POST OFFICE.

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 30, 27 December 1845, Page 2

POST OFFICE.

Our readers will, recollect that in England considerable excitement was lately created, in the House of Commons, by a stretch of power of the Post-office, authorities, under sanction of the Secretary of State for the Home department, ,in opening letters addressed ,to private individuals. During that interesting import- ' ant discussion, it was clearly laid down as a fundamental principle, affecting the rights and .liberties of the subject, that not only letters were sacred, but that the bags in which letters were conveyed from the Post-office to their destined place or, port, were equally so ; and , that any fracture of the seal of the Post-master-General in "England, on bags addressed to the Deputy- Post-masters General, could not legally be practised, but under warrant from the ' Secretary of State for the Home department. ' With much surprise, therefore, we learn that 1 our new Governor, Captain- Grey, has exerc ised the power of Sir James Graham The mail by .the Bandicoot^ from Hobart Town, reached Auckland' with the seals 'broken — and, the bag had been searched, we ! presume, for despatches/ The ' Perseverance went into the'B&y of Islands, and themaiHbr Auckland, a&lress'ed to the Deputy-Posthlaster : General of New Zealand, 'Was opened by instructions from His Excellency, It may be said, thai tfye public service de- i mands such assumption of power. — But we j answer — no. No Governor can ride roughshod over the lp,w. There is no local ordinance or enactment to authorise such infringement of the English act of Parliament, reguV j latirig the /Ppst-office ; which branch of the public service has, for it§, guidance, exclusive enactments, in order that her Majesty's subjects should have proper security and sacredness" in their epistolary correspondence ; anu which regulations, no Governor, in any colony, can j infringe with impunity. Even in Great Bri tain — ii; the Queen Victoria herself was on a [ cruize in the English channel, and, however j expectant and desirous she might be of letters , : by any foreign vessel, 'she could not break the seal of the Postmaster-General, unless hen Secretary of State for the Home department was on board the Royal Yacht.

It is well known, what irregularities have occurred in our Colonial Post-office, during the first years of the establishment of this Colony which have. been, attributed to those who | fulfilled its duties in the earliest times. But if the mail bags are to be opened, before their arrival and delivery to, the Postmaster-General in the Colony, to whom they are addressed, and who is held, by the authority in England, responsible for their contents," there can be no , security or certainty to the settlers, for the safe delivery of their letters.' '

Military Riot with the Natives. — On Wednesday morning last, the town of Auckland was -much alarmed, and considerably excited, by a most disgraceful disturbance and riot occasioned" by six soldiers of the I 'sBth ttegt., who 4 during "the .previb'us -night had come ashore from .the .brjg .Louisa. It was proved by the depositions, subsequently taken before the Police* Magistrate, that about break of day, the soldiers went'dowir to the beach of pommercial >Bay,' and there .assaulted the natives, who were' sleeping under their tents and canoes. The women were ticatcd with indecency, the> men assaulted with brutality, and their onions and cpm taken from them. The natives sought the assistance of fie,constables, who were likewise i very ill treated by the rioters, and it was not until a strong guard from the barracks came to the assistance of the civil powers, that order, was restored in the town. Five of the soldiers, who had thus so unwarrantably disturbed the peace, were taken to the barracks, in custody of the military, and the cncumstances were brought before the Police Magistrate at the usual hour. The natives, who were from .the neighbourhood of Coromandel harbour, with the exception of two who were from Putiki, on the island of Waiheki, appeared, and through the interpreter, Mr. Davis, stated the facts, as to' their being robbed and assaulted. ' The rioters not only assaulted the natives, but broke their boxes and go-ashores most wantonly, besides taking from them their' produce. The officer commanding the detachment, 1 on board the Louisa, was in attendance, and the Magistrate, after investigating the facts, ordered that compensation for the assaults and damages committed, should be made to the natives ; and the siim of Ten pounds was distributed among them according to their several individual losses and bruises The natives were pleased with the summary and prompt manner that justice was administered to them,' and' the circumstance of the chief and other constables being attacked, and beaten, as well as themselves, convinced them that the attack upon themselves was not concerted or approved of by the inhabitants of Auckland.- * \_ _ We_canno.t too str,ongl£ deprecate the conduct of these rioters. At this crisis, it behoves every European to be most circumspect in his conduct towards the natives. The merest trifle may embroil the whole population in an internal war, and to assault wantonly and unprovokedly the peaceable natives, when 1 visiting the town on, their, .legitimate, orderly pursuits, — is the most certain way of engen- > dering hostile, mischievous feelings ; whilst, at the same time, it affords them a pretext for deeds of retaliation andtevenge, when it may best suit their purpose or inclination. Fortunately, on this occasion, the danger has been averted, by the natives' being well convinced that it was the act of a few drunken soldiers, and from the compensation, so justly and quickly given to them ; but every precaution should be taken, that such scenes do not recur, 1 and we hope that a severe example will be made of these offenders, not only to satisfy, public justice, but- as an assurance- to the well disposed natives, that they are, as, much under,' and will equally receive, the protectipn of the laws,as other British subjects.

