THE ALBERTLAND GAZETTE. MAR. 2, 1864. OUR RESOURCES AND THEIR DEVELOPEMENT.

,To us as a Settlement no subject coul<l 'possibly have more real interest than that J which heads our article. We are almost astonished indeed that no concerted mea sure has" before been called forth to bring !the public mind to : consider and dwell upon this all-important subject. Here-as elsewhere it has been alike our privilege and our practice lo grumble, thereby exer cising the birthright of every Englishman. But in all our little.broils and contentions one thing has been apparent, and which has pleased us much—zeal in the cause of our progress'1 as a settlement, and an unitedness to that end; and indeed apriori it would be difficult to bring forward a subject on which we were more likely to be all agreed. It is the interest of every individual to advance the Settlement as much as lies in his power, and if a man so far forget his privileges and duties as a member of society as to seek only self as his aim, the true*and patriotic will take comfort from the idea that the welfare of its component members must necessarily contribute to the welfare of the community as a whole. But if a sincere desire that our Settle ment should progress do' really possess us, every thought in that direction must ne cessarily point us to our present subject, and if we would but hold our own in the world,- our subject demands attention. Neither a community nor a man can hope for any length of time to maintain his up rightness or even respectability without resources-equivalent or more to cover his cost of living. Either as a community Gi ft man from the day we started our career our<progress must "be a reirogade one so long as our expenditure exceeds our in come. .Given the daily or annual expenses of .either, and^thcaoiaunt .of capitaLwith - which westarted,-it.iß asimple calculation to tell'how xnany^day^ or. years in either case we should ;remain .solvent. Nor is the evil day postpone^ one^hpur in the case of a eo/nru,unityr;byj a ; -p.ai;t,.of it^bembers : bavinij flouriahedin the mean&n% if-.his.

> success was at the expense of the remain ing1 members. Our resources-that alone can contribute to delay the fatal hour and that only as many days or years as the ne cessary expenditure of these arc counter balanced by the said resources. • To some minds these remarks will seem but truisms, but if they are trite facts, it is not less so, that our resources must exceed our expenses before we can in uny senseTprogivss or flourish. lint to limit ourselves more to our Set tlement, it is only another mode of ex pressing the truth we have been inculca ting, to say that our Exports must exceed our Imports So far all will agree with us, our re sources and their developcment demand v the attention ofevery-lhinking settler, and we-feelfurther that the good of the com munity or the Settlement, »nd that of the. individual is reciprocal, so that he is acting suicidally to his own interests, whu seeks not to further that of the former. We might indeed claim attention fora subject of higher considerations, but, enoug'i has been said, let us now look to our resources antl then consider how best these may be developed. Now we think that, in any given case, the resources of a place may be considered under a few general head's. They must first be natural or artificial.- Great natural resources must ever be a great boon, but how many little-favored places in the'worl'd by-the inherent energy, and that of its inhabitants have beat in the race more fa vored competitors'! We do not presume . to anticipate time in declaring the genius . of our people; enough for us in the con sideration of our subject to acknowledge favors nature has bestowed and that ..with,' no sparing hand as we think, but whatever : these may be, our responsibilities must be in ratio. First among our natural: resources wje may speak of Climate. The. health, and prosperity of, a people may alike depend upon this; we need say nothing on the former save that as a settlement with up wards of 500 resident inhabitants, during the seventeen months that have passed over us, we have had but one death, and that one accidental! And-as far as we can at present see, there is nothing in our cli mate' unfavorable toany plursuil/on which our progress can in any way depend. One only exception occurs to us,.the absence of frost in winter of sufficient severity to pulverize our clayey soils, and destroy; in jurious weeds; but the suns of summer effect the former and no doubt partly the latter, while the absence of this powerful ■agent favors more than it injures; Position: It would be true'to' say that climate and position;are the onlyTesources ofrmany prosperous places. But of these perhaps ; Watering-places constitute the majo^ part:;^the:day:is -distant probably • when pur;ad-vantagesias. a .watering-place may be of moment in contributing to our progress as a settlement. But this North Fsland is-already being -acknowledged in

