The New-Zealander. WEDNESDAY AUGUST 25, 1847.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 129, 25 August 1847, Page 2

The New-Zealander. WEDNESDAY AUGUST 25, 1847.

Be just and i'eai not : Let all the ends thoii ninis't at, be thy Country's, 'lhy God's, and Truth's.

Ybsterday'B sitting in Council was mote than usually fertile in matter for comment. Several subjects wore touched upon, two of them of such importance as to require jsfiparate treatment on a future opcasion. ' Before the Committee was rcsumep! on the Currency bill, Mr. Hi own rose and addressed a question to the Governor relative to the land c'aims, Many of the claimants, especially the stockholders, were still in doubt whether it would be" more advantageous to them to come in under the provisions of Lord Grey's despatch, or to avail themselves of the terms offered by Captain Grey himself ; for thtit the quantity of land permitted to be purchased in the lnttei case was insufficient for the purposes of grazing. They would, therefore, wish very much to see the whoe despatch, extracts only from which had been published, that they might thereby be guided to a more corrrci conclusion. The Governor observed that perhaps Mr. Brown Would give notice of a motion to that effect; but that he had no hesitation in assuring him, that there was nothing in the portions omitted which would in any way be tho ighl to bc j ar upon the general question ; that the omission was thought expedient on account of such passage? having reference to individuals. He likewise observed that he was not sure, that any person wquld b,e snffi'iud to obtain more than five hundred acres, even .under the arrangement recommended by Lord Grey, Despatches from Colonel McCleverty to the .Gov.eruor, which had been brought up frojn the South by the Bishop, in the Undine, were then read and ordered to be printed. It will be recollected that some time since the rebels threatened an attack on the Wanganui stock* ade, and, as usual, they kept their word. > It is difficult to form a perfectly distinct ] conception from them of what has been done, ' for the narrative, although seemingly minute in detail, is not very graphic. All who were > engaged on our side seem to have behaved well, as usual, but still there is something unlatisfactory about the whole affair. It would appear to have bjsen a prolonged skirmish, with nothing very decisive ou either side. It was a relief, however, to learn, that no soldier, as was at first reported in the town, had been taken prisoner ; the de<ith of Eangihaeta's brother, Martin Luther, hanged for being taken in arms against the peace of the Queen, has. yet to be revenged, and the frightful tragedy of the North might still chance to be acted over again. A despatch from Lord Grey, in answer to a suggestion of the Commanding Royal Engineer in New Zealand, was then read* It is held at least worthy of consideration, whether a limited number of convicts,— mechanics, we suppose, in accordance with the suggestion, although such is not expressly stated — might not be sent here with conditional pardons, and assigned to, persons who should bg required to work for the Government for a period of two year*. Our present impression is, tfyat the gain from their services would be so small as tp be hardly worth mentioning, and many times outweighed by the injury which woul4 accrue from putting tuch a project into force. In the first place, whether many or few were sent amongst us, we should at ouce" acquire the name of a convict colony ; which, indeed, we kaye narrowly escaped already, in consequence of having been intrusted with the reformation of that famous troop 01 Parkhurst boys. The better sort of emigrants would be deterrtd from making choice of New Zealand as a destination, and those already here would soon suffer fiom the consequences of the corruption which that class ol' men spread arouud them wherever the) go. ' In tact, we would sooner see full gangs of them kept under strict surveillance, than a few i idol^ed with compaiatiVß liberty. We shuu.d. at least, deiive advantage from the public works which Government woula be enabled to undertake so 60,0 u as. it wag in command of a large labour force ; there would be Jsome gain, however insufficient, to set against tho evil ; whereas from the proposed measure — the introduction, and amalgamation, with the people of a few— corruptioa to the lower classes, insecurity to the higher, would be the certain result" The regular business of the day was then bppun, ami several sec'tiotjis of the Currency bill dispose'! o/. One of »he main (Jiiljculii^s »' a st*( .i: 1 .. In vi' 'lie >i\oi uiic" of juiurt* oj! ■ isnii: he hh'ii 'j«iv<in j.t-iii, p i{j\ r unct priv<t(d • >l, p.ipe. »■• il»v South Oi ttte two plans, ><<i|) ,st'(J, oiMiit'r apprais l<> Vt-ry ha-ibc ; i-ut ihr tx-.i, <»)onde utp'U')soi!,is i hat wine. goes t i al mv them the use vi Uitir own notes, lor a term of yeaig. It is doubly incumbent

upon us to watch over their interests in council, seeing that they are nowise represented, and that they have been perhaps treated rather cavalierly in the affair. Their interests are e?en more objectively concerned in it than our own, for the change to them will be greater still. Towards the close of the sitting, the Governor rose to make some additional observations with respect to what had already been said by Mr. Brown a_bput h_e land claims ; and gave a pretty significant hint, that he might possibly retract his own terms altogether, and throw the claimants back upon those of Eail Grey. It is a matter of opinion, certainly ; but we have yet seen no occasion to change the view we took of the question, and the course to be pursued, when first the terms of settlement were offered.