TAKAPUNAj-p-We haye 1 t recently mentioned i the depredations committed in this district, and ( as to the probability that the aggressors were . inhabitants of Auckland. But this week, the dwelling-house of Mr. P. Hennessy was entered in, the night, .and on his rising, on. the' alarm, he grappled with the intruder, and when a light was procured, found him to be a native well known, named Hira, one t of the sons of] Kauwau, the chief of the ' Nga te Whatuas, at Orakei. Mr. Hennessy bound him with cords, to; secure him until the 1 ' arrival of constables, for whom he despatched a messenger ; and, as the night:was,cold, placed his 1 prisoner near the fire. Believing he was perfectly secured, Mr. Hennessey went out to reconnoitre, conceiving he heardithe approach of other natives, — and in j a short time, 1 on returning, he found that: Hira had iriade his escape.' having, as it appeared, extricated'himself from:tne cords, by holding 'his-atansWer the' fire and'burning the rope. By this time the constables arrived from j Auckland, and r with 4 MT.' Hennessy, followed, 1 jn a smaJL boat,^the canoe in wnich he escaped over to this side ; but when i near the shore in ' Commercial Bay, Hira plunged into the water swam ashore, and escaped. Kauwau has pro- ! mised that {lira should v be forthcoming, and make some reparation for his delinquency — The natives are committing petty thefts in in various other quarters, when they visit houses under pretence of selling their wood or produce. We think, as observed on a late occasion, that summary punishment, by a sound whipping at the cart's tail, would be the b j st preventive of repetition of such acts.

WESLEirxk 'Sabbatii! School.' — On Sunday lasf'iwo sermons were preached in the Chapel in aid of the funds of this institution, and,the collections were considerable on both occasions. At half-past two o'clock the annual examination of the scholars, by the Rev. W. Lawry,^ took place. Several boys and girls of the school repeated, very accurately, whole chapters from the old and new testaments, which they had committed to-memory — and others, hymns from Wesley's collection. Answers, to numerous questions from their' catechism, were' promptly and correctly given — the true meaning of which seemed to be understood by many, as appeared from their quick answers to the sudden and sifting q^ries of the Reverend Catechist. Altogether— the result of the examination was such as should afford much gratification and encburagmerit to the teachers, as well as to the parents, of the children at* tending this school. After the examination, the committee's report was read, which, among other particulars, shewed, that 165 children receive instruction at this iilstitutiqn. Yesterday a plentiful— repast- was • prepurcd-for tha scholars, on the Chapel grounds, "where" they " assembled, with their teachers, and numerous patrons of the school, and, -partook of plumcake and milk, very heartily, and vith much evident delight. Suitable holiday presents were then distributed among them ; and, having sung several of their beautiful'Sundayschool hymns,' they separated, joyously gratified with the day's festivities.

