The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 298, 7 April 1849, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

Me just and lear not: liCt all Hie ends ♦lion aims't at, be thy Country's, Tliy Clou's, and JYutli's.

SATURDAY, AI'RILJ, 1849.

On Wednesday last, the people of New Ulster

assembled iii public meeting, to give reply to Earl Grey's question, — (Heaven grant it prove but a question,) — whether they were willing to desecrate their adopted country, and to imperil the purity of their domestic hearths, by voluntary admission of convicts to their shores. His Lordship's hook was dexterously baited. The pressing necessities of our labour market were well known. Who so well as he could tell that, with a twenty shillings an acre prohibition upon our waste lands, we neither have, nor are likely to have, any immigration fund to entice the free but indigent poor of Britain to cast their lot amongst us? Who — that fettered and trammelled with every Colonial Office imposition, which can damage and degrade — we are unable to develope or to improve the great inherent resources of our magnificen t country ? Yet, in the teeth of our keenest wants, in defiance of our utmost need, we have scorned the Tempter. We have spurned the " unblest thing." Get thee behind us jSatan has been our response ; — and, in tones of detestation and disgust, Earl Grey has been told that, in no shape, and under no disguise, will, his felon pets find admission heie. The meeting, we rejoice to state, was both a numerous and a most respectable one. It was , no political convocation, but an assembly where every man, who preferred moral viitue to social pollution, was called upon to be. Viewing it in this light, we honour the Itevds. Messrs, Lawry and Panton, as the heads of their respective churches, for their faithful attendance ; at the same time that we must express our unfeigned regret that no Minister either of the Episcopal or Roman Catholic Church, were there to shew that the cause was one in defence of which all religions and creeds should have taken a conspicuous and unflinching part. That cause, of which the Primate of Ireland, and the late Bishop of Meath, were such uncompromising champions, could not be beneath the consideration of any Colonial Pastor of the English Church, and we repeat, that we are of opinion, where so great a question of social morality was under discussion, it was a paramount duty of some of those gentlemen to have been present, and to have taken part. The meeting and the unanimity evinced in deprecation of Eail Grey's proposals were highly honourable to our community. Even the trivial differences of opinion served but to demonstrate the intensity of the indignation and horror with which those proposals were viewed, because those differences so far from proving any desire of modification, in expression of the indignant disgust of the community, only tended to show that the bulk of the Meeting were afraid that the letms in which that disgust was conveyed were too faint in exposition of their outraged feelings, — too feeble a portraiture of the despotism with which the Colonial Office has so long trampled them. It is a pity that even a semblance of disunion should have been cast upon such a Meeting by the proposed amendment to the fourth resolution. However legitimate at another meeting — however, possibly, deserving of an especial meeting— we coincide with the Chairman in thinking that it was entirely foreign to the present Meeting : — nay, we put it to Mr. Brown himself, whether — if such extraneous matter were sought to be engrafted upon meetings convened for paiticular purposes — whether it would not be in the power of any one advancing a plausible amendment, to stultify the entire proceedings of the most important meeting "? In this case we go further. The sentiments of the Governor were known, and unequivocally expressed to the mover of the resolution, as hostile to the intended plan of felonizing New Zealand ; and a reason for his Excellency's adverse sentiments had been by him freely expressed : we, therefore, cannot but think that every available aid should have been greedily laid hold of, and much more so the important influence which the Governor's advocacy could impart to the prayer of the petition. It is from motives such as these that we consider Mr. Brown might have abstained from seeking to endanger so great a cause. Yet, the question having been raised, and having elicited so powerful a display of feeling, it only fuither tends to demonstrate the heart-whole sincerity of purpose which animated the meeting against Transportation and its ahominations, that both the mover and seconder of the original resolution and the proposer and seconder of the amendment should at once assent to their withdrawal rather than make shipwreck of the common cause. We commend Earl Grey to a calm perusal of the sentiments of the people of New Zealand. They may not be so pleasing as those of his parasites — they are, nevertheless, those of the whole colonial woild groaning beneath his trickeries and subtleties. We, some time since, suggested a South Colonial Anti-Anglo Pollution League ? Verily, as far as unanimity of purpose and opinion can, we have achieved it.

