The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-03 00:00:00

REPORT.

" It now devolves urn your Directors to follow up their
third and fourth Reports,—severally laid before you on the 3d
of May and 16;11 of November, IB4l,—by submitting as full a
statement as this occasion will permit of the progress that has
been made during the year that has elapsed since the first of
those dates, in prosecuting the important objects for which this
Company was originally associated, and was honoured at a sub-
sequent periot with a Royal Charter. During the whole of
the term under review, general cirluvnstaneeshave been ex-
tremely unfavourable (as the mercantile communities of this
city and of the Australian colonies are alike too well aware),
for the development of the views of your Directors upon a
scale proportioned to their intrinsic capacity of effecting pub-
lic lymeht. But they rejoice to be able to assure you, at the
same time, that notwithstanding these obstacles, your colonial
operations have been eminemtly prosperous ; and that the most
sanguine of your body could scarcely have anticipated a larger
mea-nre of success, than that which has crowned the united
energy and perseverance of the adventurer's individuals who
have undertaken, under your auspices, the honourable and
useful enterprise of establishing British settlements upon the
fertile shores of New Zealand.

" 2. In their third Report, your Ditecters announced the
departure from England, on the 27th of April, 1841, of the
preliminary expedition, for the choice and survey of the site of
Nelson. They have now to inform you, that (after some inef-
fectual negotiation with Governor Hobson, in the hope of ob-
taining his sanction for the establishment of the settlement in
the neighbourhood of Banks' Peninsula) the site of Nelson has
been selected at the head of Tasrr an's Gulf, on the northern
coast of the Middle Island. Your Directors have every reason
to feel swisfied that the choice of place has been exercised with
judgment ; and if in some respects—particularly as regards an
immense tract of plain country—the coast to the northward of
Banks' Peninsula appeared to offer a more eligible location, the
site actually selected, whilst it possesses the recommendation of
open and level country to an extent quite commensurate with
the present wants of the settlement, has advantages of position

which do not belong to the place which seemed, in the first
instance, more inviting. It is nearer to this country and to the
Australi in colonies, and is easily accessible to vessels from both
those quarters at all seasons; but its peculiar superiority consists
in its vicinity to 'Wellington and New Plymouth, and in the facility
with which, consequently, the colonists on their first arrival
there will draw supplies of provisions and other bulky neces-
saries from the Company's older settlements. And even after
such wants have ceased to be felt, great benefits must result to
all the settlements from that constant intercourse which their
relative positions will invite. It seems probable, from the
different character of the country on two sides of Cook's Straits,
_ .