. the world as a desirable Vesicjence for in valids. With such a fadt^e'fo're us res • peeling our past health, we.can scarcely b behind any other settlement* 'for health »i vino- properties, and we may undoubted!;, compete with any other .West Coast'o: in',mil town for the 'advantages we- can afford to .those invalids-who require-such 11 position. But of not less importance to us is our position in. reference .to our .tra ding capacities. We all know the chances in favor of sea-port towns over inland; our wjiter-communication is second to noffein , thf-province; all who have had any ex perience of our noble Kaipara Harbour, speak in admiration of its capabilities. It needs little to make it perfect as a place of refuge for coasters bestormed, and its broad bosom invites .to safe anchorage a mercantile fleet of almost unlimited di mensions. The Oruawharo is the most central of all that fall into "this inland sea and ihe situation of Port Albert a few miles from its mouth with its splendid natural jetty, is in every way favorable for ship ping traffic. But the subject is so voluminous, and of so important a nature that_we must'defer its kuther consideration till next paper.

TRUSTEES MEETINGS.

Abstract of proceedings,at meetings asunder: Di:c.3O —Applications indue form.were received from Mr. Judd. lot 101, 5 acres, and Mi. Chapman, lot 102,5 acres, Suburban land both granted. The Secretary produced'an account showing the financial condition of tho Trust estate, and was instructed to charge, interest- on all unpaid allotments. Fi.b. s.—Resolved that purchasers of allot ments are at liberty to 'employ any (Solicitor they choose to prepare their conveyances. That the Hue across the Town land towards Kaikariu. be cut 6 yards wide. Feb. 17.—Resohed, that the application of , H. Slater for No. 14 allotment be deJiued, su h allotment having been reserved. The Secretary reported that thereriuisiHon wVh respect to the Town lands had* .been sknie'] '»y 54 settlers on the Oruawharo, the re'rnuiiider not bemg,readily found, absent, or dei lined to sign at present; by 29 out of 31, on the Faparoa, 1 absent and 1 declined; and by 8, (tlv whole) on the Matakohe/ J ' Ordered that a list of settlers on the blocks # be pr« pared, and that Messrs Marcroft, Cray and Judd be requested to attest the same. A form.il application by, the Chapel Build- , in - Committee was put in and,read request inl" the grant of half an acre of land at the top ofTlurence st, to be conveyed to trustees for chapel purposes wiien such shall be appointed. The application was granted. . • Resolved that 20 to 30 acres of town land, including reserved lots,,be surveyed, and ar rangements made for a sale by auction of the J samp, at Auckland. <-'-- , * ' j That tho account/books,'''Witb a balance ~ sheet for the year ending" Feby. be prepared:. \ I That a report-for.the,year, be prepared and submitted to the, settlers; next market?clay, and their opinion requested, as to the f°»ow ipp public w>orks>: roads tp Kakaria' and-tho^ * WliaKapiran, a public well, the completion of • , the gully, boat creek, erection of a bridge over the Kaiwaka-yva, &c. , ~,L - A Several accounts'were ordered to oe pam.

THE ALBERTLAND GAZETTE.



TOWN OF PORT ALBERT. . . ALL Applications for land, " Town, " t or " Suburban," in Port Albert, must in future.'be-made in writing,\through the Secretary. By order of the Trustees, • SAML. JOHNSON, Secretary- OERRY oveFtlie Wliare Eiiiu - for Te AVheau, &c, and over the .Oruawharo, for Otaraatea, will be commenced on March , -Market-day. Fare Gd. Passengers ferried to the Landing for Mangawai, timber ratted, dec Apply at the Gazette Office. The Specification for the -Mended Ferry from Port , " Albert to the Kaipara, may be seen by perso?is ' ■ rohMriq to tender, on application at our Office