The Government brig " Victoria" arrived yesterday from Pott Nicholson, whence she sailed on the 30th. We have the Wellington Journals to the 28th, but there is little matter for extract. The Nominee Controversy appears to be a subject of especial fertility — each paper devoting a large portion of its space to discussion of its epistolaiy merits and to publication of those epistles themselves,

Dr. Dorset, on the part of Dr. Featherslon, had invited Mr. Hunter to an exchange shot a, which Mr. Moore, on Mr. Hunter's part, politely declined. Dr. Dorset had, in consequence, treated Mr. Ilunlei to a post. This is surely a state of feeling much to be regretted. A dreadful murder of a Mr. Blanks and his family had taken place. A native named Maroro had been apprehended and committed for trial. At the time of his capture he had on a pair of drawers the property of Branks, and the cap belonging to his eldest son. He was sworn to as having enquired for the deceased on the night of the murder, and as having sold his watch to a soldier named Tracey. The natives | of the district, have expressed the utmost concern and indignation at the commission of the atrocious deed. Since Maroro's sojourn in gaol, he had attempted to commit suicide. The Cemetery Question, so long a stumbling block of offence, has been happily set at rest by a division of the ground ; — a moiety being set apart for Episcopalians, and the other moiety for the general public. A public Meeting took place at Taranaki on the 16th ult, to memorialize the New Zealand Company on the subject of the renewal of emigration to that settlement, and to express the dissatisfaction felt at the very improper conduct of certain parties at Nelson in attempting by misrepresentation to prevent immigration to Taranaki. The Meeting was both numerous and respectable. G. Cuttield, Esq. in the chair. The Memorial which was unanimously adopted was prefaced by some able remarks by J. T. Wicksteed, Esq. The Lall/ui Rookii was at Wellington ; she arrived on the 1 5th and was advertised to sail for this on the 29th of March. The schooner Harlequin which sailed from Wellington on the 12th came into port yesterday afternoon. W. Fox Esq., Principal Agent of the New Zealand Company, and Captain Thomas, Surveyor-General to the Canterbury settlement, came passengers by her. We understand they have made a coasting cruise. W have received our Nelson files, but too late to admit of extract or comment in our presenr issue.

By the brig " Esperanza," which arrived on Wednesday, we have received Hobart Town journals to the 21st ultimo. From these, we are enabled to quote English intelligence to the 24th of November, and to present news from India to the 9th of January. The tidings from the mother country, we regret to say, continue to be anything but satisfactory. With money, both plentiful and easy, commerce is represented to be in a very languishing condition. Sales of consignments are with difficulty effected, and in numberless instances, the drafts of the consigner are held over unaccepted, until the shipment is realized. The ruins, in the mercantile world, of the previous autumn, had not been replaced by the foundation of new firms, and the long convulsed and yet frightfully agitated state of the continent of Euiope, has tended largely to aggravate the mercantile paralysis. In Ireland, sedition appears to have changed sides, the Orange Journals, having, it is affirmed, assumed the incendiary tone, so lately characteristic of •' The Nation," and its confreres. The cause of this is said to be attributable to the infliction of an oppressive and ill considered poor law, "whose despotic provisions are calculated to reduce the proprietary to the state of pauperism they are commanded to relieve. Famine is making its way in that unhappy land, and yet, in its midst, the workhouse inmates have achieved more than one tsmeute, refusing to receive rice and other rations, supplied to them. A rumour had obtained that the writs of error in Smith O'Brien's, and the other cases had failed, and that these convicts were to be transported forthwith. A reformation of the Ministry is spoken of with a confidence that appears to border upon certainty. Lord John Russell — whose health is said to be greatly shattered — is expected to give place to Lord Clarendon, as Premier ; an arrangement, which, being uncongenial to his feelings, will cause the vacation of the Chancellorship of the Exchequer, by Sir Charles Wood. But the change, the most transporting to us, — one which, we feel confident, will be hailed with rapturous delight by every colony under England's sway, — is the retirement from the Colonial Office, of the Right Honourable Earl Grey, who, we most devoutly hope, bids " A long and last farewell to all his projects /" We have neither the time nor the inclination to write his ministerial elegy, at present. We can only declare a conscientious conviction, that as Under Colonial Secretary, when Lord Howick, and as Principal Colonial Secretary, when Earl Grey, he did more to outrage the Colonial feeling, to embitter the Colonial spirit, by double dealing, impracticable interference, and perfidious shuffling with Colonial affairs, than any other of his predecessors, armed in all the systematic despotism of the Colonial Office. We are, however, grateful to Earl Grey for one thing. His Lordship has done his " spiriting " so " wra-gently." He has carried matters wiLh so high and so haughty a hand thai he has piovoked the British rightof search. The Press and the Patharnenl have given the darkness of the Colonial Office, a partial overhaul. A glimmer of day light has been let m 4,0 illume its Cimmeuan gloom ;— and, al-

