AUCKLAND.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 891, 13 December 1870, Page 2

AUCKLAND.

[from oua owtf correspondent] December 6, 1870. The Supreme Court is now engaged on the criminal cases: the calendar is not particularly heavy or important. The rain has freshened up the country, and will prove the best protection to the settlers. The Provincial Council is still sitting, and a change of Executive was gazetted last night, in consequence of an adverse vote on Friday last. Whether the new Executive will prove equal to their task, and manage to hold office, is a question that time will solve. Meanwhile, I express only an opinion—that they will not be able. Two of the four are young in years, as well as in experience of politics; the other two have years and experience, if not discretion. It was on the estimates that the adverse vote was given, but it was only the finale to a struggle that had been going on during all the present session, —the opposition consisting, firstly, of adherents of ex-Superintendent Williamson ; secondly, ihe representatives of the Thames gold fields ; and, thirdly, of dissatisfied and disappointed men from other districts. The Busby case tried the Government sorely ; and a want of conciliation to some of the country representatives, generally supporters of the Government, made the latter less popular, and prepared the way for a defeat. To their old opponents the Government were, in my opinion, not only conciliatory, but unnecessarily so, and unwisely. To their supporters they appeared somewhat too autocratic, as if their votes must necessarily always be at the Government's call. A little more of what is known as the suaviter in modo would have strengthened the Government. We have had several public meetings of late. First was Mr Vogel addressing the electors of City East in the Mechanics' Institute, which was crowded, and where he was very well received. Next, came Mr Gillies, who met the City West electors in the same building, and it was actually crammed ; numbers who could not get inside clustered outside the open windows. He likewise obtained a vote of confidence with acclamation. This was probably the most numerous assemblage that I have witnessed in this city. Next was a public meeting called by the Yogelites to pass resolutions in favor of protective duties, which, however, drew so badly that there were not sixty persons present ten minutes after the time adver* tised for commencing, and probably not three times that number afterwards. The promoters of the meeting carried their resolutions, but by a very narrow majority, an amendment having been moved by a Mr Carr, and was so near being carried that the chairman could not decide ,which side had it at the first show of hands. Next came a lecture on the same question by a Mr Clarke, ex-sharebroker and ex-preacher, who displayed considerable ability of speech, and had a vote of thanks. Probably his audience was under two hundred. Emboldened by sue* cess the Protection League called a public open air meeting for the 3rd instant, at which they met with a complete and signal defeat, an amendment having been carried by a large majority. The amendment was for an income and property tax aud free trade. The Herald and Cross were again on the wrong side, and st;ead of congratulating the Colony in general, and the Yogel Ministry in par-

ticular, on the result of the meeting, they have shewn the bad taste to question the competence of the meeting—*' having appealed to Csßmr and been defeated, they question Csß3ar's judgment." A surveyor in the employment of the Government was murdered lately in the neighborhood of the frontier line. It is stated that be was cutting up a block of the confiscated land into allotments, to be given to Maoris. The papers here assert that it can have no political signing cance 1 So a murder on the aukati line stands for nothiug. They say the King disavows the murder. What of that? If the Government attempt to arrest op punish the murderers, will not the Kingites at once resume hostilities ? Probably a letter will in due course come from the Kingites to their friend and former adviser in this city, explaining that this case of slaying is not to be considered an act of war, and begging their friend to use his abilities to persuade the Pakeha not to be angry ! And this with an expensive constabulary force in existence, and a cost of perhaps .£300,000 yearly foeNative and Defence purposes ! The murderers of the Revs, Yolkner and Whiteley have been practically pardoned, and of course the same may be anticipated in the case of Mr Todd, surveyor, in Govern* ment employ. The new steam contract has been published, and of course favorably commented on by the press here, as was to be expected under the circumstances, and considering the relations existing between the Ministry in general, aud Mr Vogei iu particular, and the Auckland press. It first virtually annuls the existing arrangement with Mr H. H. Hall, and it is not quite certain whether that gentleman won't have a claim on us for compensation. It then goes .£20,000 yearly beyond the amount authorised by resolution of Assembly last session; but that is a trifle, for New Zealand politicians and officials appear always to be at liberty t* break or ignore any fetters forged by resolution or even Act of Assembly. The fiction of which we hear in Britain, that even the Sovereign is bound by the law of the land, does not apply to New Zealand, where a Governor's or a Minister's whim is sufficient excuse for disobeying the statutes of the colony. Although the Protectionists were defeated the other day, it is by no means certain that they would not be successful another day. Drowning men catch at a straw. In existing depression, the men who promise plenty and prosperity as the result of their measures may naturally be. expected to obtain followers. December 7. The Herald to-day says that the natives at Tokangamutu are arming in consequence of the success of the murderers of Mr Todd. More likely it is to be ready to resist any attempt to capture the murderers, and the Maoris are shrewd enough to know that their being prepared for resistance is their best protection, and 'will'probably deter the Pakeha from making the attempt.