Colonial.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 484, 24 June 1857, Page 5

Colonial.

By the Wonga "Wonga we have papers from Auckland to the sth instant. There are some interesting items of news. -The Harkaway arrived in Auckland on the 31st ultimo, from Plymouth Feb. 23, bringing several passengers, among whom are the manager and staff of the branch of the Oriental Bank, soon to be established in Auckland. !~ The brig Mpa arrived on the Ist June from Sydney, bringing Mr. F. Dillon Bell, with other passengers. Consequently we have the latest particulars of the proceedings with respect to postal communication with Australia. The * New Zealander' says:— The tenders for the service advertised for by the General Government exceeded greatly the sums Mr. Bel] was authorised to guarantee (one being for £30,000 a year by the "first route," and another for £20,000 by the " second route"); and, both from inquiry and from the fact that no tender was received from Melbourne, Mr. Bell became convinced that neither the General nor the Provincial Government had any chance of obtaining steamers suitable for the required service except from Sydney. The Australasian Steam Company—some of whose vessels are of 750 tons and from 200 to 300 horsepower —was "the only tendering party, and apparently the only company able to carry on the service. But its shareholders have received no dividend for some time; the company has a large amount borrowed on debentures; and its directors, though desirous to go into* the New Zealand trade, seem resolved not to enter upon the proposed service unless upon such terms as will not only prevent a loss, but will insure an actual profit. The ' New Zealander' goes on to recommend a sailing postal service as the best temporary expedient, referring to the example of Wellington. The ' Southern Cross' gives the following facts with reference to the Panama line :-— We have already mentioned that Mr. Wetton, on arrival at Sydney, found himself no longer a plenipotentiary, ratification of any contract he might enter into having to be made by the shareholders in England. Also that Mr. Wetton was asking in reality a subsidy of £65,000, and not of £50,000, as in.New Zealand he had led us to suppose. A branch line between New Zealand and Melbourne is to be added to the main line, in case it should be required by the Victorian Government; the total subsidy in that case being £65,000, and the term of contract seven years. In the event of the branch line being so required the branch steamer would leave the Mauukau harbour for Melbourne immediately op the arrival of the outward mail, and would carry the homeward mail to Wellington, meeting the ocean steamer there on her return. Should the branch line not be required by the Government of Victoria, the main service is to.be established via New Zealand, at a subsidy of £50,000, for the term of seven years ; Auckland being the port of arrival in New Zealand, Wellington of departure. The New South Wales Government have expressed a desire to contract directly with the Government for the whole service, whether it be the main service for £50,000, or the extended one for £65,000, and receive from the other colonies the amount which may be respectively due from them. The share of the subsidy to be paid by New j Zealand either for the main or extended service, is to be £15,000. So soon as replies shall have been received from the other colonies, the Government of New South Wales will enter into a provisional contract with the agent of the lloyal Mail Company, so as to obtaiu its ratification from England, in time, if possible, to be laid before the New Zealand and New South Wales Assemblies at their next session. General details, arrangements concerning contributions, and postal regulations in regard to noncontributing colonies, are to be settled at the conference of delegates from the several colonies at Melbourne in June. The Royal Mail Company are to begin building the vessels required immediately upon the ratification of the contract, so that the line may be at work in about eighteen months from that time. The Imperial Government will be requested to contribute to the'subsidy either directly, or by paying over a fair proportion of their receipts in England for mails transmitted by the Panama line; but whatever the result of the application, the forementioned arrangements will be carried out. It is possible that the provisional contract maybe signed in time for the July steamer to Suez. It thus appears, upon the whole, that there is a reasonable expectation of a successful negotiation •with the Company, and of the line being established at work at a period of between two and three years. The Gertrude arrived from Melbourne on the 2nd of June, having- left after the arrival of the