though a mcie change of chiefs would prove hut a paltry colonial gain, we tiust sufficient has been shown of the oppressions of the Colonial Office si/stem to rouso England and England's statesmen to muzzle it for the future — to chain it up, so that it may not be permitted to torture, and to tear, to worry every British feeling from out the Colonial heart, and to render the endurance of wrong a question of time and of strength to the Colonial mind. The Colonial Office is but a modern Main — a festering blotch upon the fair face of the British constitution. If it he not utterly excised, its claws must be kept closely and nicely pared, if England would not have it imperil the ardent loyalty and affectionate love of all her colonies. Viscount Melbourne is said to be on his death bed. A strong under current of democracy prevails ; and, yet at no time, was a British Sovereign more dear to the people, than Her Majesty Victoria, at present is. A novelty has occurred in the royal amusements, a Court Theatie, being in course of organization at Windsor. Messrs. Webster, Wallack, Wigan, Murray, and other performers are already engaged, and Prince Albert evinces the most lively interest in the efficient arrangement of the details. Austria has paused in her internecine strife ; but the struggle seems but stayed, not rendered of further unlikely occurrence. The condition of Prussia is represented in an alarming light, the King having taken a determined stand against further concessions. He has thus no alternative between dictation and abdication. A single false move may seal the fate of the monarchy which has been already menaced ;— " Let the dynasty fall," said the Prince of Prussia, in proud reply to this threat,—" it will fall with honour." The Emperor of B ussia is reported to have been assassinated by the Polish Count Kaseowisky, one of the officers of the Imperial household. The election for the Presidency of France was to take place in sixteen days. Much uneasy anxiety prevailed as to the result. Louis Napoleon is affirmed to be likely to oust Cavaignac, the Legitimates throwing their weight into his scale, as the readiest way, in the confusion expected to follow, to achieve the restoration of Henry the Fifth. In Italy, matters are in stutu quo, the liberals ready to " cry havock and let slip the dogs of war," the moment a fitting opportunity presents itself. Calcutta papers had arrived in Hobart Town to the 9th of January. The war in the Punjaub had recommenced with great vigour and considerable slaughter on both sides. We have already to deplore the loss of General Cureton, and other officers of rank, and we fear that a fierce and sanguinary campaign is likely to await our troops. Captain Arbuthnott Dallas, who, with Captain Apperley, was so long resident in NewSouth Wales, selecting horses for the East India Company, died at Calcutta, on ther3lst of December. Captain Dallas was married at Sydney, to the daughter of Colonel Despard. His widow has returned to her family at Hobart Town, by the " Royal Saxon." The following postscript we copy from the Hobart Town Advertiser of the 16th. " There is a report very prevalent in town that the Singapore steamer has reached Sydney, bringing news to the 10th of January. It is even said that letters have been received here with that date, but we are unable to trace the report to an authentic source." The Colonial Times of the 20th, is silent in reference to this report.

Mechanics' Institute. — We beg to remind our readers that Mr. Hart's lecture on Agriculture and Agricultural Schools will be delivered on Monday evening.