Colonial.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 453, 7 March 1857, Page 7

Colonial.

WELLINGTON.

From Wellington we learn by the Zingari and, other arrivals that the Council was prorogued on the 20fch ultimo, by the Superintendent, in an address, giving., his assent to twenty-one bills passed during the late session, six of which are amendment's. of former acts. His Honor congratulates the Council; dh-the establishment of public credit, and the immense progress made and about to be niadfe in immigration and public works.

He thanlc& Jbhe Council for so readily supporting the Government in carrying out the views which had already, been determined on by the vast majority of the settlers. A very remarkable paragraph follows, showing the result of such confidence in the support of the province. " Neither shall I refrain from expressing my grateful sense of the warm support you have afforded me in the remonstrances I have felt it my duty, to address to the General Government in regard to the purchase of lands, which the natives were anxious to sell and the province to acquire. Should these representations, thus endorsed by you, prove unavailing, I would fain hope that the appeal you have forwarded to her Majesty's Government will not be made in vain ; but, in the mean, time, I frankly avow that, rather than 'diminish the trust at present reposed by the natives in the Local Government. —rather than jeopardize the friendly relations at present subsisting between the two races, — I shall not hesitate to purchase whatever lands the natives may press upon my acceptance." A misunderstanding is reported to have arisen in Wellington between the provincial authorities and the immigrants by the Indian Queen. The, facts do not appear in the papers, ,but private accounts state the circumstances, thus : It appears that a verbal engagement was made by the. agent of the province in Liverpool to the effect that all men emigrating would receive employment immediately on landing, at ss. a day. In consequence,, employment was offered on the roads and public works, but the rate'of wages was reduced to 4s. a day. The men to whom the promise was given by the agent stood oat for its complete performance, and threatened that if ss. were not given, that they would not pay their promissory notes when they came due, at-periods of twelve and twenty-four months. We understand that for this threatened refusal one of the recusants has been summoned and imprisoned, and police were stationed on board of the vessels about to leave the harbour, and ordered to search them to prevent re-emigration. Ie is further said that a number of- the Indian Queen's emigrants assembled before the police office using threats and violent language, aiyl were with difficulty pacified by the Superintendent. It will be remembered that the promise of ss. per diem was not a written engagement, but many of the persons concerned are prepared to swear that the inducement was held out in express terms. The promissory notes, we hear, were signed in Liverpool, but were not drawn on stamped paper, and a question was raised in doubt of .their legality.' We trust that this misunderstanding may -be "quickly and quietly settled for we should be very sorry if any diffir culties should arise in the way of immigrants on landing, so as to have eifect of embarrassing the Province of Wellington in its negotiations, a result "which could not fail to damage the credit of New Zealand generally.