concession to the persons at Nelson, who ob-
jected to the position of the port.
The CHAIRMAN would not adopt the word " con-
cession ;" but he could assure the Hon. Proprietor
that everything in reason would be done. The sub-
ject was under consideration, and a gentleman had
been deputed to gather the sentiments of the inhabit-
ants, and to report the result. If that report were
before them they might adopt its recommendations,
but it had not yet arrived. The directors were per-
fectly alive to the importance of constructing roads
and bridges, and of carrying religious instruction
into the colony, and had suitably alluded to these
matters in the report. Captain Otway, of the
Royal Navy, who had just arrived from the colony,
was present. He had visited every part in the north
and south, and he had given the directors the most
glowing accounts of its progress. Its condition he
said was most satisfactory. In Wellington wharfs
and houses were being built, and a splendid road was
in course of construction from the town into the
agricultural districts, and under the excellent ma.

nagement of Governor Grey the natives had been
tranquillised, and were devoting their time to indus-
trial pursuits.
Mr. BRENAN inquired if the road and wharfs
spoken of were made by the company, and whether
they would derive profit from them ?
The CHAIRMAN said they were not made by
the company. The 130,0001. would go but a small
way if devoted to such works—it was advanced for
carrying on the operations of the colony on a large
scale, and for preparing land for sale, and the proceeds
of course came into the coffers of the company.
After the reduction of the debt the proceeds would be
applicable to the purposes of the company.
Mr. BRENAN asked whether the loan would date
from May, and when colonisation would be resumed ?
The CHAIRMAN said the directors were most
anxious to resume colonisation ; but that depended
entirely upon the public. At the end of three years
they might, perhaps, be called upon to say whether
they intended to go on or to stop ; but in the mean-
time they must colonise as much as they could.
Mr. BRENAN considered that 10,000/. should be
devoted to loans to aid persons emigrating, and that

placards urging emigration should be circulated. He
wished to see such times as 1839 and 1840—but now

New Zealand seemed to be forgotten.
The CHAIRMAN could not make any promise with
respect to the placards, but they had no power to
advance money for any such purpose. Nothing
could be more advantageous to the colony than ad-
vancing money to persons wishing to colonize on the
land obtained by them, and if the Hon. Proprietor,
and those who agreed with him, would start such an
undertaking they would do vast good.
The CHAIRMAN said, to show that the colony was
not forgotten, two ships were about to start—one
from the Clyde and one from the Thames—and a body
of Scotch capitalists had obtained an Act to colonise
Tobiago. They had obtained 400,000 acres, but as
yet only forty persons had emigrated. This showed
that the colony and its dependencies were tot retro-
groding. He felt bound to admit that !circum-
stances had taken place with respect to New Zealand
that were calculated to retard its progress, but he
trusted that a new era had now broken in upon them,
and that the future would amply compensate for the
past. As a proof of the improved condition of New
Zealand, he might state that the amount of customs
for the quarter ending the 31st of March of the pre-
sent year were 3,9251.—(Hear, hear.) As Captain
Otway was present, he trusted he would state to the
meeting what was his opinion of the condition of New
Zealand when he was last there.
Captain OTWAT would gladly give his opinion of
the present state of New Zealand to the Court. He
coast ofNeewrn
haed
Zealandoyed
for
i nher e
altlilya j
twoesty 's
years.service H
oen
wasthe
in Cook's Straits in January and February last, and
he could not but observe the great improvement that
Wellington. He had alsovisitewd
had taken place in the Settlements of Nelson and
Newl Plymouth, and
gsseinonerwalas;frpnemarathneceneof that settlement
the houses,
much,
dement that
ahnisdimthpere
the colony was improving very
wereabd
their w
the people
seemed to him to have no doubt that tPie
secure, both with respect to their lives and
property.—(Hear, hear.) He had also been to Wie-
mar, and he was bound to confess that there were as
good roads in that neighbourhood as any that he
had ever seen in England.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.")
There was also a very tine road of fifteen miles open
from Wellington to Parivuria. The climate of the
county was excellent; its capabilities for agriculture
extensive in the extreme, and altogether he looked upon

New Zealand as the finest climate in the world for

Englishmen.--(Hear, hear.) There was .also a very