DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist, Volume 2, Issue 39, 2 May 1844, Page 2

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

Debentures.— Some of the Debentures were issued yesterday, in sums of one and five pounds each, bearing interest at the rate of 5 per cent, and dated the Ist day of May, 1844. They will be payable in cash on the 10th day of' April, 1846, unless previously withdrawn, or paid in for the duties of Customs, or any ether debt due to the Colonial Government.— We refer our readers to an ably written article on this subject by “ Suburbanus,” under the head of Original Correspondence.

Hop Ground. —Our speculative townsman, Mr William Smithson has been for a considerable time preparing two acr, s of ground for the growth of i hiops, and his Excellency the Governor has been .kind enough to intimate, through his Private Secretary, his wish that Mr. Smithson should bavo some of the spare Hop cuttings, of which we think he is highly deserving, having spent a large sum of money on improvements since bis arrival in Auckland. Having seen a sample of the Hops grown in the government garden, we think they are equal to any which came under our notice in the Mother country.

Notice to Land Claimants.— lt having beea intimated to the public that “ a general good feeling towards the Aborigines, will have much influence with the Governor,” it is generally understood that Land Claimants may much accelerate tha settlement of their long standing Claims, by at once undergoing the process of Tatooing.— Punch *

[Our Correspondent “ Punch”’is for once in his life behind hand, for we are creditably informed that many of the Land Claimants are already undergoing the operation, as well as several Candi* dates for the Office of Protector of Aborigines’—Ed. Chron.J Law. —J. C. Pott, Esq., was admitted as a Solicitor in Auckland, on the 20th April. He waain England an Attorney of the Court of Queen’® Bench, and Solicitor in the High Court ofCbancery». He has taken for his offices the premises latelyoccupied by T. H. Bartley,.Esq,, Chancery street^ Crown Grants are ready for delivery to the following gentlemen, or their agents, J„ R. Cleodon* Esq., of Manawara, said to contain 1800 acres*, being claim No. 66, (b) ; John Kelly, Esq., tw®l acres at Kororarika, being claim No. 254, (a) and Henry Tayler, Esq.. 300 acres at Waieke,. claim No. 22, (b). — Govt. Gazette, April 27. Mr. Commissioner Godfrey is returned t® Auckland overland from Kiapara, where he had been to investigate claims to land.

Education in Crime.— lt is stated that during the year 1840, the total number of persons convicted of felony in England was 19,927 —of thesa 4,105 were transported, out of which number only 390 had received such an education as enabled then to read and understand the Bible, the remaining 3,715 being morq_orless, and the great majority wholly uneducated. Coolies. —His Excellency the Goy~ ernor has received the following dispatchfrom the Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the colonies, dated the 29th o£ September, 1843, in reply to a Memorial from various members of the Associationfor obtaining permission to import Coo* lies, or other labourers, from India into* this colony:— ** Downing street, 29th' September, 1843. Sir, —I have received your dispatch No. 163, of the sth of May last,.with the Memorial therein Ifrom various members of the Association for obtaining permission to import or other labourers, from India. You acquaint the memorialists that Her Mai jesty’s Government must decline to parties to the appropriation of any part of the Revenue of New South Wales to> the expense of introducing Indian labourers into that colony.— 1 have. &c., STAff«~ lky.”~ Sidney Herald.

GOVERNMENT GAZETTE. By the Gazelle of Saturday last, April 27tb, we find that the Meeting of the Legislative Council is further adjourned until Tuesday week. May 14th ; there are also the beads of a bill for facilitating proceedings by and against a certain joint stock company, called the “Union Bank of Australia,” and for other purposes therein mentioned, about to be introduced at the next session of the Legislative Council. Then follows a variety of heads of bills which'will be submitted to the Council on their assembling, and as we think those bills are of great importance to the public we have copied them from the Gazette allbough taking up much space. There are also some very good Regulations in the last Gazette with releience to the routine of business at the Colonial Secretary’s Office, and the following notices; — •* In considering the relative claims of Candidates for employment in the Public Service of this Colony; or for the advancement of those gentle xnen who are already in official situations a knowledge of the Maori language, aDd a general good feeling towards the Aborigines, will have much influence with the Governor.” “ Plants —Seeds-—or Cuttings—may be obtained gratis from the Government Gardener—when he has any to spare —by addressing a note to the Private Secretary, who will obtain an Order for them from the Governor."’