that the occupation of the colonists of the northern shore will
be chiefly tillage of land, and that advantage will be taken
of the open plains in the vicinity of Nelson, for the
pasturage of sheep and cattle ; that, conseqnently,
flax and corn will be the staples of the former,
whilst the exports of the latter may, perhaps, more
nearly resemble those of Australia. Natural circumstances
will, therefore, tend to impose upon the settlers on each island,
that mutual dependence which must conduce most essentially
to their common benefit.
" 3. From Captain Wakefield's reports upon Nelson Ha-
ven and the country in its vicinity, and from other sources
of information, your Directors learn that it is an excellent
port, affording easy access and the most complete shelter for
any number of vessels, and-having three fathoms at low water
within thirty feet of the beach.• It is described as ' consist.
ing of a large basin of water, five or six miles in length,
sheltered by a boulder-bank, or spit, the whole length north
and south, and bounded on the other side by undulating hills
or downs, with a wooded valley of some hundred acre 3 and
gradually sloping land from it, covered mostly with flax, grass,
and fern.' Capt. Wakefield states, that there is a very good
site for a town, and an easy horse communication with the in-
terior • where the whole number of suburban land may be taken
in a block, if desirable, and a good portion of it is fit for pas-
ture.' On the 7th November last, that officer reported that he
had no misgivings as to agricultural success,' and that he was
' inclined to think, that the mass of country sections will be more
valuable than the town, although there will be some of the
town sections very valuable.' Ten days afterwards he wrote :
1 hare no reason to change my opinion with respect to the
harbour or the district ; but, on the contrary, I feel daily more
satisfied with the choice, and convinced that it will turn out a
valuable acquisition to the Company, and to all those interested
in the settlement.' From another letter from the same officer,
your Directors learn that there are certainly 70,000 acres, in
a block contiguous to the site of the town, of excellent land of
all descriptions; the valleys full of fine timber, and the rising
grounds excellent pasture.' The same letter adds—' I should
not like to mislead any body, but I think that you may safely
recommend your friends to come out here t they must do well
between agriculture and stock.' There is an abundance of
water. Besides two rivers, the ' Motuaka' and the Waimea,'
—the latter of which must be of considerable size, as it is
stated that vessels of 200 tons can enter it-..the country is in-
tersected by numerous streams, running from a mountain
range, stretching thirty miles into the interior. The nature
of the country will greatly facilitate the rapid progress of the
surveys; the surveying staff is very efficient, and there seems to
be good reason to expect that a very considerable proportion of
the suburban land, and perhaps some of the rural land, will be laid
out ready for selection in anticipation of the arrival of the first
colonists. There is this additional advantage in Capt. Wakefield's
words, that they can commence with stock at once.' The
native inhabitants of the neighbouring country, who appear to
be few in number, are so anxious that the English should settle
amongst them, that at one place, in order to induce the party
to settle there, they had built houses ready for their reception.
"4. Since the date of the last Annual Report, 12 vessels,
conveying 161 cabin passengers and 1,942 free emigrants, have
been despatched to Nelson.t Four of these, the Lloyds, Mary
Ann, Fifeshire, and Lord Auckland, sailed in September last,
after your Directors and the principal friends of the enterprise
had taken leave of the settlers at a public breakfast at Black-
well, in sight of the vessels in which they were about to em-
bark ; which his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex and
other distinguished guests honoured by their presence, and
where the strongest feeling was manifested, both as to the great
public value of the objects contemplated by the Company,
and to the manlier in which they were pursued. The pre-
sent season has been opened by the despatch of two vessels,
on the Ist and 25th instant respectively; a third follows
on the 15th of next month, and a, fourth has been taken up to
sail from the Clyde on the Ist of July. It has been deter-
mined to despatch others consecutively on the lst of each
month, beginning with August. This does not, of course, in•
elude the emigration to Wellington and New Plymouth, which
will be noticed distinctly. Your Directors trust you will
think that, in this respect, the plans of the Company have been
vigorously carried out.
"5. You were informed in the Third Report, that less than
400 of the allotments into which the preliminary lands of IS el-
son had been divided, remained to be disposed of in this coun-
try. The following statement shows the present position of
your affairs in this particular : Nelson allotments,
Purchased by the Company lOO
Sent out for sale in the Colonies
Set aside as Native Reserves
Fold to the public in this country ...... 400
Remain for sale

1,100
S. Your Directors are not yet in possession of any in-
formation relating to the disposal of the allotments assigned
for sale in the Australian Colonies; and in this respect they
apprehend that the Company cannot expect that its ItiNrests
should be unaffected by those mercantile and Monetary calami-
ties, under which every other party connected with those Set-
tlements is suffering so severely. But in one of his latest
despatches, Colonel Wakefield stated that it was probable seve-
ral allotments would be disposed of at Wellington, as soon as it
was known there that the site of Nelson had been dellnitiVely
fixed. In relation to this subject your Directors may add, that
they are endeavouring to establish a connection with our Eastern
empire, in the persuasion, that many of the officers who annu-
ally retire from the Indian services, without those very large
means which are necessary to a comfortable settlement with a
large family in this country, would, from their character,
habits, and resources, become most valuable and sttetessfhl
colonists in New Zealand.