Simla. She did not, however, bring on the Jimghsh mails to Auckland, their transmission having been arranged for via Sydney. This clumsy attempt at system has naturally incensed the people of Auckland. A. very important meeting of the Waikato tribes was held at Eangioiri, on the 11th May, for the purpose of electing a Maori king, probably the well-known Te Whero Whero. There are said to have been about 2,200 Maories present. The reasons given were that much injustice was suffered from being under the control of Europeans, not only from the oppressive conduct of the white men, but also from the absence of any control in cases of feud or quarrel amongst themselves. A large and influential body opposed the proceedings, and finally prevailed ; the flag of the.' Kingites' as they are called, being hauled down without opposition on the 12th. The proceedings are reported in both papers at some length, and possess much interest. There seems to have been but a moderate amount of excitement and no violence; steps were to be taken to gather a larger body of natives favourable to the election of a king. . The Church of England Conference had held meetings and come^to resolutions on initiatory measures. Besides the Bishops of New Zealand and Christchurch, the assessors 'present were:— Clergy : Archdeacons Henry Williams, William Williams, Hadfield, Abraham, and Paul; the Rev. G. A. Kissling, and the Rev. James Wilson. £'Laity: Messrs. Hirst, Swainson, Stafford, Tancred, Haultain, and Prendergast. The following comprise the substance and effect of the resolutions come to, as gathered from both papers : — 1. That the Bishops, Clergy and Laity, vote in this Conference, as three distinct Orders, an actual majority in each order being necessary to carry any question. 2. That any system of Church Government in this colony should emanate from the Church itself, and be founded on the principle of a voluntary compact; and in the case of its being found necessary, then that application be made to the Colonial Legislature, for legal powers enabling the Body to hold Property. 3. That the Governing Body should consist of three "Orders, viz. : Bishops, Clergy and Laity, and that the consent of an actual majority of each order should be necessary to the validity of its rules. 4. That the name of this Governing body be "the General Synod of the United Branch of the Church of England and Ireland in New Zealand." 5. That the Constitution of the Diocesan Synods should be similar to that of the General Synod; and that the appeal from a Diocesan Synod should be to the General Synod. 6. That it shall rest with the General Synod to determine on what principle all patronage shall be exercised in the several Dioceses. , 7. That saving the right of the Church and the Crown, the nomination of a Bishop shall lie with the Synod of the Diocese, to be sanctioned by the General Synod and by it to be submitted to the authorities of the Chnrch and State in England for their favourable consideration. f_Thisjwas framed in accordance with the suggestions of H. M. Secretary of State for the Colonies, Mr. Labouchere, in his letter to the Governor General of Canada, as seen in page 50 of the New Zealand Church Almanac for 1857-] 8. That the mode of administering discipline towards all persons in Holy Orders, in this Branch of the Church, shall be decided by the General Synod. 9. That the Branch of the Church in this colony ' doth hold the Christian Doctrine and Sacraments, as the United Church of England and Ireland doth I explain the same. 10. That the General Synod of this Branch of the Church of England hath no power to make any alterations in the authorised version of the Scriptures, the 8.-ok of Common Prajer, the Ordination Service, or the 39 articles of Religion. 11. Provided that nothing herein contained shall prevent the General Synod from accepting any alterations of the above named Formularies and version of the Bible, as may from time to time be adopted by the United Church of England and Ireland with,the consent of the Crown and of Convocation. 12. Provided also that in case a License be granted by the Crown to this Branch of the Church of England to frame new, and modify existing Rules (not affecting Doctrine), with the view of meeting the peculiar circumstances of this Colony and native people, then that it shall be lawful for this Branch of the said Church to avail itself of that liberty. 13. Provided also that in case (which case they strongly deprecate) of a separation of the colony from the Mother Country, or of a separation of the Church and State in England, it be lawful for the General Synod to make such alterations as the altered circumstances shall require.

14-. That the doctrines taught by the Bishops, Clergy, Catecliists, and Schoolmasters, wholly or partially endowed and maintained by the proceeds °l property held under this Constitution Deed, shall not be repugnant to the Doctrine of the Church of England; and that it shall be the duty of the trustees of such property to obey all such instructions as shall from time to time be issued to them by the General Synod for the purpose of guarding the trusts being applied to the inculcation of Doctrine repugnant to that of the Church of England. 15. That a Select Committee be appointed to prepare a Draft Report, showing the grounds on which the Conference had been led to a conclusion, that it is expedient to organise the members of the Church of England in this colony for the purpose of self-government, as a branch of the said church, and the reasons which have influenced the Conference in agreeing to the Resolutions which have been passed with a view to that object. 16. That the General Synod shall have'power to make any regulations controlling and superseding any regulations which may have been made by any Diocesan Synod. 17. That a tribunal shall be constituted in New Zealand by the General Synod, to decide as to the repugnancy or otherwise of any doctrines, taught by persons under their authority, to the doctrines'ot the Church of England. 18. That the Conference recommend the Constituent Assembly to appoint some Court of Appeal from the Tribunal referred to in the preceding resolution. 19. That a General Synod be held at least once in three years, at such time and place as shall be appointed by the General Synod. 20. That any Act that shall have obtained the consent of all the Diocesan Synods, shall be taken and be an Act of the General Synod; provided always that it be not an Act repealing or altering any Act of the General Synod. 21. That subject to such limitations as may from time to time be prescribed by the General Synod, every male of the age of 21 years and upwards, who shall sign a declaration that he is desirous of uniting himself with the Members of this Branch of the Church of England, under the provisions of this Constitution, shall, if duly registered for that purpose, hi entitled to vote at the election of a Lay Representative for the General Synod. 22. That as it appears to the Conference desiratle that the Members of the Church of England in this Colony should be united together as a branch of the said Church, and that a Representative Governing Body, or General Synod, should be established for the management of the affairs of the said Branch, in order to avoid delay in the inauguration of the said General Synod, the Conference, do now proceed to act as a Constituent Assembly, and to prepare measures necessaryfor carrying the above-mentioned objects into affect. The Bishop of New Zealand's yacht, the Southern Cross, Captain Sustins, arrived in port with the loss of her jib-boom, in the course of Wednesday night or Thursday morning. We have no report from her, but we learn indirectly, that she landed the lads from St. John's College at."their native islands; and that she subsequently touched at Norfolk Island from, whence she has brought hither Messrs. Adams and Buffett, two members of what may be called the Pitcairn Island family. Supplies of vegetables -and farinaceous food are reported to be still scanty at Norfolk Island. The first clip .of wool has been sent to -Sydney, "where it realised £•200. It is said that our interesting visitors have come hither to see if they can oj)en commercial relations with this port. We hope, if this be so, that every facility will be afforded them.— ' New Zealander,' May 30. An important geographical discovery is announced, viz., a practicable road line from Auckland to Wangarei, and thence to the Bay of Islands, and Hokianga. This is called the Great North Road, and is said to open up some most valuable land, as well as to provide the means of speedy inland communication with the important districts of the"1 province. The road crosses the main chain of mountains; it is expected to be opened next summer.