COOK'S STRAITS.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 106, 5 June 1847, Page 2

COOK'S STRAITS.

By tbe Government Brig, which arrived on Thursday, we have Wellington papers to the 29th May, and we have read with pain and sincere regret the accounts from the South, which will be found in another part of this paper. Manawatu abandoned— Oturua pillaged, and partially burned — Wanganui shrunk into a stockade ; the winter campaign of the Natives, so often predicted, now fairly opened, and small hopes at present of its ending with the spring. The worst feature in the case is the union of rival tribes, and the desertion of several of the so called friendly tribes, indicating a deep seated feeling of hostility against the settlers ; some cause more provocative of hatred thau mere sympathy with the spleen of Rangihaeata and his few personal followers. The cry in the South is still for re-enforcement of the troops ; and we say, let them have it. Let them have every man that can any ways be spared, even though we in Auckland be left without one. We are at peace, and ought to be strong enough to hold our own ; we are nut so selfish, for the mere sake of military expenditure, as to grudge our countrymen the aid required for their immediate protection and preservation. But upon what shoulders is the blame of these calamities to rest ? There is little division of opinion about the matter } every man competent to form an opiuion must see that the original fraud and sin of the New Zealand Company is being visited with its long expected retribution. His Excellency seems to have been taking pains to win their good will — for he is too old a diplomatist ever to make an enemy where nothing is to be gained by it— but he must and does know that their land purchases are at the root of all the mischief. Acres for Jew's-harps is no fair exchange; the Natives know it ; and if they cannot get their lands again, are at least resolute to have their revenge for having been taken in. And the southern settlers, who, to their credit belt spoken, stood out as long as possible for those under whose auspices they sailed, have been made to know it likewise, and driven reluc tantly to confess it. They are the sufferers, though not the sinners. Let us take this opportunity to remark upon the altered tone of feeling now displayed by them toward ourselves. That rivalry, or even jealousy, so long shewn against their sister settlement of the North, seems to be fast fading away. Is it not then for us, on our part, at once to come forward, and meet them in the same spirit, returning to a kindly and mutual interest in each other's welfare. Let byegones be byegone. There has been no unpardonable offence given on either side. We have never imputed to them the abuse so unceasingly heaped upon U 9 in the London pages of the New Zealand Journal, nor of its systematic manufacture of untruths ; wo were always aware that they emanated, not from Wellington ,or Nelson, but from Broad-street — from men whose tongues were as unclean as their hands. Neither can we see where any provocation worth naming was ever given by ourselves, unless it rest in a few newspaper articles, lauding up our own port and our own productions, with a partiality, perhaps, even with a vanity not unnatural to men well pleased with themselves and their'adopted home. If our neigh«

bours should have spied out any thing more personal therein, we beg them to suppose that we were acting the part of a careful friend, like Falstaff to Prince Hal, 'dispraising them before the wicked, that the wicked might not fall in love with them." The old bone of contention— the government expenditure, will be no longer snarled across,, for we are about to enjoy a bone a piece. Our interests can hardly be said to clash ; our rivalry remains without a field, save only in display of our respective charms for the allure • ment of newcomers ; and if these late occurrences should determine the tide of immigration away from the southern shores, let it beremembered that we, so far as that, are not. to blame.

Government Gazette. — In the Gazette of Wednesday last, a Land Sale i 9 announced to take plaes oit Monday the 21st instant. There are 14 town lots advertised, upset price £100 per acre; 7 suburban lots, upset price £1 Is. per acre; 1 suburban lot, upset, price £\ 0 per acre ; and 8 country lots, upset price £1 per acre. — Yearly Leases : Reserve in Freeman's Bay, how occupied as a slaughter house, upset price £3 : Custom-house Point, occupied for burning lime, upset price £,1 ; Reserve in Section No. 1 , upset price £3 ; Reserve on the North Shore, upset piige £\0, — His Excellency the Governor has appointed the following gentlemen to be Resident Magistrates: H. St. Hill, Esq., Wellington ; Donald Sinclair, Esq.* Nelson ; Henry King, Esq., New Plymouth ; John Watson, Esq., Akaroaj David Starke Darie, Esq., Waikanae ; and Capt. J. H. Laye, 58th Regt, "Wanganui —Revenue : Auckland and Russell, total receipts for the quarter ending March 3 1 st, 1847, i! 6,288 4 10; Wellington District, Customs' revenue for the quarter ending sth April, 1847, £4,057. Auckland Savings' Bank. — Messrs. Montefidre and Brown will attend, to receive deposits, at Mr. Monteflore's Store, Queen-street, from seven to eight o'clock this evening ; and the Rev. J. F- Churton and Mr. Dilworth will attend from twelve to one, p.m., on, Monday next.