" 7. Your Directors now proceed to lay before you the
substance of the important and interesting information which
they have lately received, in regard to the state and prospect
of affairs at Wellington. They are happy to hate it in their
power to assure you, that that settlement has adVaneed with
extraordinary rapidity ; that every anticipation entertained of
the excellence of the harbour, of the salubrity of the climate,
and of the fertility of the soil, has been realised; and
that Colonel Wakefield's last despatches enlitikined has assur-
ance, that the community WO lit a More prolerous and
healthy condition than At any previous period of its brief ex-
istent% •
t` e. Your Directors are happy to find thltt the rtiiiiri% )bur
pm incipal agent are in entire arcerilltiieb WI:11 the abcidin6 re-
ceived from other Botlfctuk they 'll3 ntit itia'4ll tini, updue
importance the high pribes for whibh Velstions Tgwil
may liivt heen said sinele thh4, i2iiblirsislance may be rather an
evid.ence ef nnWheleshlne speculation, than of the stable web-
htitql nt the community. Rut it appears from a body of con-
current testimony, that the r.tently attained security of their
titles, and a practical conviction that the expense IR, clbaring
the land has been greatly overrated', I and frl3llld ablin-
dantiy compensated hy the imtetAiikte ilettii•hS its eittiemb
fertility had intinVed Initty Of the settlers to betake themselves
Vigtrously to the cultivation of their country sections.
"9. Colonel Wakefield reported in a letter, dated the 7th
November last,—'The produce of the valley f thls Illitt Will
this year be !work) all etperted ttr 'Etinltirn'eil by ships visiting
us, whilst the ttlllitltion of the town land and vicinity will
supply the wants of the residents. Numerous arrivals are
taking country land; with a certainty of doiris tyell With it.'
This statement is corroborated by the: ttpkieliplhe leNiltd •
vertisements in the New gedlithq Wiellingion Spec.
lator, offering ready money rtif. eligible sections of ceuntry land.
Your Directors dee informed by Mr. ficaphy; late their dialtiMan
in the colony,§ (several of whose views have
already been published,) that when he left Wellingyin in No.
vember last, thirty-one intlititleal eaiikati4a e 611rially
engaged in clearing Anti bulliVatiliW, Ina in the valley
of the Hutt, its gig ellititra and Ohio districts, in
the Karori round the Larbottr, and a 411
t C
ee n
greattl y'
ent:ev.geticltamtteany
wealth, that effe'ithal ptogtets Win be Made
e2t-Pooctle'riceP '6l 3ilt Chiistanlitr.sSlifrtitnl;
matte growth still pY•eph, atlOn I'4 4.14 ibis 'eciintii of
the flax, Which .appeart gestiad be the staple ex-
potl of the ii IlbUltllril districts:of New Zealand ; and which,
It is understood, is already supplied in considerable quOtlti6
to the Sydney market. In connection with this bi-aiiteh Of t leis
subject, your Directors hate silicate piett‘tire iii in-
forming you that two associations of working him have
been formed at Wellington, fur the pktribie bf aPpitift
their combined savings to the purchase of land, to be even-
tually divided amongst the subscribers.
"9. Roads, connecting the agricultural districts with the
market and shipping, arc much needed ; but this want will
doubtless be soon provided for, as a general tax on tin.
cultivated land is contemplated by the GovernMent, for
the supply of means to this end; and sour Directors have
offered to advance funds, on loan, in aid' of this most im-
portant object, as soon as the settlers shall be quali-
fied, by the grant of a Municipal Charter from the Crown,
to give corporate security for the same. In the mean
while, the labourers for wham, during the stagnation
of enterprise arising from the insecurity of titles, the
een sot
fruKe harbourtai
itaior r:l2:ecd:;farrlalo:myooniWellingtontthh e e rorvmtte,ar
al olninndge the western
htweberes
fromte r n
harbour side
th
Company's agent was obliged to provide, were employed
o‘i(7fifliPateiorirua.ll
" 10. 31r. lleaphy describes the first-mentioned road as an
ornament to the colony. It is nearly ail wiles in length, with