His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint Mr. D. McLean lobe a Protector ot Aborigines for the District ol New Plymouth. Mr. William Turner, and Mr. Rirhaid Ridings, t* be Post-office desks a Auckland. Mr. E twaid Other, to be a Draft-man in the Dapamneiu of the Surveyor General, end Mr. T. W. Buct-ba n, to succeed him as Clerk to the Superintendent of Public Works.

The following Bills will be laid before the Le gislaiive Council, and will be printed for general information as soon as possib'e.—

1, A Bill lor establishing Courts of Request, for the speedy recovery of debts not exceeding Twenty Pounds, and tor repealing the County Court Ordinance,

2. A Bill for the relief of persous imprisoned for debt, who have become indebted without any fraud, or gross or culpable negligence, by releasing the persons of such debtors, without exonerating their estates from liability. 3. A Bill for constituting the Governor, the Bishop, the Attorney General, the Principal Land Commissioner, and the Chief Protector of Ahors igines, for die time being, a Board of Trustees for the management of property, to be net apart fin the education and beuefit of the Native Race.

4. A Bill providing for the establishment and regulation of Municipal Corporations : enabling the Governor to declare any settlement of which the population shall exceed two thousand souls, to be a borough, and declariug tire tiust of any land that may be conveyed to the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of any Borough for the benefit thereof.

5. A Bill to amend the Customs Ordinance: the principal alterations being that the duty on all Spirits should be Ipwered to two shillings per gals lon ; that the Duty on unmanufactured Tobacco should be lowered to three pence per pound; that on manufactured Tobacco (except Cigars and Snuff) to fourepence per pound, and on Cigars and Snuff to one shilling per pound ; also that all differential duties in favour of any particular British Colonies should be abo'ished.

6. A Billjor repealing the 1 ‘ Ordinance prohibiting the Distillation ol Spirits within the Colony of New Zealand. 7. A Bill for amending the “ Cattle Trespass Ordinance,” by providing for the summary recovery of compensation for damages done by animals trespassing on land, whether fenced or not fenced. 8. A Bill for amending the Harbour Regulations Ordinance,” by providing that all regulations made by the Governor in Council, under the authority of such Ordinance be submitted to Her Majesty for confirmation. 9. A Bill for amending the “Conveyancing Ordinance,” by providing thet Deeds and Wills executed out ot the Colony may be received in evidence, —provided they be verified by affirmation in accordance with the provisions of Wm. IV, Chap 62. 10. A Bill for amending the New Zealand Banking Company’s Ordinance, by nuking it permissive instead of obligatory to carry on legal proceedings against the said company in the name of the Manager. 11. A Bill for the Naturalization of certain Germans. 12. A Bill for the admission of unsworn testimony in certain cases. 13. A Bill for aothoiising the Supreme Court to bear appeals from the decision of Justices of the Feace ; in certain cases. 14. A Bill for declaring that in particular cases, (inter se), the Aboriginal Natives of New Zealand, shall not be amenable to the law of England. 15. A Bill for amending an “Ordinance for licensing Auctioneers,” by repealing the duties on goods sold by Auction, and imposing a higher payment for annual licenses, 16. A Bill for imposing an annual tax of two pence per acre on land, cultivated or wild, of which grants have been made by the Crown, or to which a valid claim has been proved, and for which a crown grant has been ordered to be prepared,—and is ready for issue on demand. Also on all bouses containing mote than three rooms, —at the rate of one pound for each room above that number, excepting only Government Offices. Also on animals imported into the Colony, at the rate of thirty shillings for each lioise, ten shillings for each head of neat cattle, five shillings tor each mule, two shillings for each ass, and one shilling for each sheep. Also on dogs not belonging to the Aboriginal Natives, —at the rate of ten shilliugs for each dog, kept during any part of the year, excepting only one dog for any one house. I' And for authorising and requiring the Police Magistrates, and Collectors of Customs, to levy, collect, and pay over to the Colonial 'Treasury, ihe several taxes and duties above mentioned. 17. A Bill for appropriating the Revenue of the Colooy to certain specific purposes. By Commaud, ANDREW SINCLAIR, Colonial Secretary