WELLINGTON EXTRACTS. From the New Zealand Spectator, Nov. 29.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 271, 3 January 1849, Page 2

WELLINGTON EXTRACTS. From the New Zealand Spectator, Nov. 29.

Our extracts from the Auckland papers recent// received are unusually long, but they are of the greatest interest. The intelligence of the destruction of property occasioned iv Wellington by the earthquakes hai awakened in our fellow colonists in Aucklind adegne of generous and heartfelt sympathy which, weaie assure l, will be fully appreciated by 'he inhabitants of thin settlement. We have, therefute, as far as wo could, endeavoured to give foil effect to their feelu g-f by republishing from the New Zealandcr the report of

the Public Meeting at Auckland, and ihe kindly expressions of good-will of our contemporay which, we have no doubt, will call forth a suitable and grateful manifestation of similar sentimrn'sfrom those towards whom »hey are directed. Our Auckland friends have not confined themselves to mere words, they h»ve given a substantial poof of their s,ol-citude for our wellars, Of the deep anxiety they feel in our misfortunes, by promptly subscribing the munificent sum of Five hundred pounds, which has hern torwaided by the Havonnah, the Bishop of Ni'vv Ze/iland beading tlie •inscription list with a contribution of One hundred poundi. The sub-C'iption is still going on, and, it is ejpected, will amount to One thousand pounds. How is this money to be appropriated ? An opinion is generally entertained that we shall evince the most just end delicare apprcciition of this munificent sympathy by returning the gift unused. The subscription has originated in agieat measure from the impressions conveyed by the Lieutenant GoTernor's despatch wliich give* an overwrought and gloomy picture of the effects of this visitation. In saving this wo do not mean to concur in tha censure which some are inclin- d to bestow on this document. It is but fair to lermmber, that it was written immediately after the most si-vere Shock and under the strong impressions which ii was calculated to produce. If his Excellency had co fined himself, in his official despatch, to a narrative of the facts, reserving his opiuions and anticipations for a private communication to the Governor in Chief thee would have been but litile room for criticism. We regret this was not the case, and we think »s great an error has been cominut d in publishing the whole of the despatch as in writing it The lo«.s sustained by rouiiy innabitants in this beti lenient, though severe, may still be made good by a few years of earnest industry and exertion, und while we ackn pledge 10 Us fullest extent the benevolence of our fellow colonists we are pure they will be rejoiced to find that it will not be required. Some individual caSrS may exist in which a litile timely assistance would be of material service. Formnateiy there is a fund from which this might be supplied. We believe a sum of eighty pounds, the balance of the subsciiption for the relief of the suf* ferers by the fire which occurred six yeaia ago, is lying in the Savings' Bank, and though this was set aside by the subscribers at the time towards a Colon I *! Hospital, as this institution is suppnited by the Government, it would be competent for a Public Meet' tig under thet>e peculiar circumstances, with the concurrence of the trustees, to appiopri-ite this fund to the relief of those who may require it.

His Excellency Sir George Grey arrived on Sunday from Auckland in H. M. S. Havam.ah. His Excellency landed privately in the ev^Hinr, and the next day proceeded through the town to examine the damage occasioned by the lecent earthquakes; we are s>ure he will rejoice to knd that the amoun' of Joss which has been sustained by the settlers will fall grealy Uiorl of the estimate his apprehensions must Imve led him to form of the ex'ent to which we had suffered Irom thu calamity. We be believe his Excellency intends visiting Otaki to. morrow.

Ir is reported that, in pursuance of instructions received from the Home Government, the 58ih R-'gt. is about to be withdrawn from New Zealand, and that half of the 65th Regt will be removed to Auckland, and ihe other half will remain at Wellington, and that the cr t ction of the Barracks at Mount Cook ha» for the preterit been countermanded. We hope that this report may prove to be incorrect, ai ihis is certainly the worst time to think of reducing the force stationed in New Z aland. We shull take aii early opportunity of returning to this «übject. — Ibid [We perfectly concur with our Contemporary in considering the reduction of our military protection as a perilous experiment. We have reason to believe his information erroneous. A different rumour has reached us ; and we are inclined to imagine it the more authentic of the two. It is, the probability of the 58th Regt. being relieved in the course of the year by the 11th Regt. now in garrison in Sydney ; — others, however, and those likely to be well informed, maintain that there will be neither removal nor relief.J

The length of our report of last Thursday's Public Meeting prevents m from entering into i>nv lengthened discu&Bi<>n connected with the subject. The proceedings of the meeting were marked by the greatest unanimity and expressed the just appreoation of the inhabitants of this settlement of the liberality and kindly sympathy of thtir fellow colonists at Auckland. Their refusal to avail themselTei of the munificence which has been so promptly, so cordially extended 10 wards them has arisen from no dishonest pride, no fal>e ihame, of mcun ing an obligation, but wai the be»t reim n they could make to the fe-lingt manifested tow^rdi them. They were persuaded that the >übecriptbn had been raised under an fX ig-jeiated impres ■ion of the loises they had sustained, of tl c disasters that had befallen them, and injustice to themselves injustice to those who had reposed 10 much confidence in them, they could not avail then sel\e« of the piotfeiedgift, and in this view all parties a| peared to concur. Ministers of every rengious denomination united in the common object of the meeting, and we hope that this sympathy and good feeling of our fellowcolonists at Auckland will be productive of lasting re. suits— that the different settlers of New Zealand will be fully persuaded of the great truth that the general advancement of the colony can only be promoted by the prosperity of each settlement— and the concern which each feels in his neighbour's welfare. — Spectator December 1.