New Barracks. — This building is completed, and is capable of receiving two hundred men, with most excellent accommodation.— The foundation walls are of scoria, with square piers of the same to support the lower floors. The building is of wood, substantially constructed and lined. The external front is eighty-five feet in length, with two wings, each measuring fifty feet. ..The -lower and^ upper front rooms are each seventy-six feet' long, and twenty-two feet wide, and ten feet high. The east wing- contains two rooms, each, fifty ,feet in length, and twenty-two, feet in width. — fThere is a staircase on the western wing, which reduces the lower and upper floors .to fortyfour feet in length, and twenty-two in width. , 'Under both wings there are most ex.cellent dry , cellars, for stores, seven feet high. The.ljitclien, is detached from the main building in, the rear. The whole barrack is well planned, and, from its situation, will be most healthy ' residence for the troops.

! Scab in Sheep. — As large importations of Sheep are now occurring, and will continue to increase,^ w,e think that the 'Legislative, ' Council should pass some ordinance to protect the ,flock-maj3ters. If any sheep_ arrive in the colonyr'afieet-ed-with^this— diseasej-^thpy^will very sooii spread the infection in district they may be depastured. Sheep, likewise, arriving perfectly free from scab, in passing over ground in which diseased flocks are grazing are certain of being infected. In South 'Australia there is in operation — " An Act for preventing the extension of the Scab in Sheep." iUnder this act, an inspector is appoirtte'd, who > can prosecute and sue for penalties ; and he is authorized to inspect,' periodically, all flocks depasturing in the province, and to take such ; means for eradicating the disease, as may be considered necessary. The penalty on sheep, imported diseased, is one shilling per head ; but if such infected sheep are turned adrift, t,he penalty is increased to £50, for every one wilfully set at large. ' Any person depasturing diseased sheep, on land not his own, or driving' 'such sheep along any road, is subject to a penalty, not less than -twenty shillings, or more than twenty pounds. , ' '

Debentures; — Much inconvenience is experienced from the delay iof issue of the ,'larget debentures. The proclamation stated that they_ would be issued on the 4th, instant — three , weeks since: and the capital of persons is thus rendered unavailable and useless. t ? The 'deposits should either "be returned, or' the arirangement, as advertised in the Gazette, [promptly fulfilled.

Miscellaneous Estimates — The, estimates for , miscellaneous service lor the year 1845-6, (No. 8), j winch hdS just been presented to Parliament by cominmndof the Queen, show that £'22,565 will be re- | quired to defray the charge of the colony of New i Zealand. Of. this sora-of ,200 will be appropriated'To" ihe Governor's salary; £350 15s.- to,^ ; his establishment, Sic.-, i!l,00() to" the Chief Justice ; £535 t» Law Officers and clerk"; £ 1,245 to the Colonial Secretary and his establishment; £545 tit the Clerk of Council and his ; .establishment j £60(1 to tbeJßishop; to Chaplains' and schools; I £ 1, 506' lor' the expense oj a colqnial vessel, and, ! £15,000 to cover the probable amount of bills that may be drawn by Governor Grey, on account of expenbes to be incurred ia the colony. Also tbafc £150,000 wil) be required on account of the expen- . diture f r harbours of refuge, iucludiug_jhe>»yg of £iO,OOO for the,improveiyeut,of (he.^olyhead barhour; £4,875-for- the purchase ol -a- very extraordinary and valuable collection of the works of tne early Italian designer* and engravers forr the British Museum ; £l ,200 for the repair of St.* Margaret's Church* Westminster ; £2,000 towards the expense of the statues of Hampdeu, Lord Falkland., aud the Earl of Clareud iv, the models for which the Commissioners of Fine' Arts 'recommend .to be prepaied l»y Messrs. W. Calder, Marshall, J.,8e11, and J. H. Foiey.

Dh. Pang. — The Rev. Dr. Lang has addressed a leu»ihy epistle to tlu* Presbyterians of .New J?outti Wales) intimating his desire to proceed to Europe in the capacity of Immigration agent, provided a liberal salary be subscribed for that purpose.