The New-Zealander. SATURDAY, NOV. 13, 1847.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 152, 13 November 1847, Page 2

The New-Zealander. SATURDAY, NOV. 13, 1847.

..* ,B« justand fear not: JLet all the.ends thou airaa't at, be thy Country's. . , Thy OqD's^and Truth's.

The New Zealand Company is now, indeed, triumphant ; it dictates its own terms to Her Majesty's Government— they are acceded to with' alacrity'. " It declares that foul wrong and great injury has been done to it by former administrations at Home, and by the local GovernmeWin the Colony. Earl Grey is full of sympathy, and "is at once ready to admit that the 'Company has established a claim against tfer Majesty's Government." It demands money — the public purse-strings are undrawn. The Company declares, that to

enable it to continue its operations with profit, it must get from thirty to forty shillings an acre for its possessions. Means are at once devised to guard " Her Majesty's Government and the Company" from the competition of low-priced lands in the Colony, and a minimum price of one pound an acre again fixed upon all future sales. The Company finds certain claims of the aboriginal inhabitants upon the lands a source of some inconvenience, and, hey presto, with the wand of a Dr. Arnold, the aboriginals aforesaid, are instantly conjured out of all right, title, or claim, whatsoever, to their native soil ; anything to the contrary contained in the provisions of a certain treaty, in the assurances on behalf of Her Majesty given and reiterated by successive Ministers at home, and by successive Governors here, in anywise, as the lawyers say, notwithstanding. All these circumstances have now been, for some months, matter 'of notoriety amongst us. We have them not upon hearsay —they are before us in regular," official, authentic form. The famous " instructions" accompanying the new Charter, have been long well known; and yet, strong as is the general feeling on this matter, it, as yet, has found no voice. We confess our great regret that so long a time has been permitted to elapse in the silence of apparent acquiescence on the p^rt of the public ; that poison has been permitted to work to its " dangerous consequences,' 1 without antidote and without effort to apply a remedy ; and that whilst some of the heads of party, the organs of public opinion, have been engaged in a kind of political fencing with His Excellency the Governor, as to which should take the initiative in denouncing the new scheme, time has been given to permit an impression to be confirmed in the minds of the native people, that Her Majesty had ordered the confiscation of their lands— that the local Government was making preparations to execute her commands — and that the colonists would stand by passive spectators, at least, of their spoliation. Missionaries, of all religious persuasionsmen who hare lived long in the land, who know the natives well, and whom they know and have been used to trust — have borne public testimony of the state of feeling amongst the aborigines on this subject. The heads of both Missions have addressed to their respective Societies at home, stirring appeals for their assistance in this cause, and praying that no exertion may be wanting to procure the retraction of orders which reflect dishonour upon the Crown of England; and which, if attempted to be enforced, must deluge this land with blood, ; whilst we of the people, as if we really had less interest in the matter, or as if the tone of our morals was in reality as low— as colonial as it has beeu represented, stand by, apparently indifferent, and countenance by our silence the contemplated injustice. There are some who think that His Excellency should have come forward on this occasion, and volunteered a public expression of his sentiments and purposes on the sub* ject. We cannot help saying, that it would be an anomalous proceeding on his part to appear at the Market Cross, with the orders or instructions of his official superior in his hand, and there denounce them, and declare his resolution to disobey them. Yet, something like this appears to have been expected. . His Excellency, we presume, has done all that, in hisopinon, was necessary— all that, as an officer acting under a superior's orders, he ought' to do ; but whatever he has thought necessary to do, or whether he has thought fit to do anything, we have a duty to perform, and let us do it. This is no question of party ; it is the cause of honour, of truth, and justice, the cause of peace and of humanity, the cause which honest men of all parties hold sacred, and which all will unite to defend ; let us, therefore, with one heart and one voice, pray our Gracious Sovereign to order that these obnoxious instructions shall be blotted from the records of her Government — that her word, solemnly pledged ; ' shall be held inviolate—that the provisions of a treaty solemnly ratified, shall not be infringed j and let us, also, declare to our native friends amongst whom we live, and have lived in peace and security, that we repudiate no one of the engagements entered into with them on our behalf, and that we are prepared to resist, by every constitutional means at our command, every attempt at spoliation or injustice towards them, by whomsoever, or for what purpose soever made.

Since the foregoing article wai in type, we have been favoured by our fellow-settler, Mr. Newman, with a draft of a Memorial on, the subject" of* Earl Grey's Instructions, which will be found in another place in oufr columns of this day. To the calling of Public Meet* ings we have, in general, a decided objection ; there is a great deal of talk, often very little to the purpose, and, after all, the work is obliged to be done— the real object of the assembly is left to be effected by some two or three individuals, who have sufficient public spirit and enough of time* to allow of their devoting themselves to it. There is little fear of any want of unanimity oh the part of the people on this subject* The Memorial

is temperately and well drawn up, and we recommend it to the consideration of the public.

The Pensioners.—- A draft of the Pensioners per * Minerva/ will probably proceed by the government brig, to day, for the Tamalci, and the remaining draft on Monday next. Temporary places for their accommodation are erected until the permanent cottages can be got up. In the mean time the whole of the Pensioners will have the option of employing themselves in clearing, fencing, and other works at the expense of govern* ment, at the current wages of labourers, &c, in Auckland. The erection of a hospital is to be proceeded with immediately. The Pensioners per ' Sir Robert Sale/ and those per ' Ramillies ' are to follow as soon as possible to Onehunga, in the course of next week. The New Bank '— The Branch of the Union Bank of Australia, to be established here, it is expected will open for business in the course of the ensuing week, in the new house in Princes street, lately erected by Mr. Moffit. The transactions it is stated, will comprehend discounts, issues, deposits, and drafts on Sydney. The establishment of this Bank, under the judicious management of Mr. Kennedy, is likely to prove of considerable advantage to this community.

Land Sales. — On Thursday last, two farms of about 80 acres each, situated on the North shore, were put up to auction by Messrs. Weston & Co.» Miortland-street, and knocked down at 1 Is. 3d., and 11s. per acre. H.M.S. Calliope has hauled over close to the North shore, for the purpose of refitting, and of being thoroughly smoked, in order to get rid of the rats which are said to have become more troublesome than welcome.

Resident Magistrate's Court.*— Thurs* day, 11th inst. Two informations filed for alleged breaches of the Publican's Act, in selling spirits without a license for so doing, were called on and determined. In one case the alleged selling was sworn to have taken place at distinct times, on the same day,— a discrepancy tbat proved fatal to the information, which was accordingly dismissed. In the other case,' the defendant proved, to be proceeded against under a wrong name, and that information was also dismissed.