Excellent accounts have been received from the Canterbury settle- ment
in New Zealand,—a despatch from Mr. Godley, agent to the Asso- ciation, dated on the 6th of January, with various enclosures, by the co- lonists and their representatives. The papers were conveyed to Sydney by the Charlotte Jane, which sailed on the 7th January. That vessel had arrived at Lyttelton on the 16th December, the Randolph on the same evening, the Sir George Seymour on the next day, and the Cressy on the 27th; all well, with one exception. Mr. Gale, the manager of the Bank, was landed in a melancholy state of mind, which had rendered it necessary to place the care of the bank in other hands, provisionally, with no hope, indeed, of his recovery. The Governor was at the settle- ment when the ships arrived, and he rendered many public aids to Mr. Godley ; he had concentrated several offices in that gentleman, adding much to his labours, but also adding very much to his power of getting business done. The colonists had, formed from among their own body a sort of Council of management. Steps had been taken to expedite a selection of land, subject to prior claims ; a road to the Plain was in course of active formation; and in every way the utmost energy was shown. Christchurch had been designated by Mr. Godley, at the wish of the colonists, as the probable site of the principal town. Some diffi- culties of detail had occurred, such as that of finding house-room for emigrants arriving in three ships, from the antipodes, all within twenty- four hours of each other ; but by frankness, firmness, activity, and dis- cretion, Mr. Godley was helping the colonists to surmount their diffi- culties in a spirit of congratulation that those troubles were slight beyond all precedent in the early formation of settlements. The colonists had formally recorded, in the most emphatic terms, the degree to which they appreciated their leader.
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