The New Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 368, 24 October 1849, Page 2

The New Zealander.

lie just and fear not: Let all the ends thou aims't at, be thy Country's, Tliv God's, and Truth's.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1849.

Bv th« Joseph Cripps, which arrived on Monday from Hobart Town, we have English intelligence to the 25th of June ; and by the arrival of the Sarah at Kawau, we have a few numbers of the Sydney Herald to the 3rd of October, containing news from England to the 29th of June. The Queen and Prince Albert, had commenced a series of visits to the leading aristocracy, beginning with the Duke of Norfolk, who entertained the Royal party at Norfolk Castle, (the birth-place of George lit) , with a magnificence worthy of England's Premier Duke. The Times had a semi-official announcement that Her Majesty would leave Osborne House for Dublin on the 3rd of August, remain there three or four days, then visit Cork and Belfast, and thence proceed to Scotland. The Bill for the better government of the Australian Colonies had been brought in on the 1 2th of June, and the 25th was appointed for the second reading; but on that day, Mr. Hawes withdrew it on account of some informalities, and obtained leave to bring in one more technically correct. The Bill is of course substantially a transcript of the Report of Privy Council, which has appeared in extenio in our columns. The 29th and 34th clauses are the most important to the commercial world. They provide that there shall be a new tariff of duties for New South Wales, Victoria, Van Diemen's Land, and South Australia ; that equal duties shall be charged on goods from all parts of the world ; and that trade between the colonies themselves shall be free. A Table of the Duties is appended, the principal imposts in which are :—: — on spirits, ss. per gallon ; tobacco, manufactured, Is. 6d. per lb.; ditto, unmanufactured, cigars, and snuffs, 2s. per lb.; wine, for every £100 of the value, £15 ; tea, 2d. per lb.; coffee, 4s. per cwt.; ale, beer, &c, 3d. per gallon ; and on all other articles not included in the list of exemptions, an ad valorem duty of 15 per cent. The exemptions are, coin, bullion, agricultural implements, baggage of passengers, specimens illustrative of natural history, and articles imported for the use of Her Majesty's land or sea Force . No formal discussion had taken place on the bill, but Mr. Gladstone had observed that if it was to include a new tariff of duties, government could not expect it to pass without discussion ; and Mr. Dlsraeli, incidentally on the 1 tth of June, urged the postponement of it, contending that so important a measure as one for an Australian Confederation should not be pressed forward at such a late period of the session. On the 26th of June, Sir William Molesworth brought forward his motion for a commission to inquire into the state of the colonies. We shall wait with interest for a report of the debate which had been looked forward to as the colonial debate of the session. As yet we are only informed of the result, which was that — Ministers having opposed the proposal as impracticable and useless — the motion was negatived by a majority of 163 to 89. We find little else respecting the Colonies in the Parliamentary summaries before us. On the 18th of June, Mr. Hawes stated that Sir Wm. Denison had, some time ago, sent a despatch requesting that no addition might be made to the number of ticket- of-leaye men in Van Diemen's Land ; but in a day or two he should lay on the table a resolution of the Legislative Council of that colony, approving of convicts being sent out after confinement in England, and being distributed over the whole colonies. . . .The House had been counted out on a motion by Lord Lincoln, respecting the cession of Vancouver's Island to the Hudson's Bay Company. The Navigation Laws Bill had finally struggled through the House of Lords. It was read a third time, and passed on the 11th of June. The Parliamentary Oaths Bill, (intended to admit Jews to Parliament) had been defeated. It had passed the House of Commons by a majority, on the third reading, of 272 to 206 ; but in the Lords, the second reading was negatived by a majority of 95 to 70. As soon as the decision became known, Baron Rothschild (to meet whose individual case the bill had been introduced), resigned his seat for the City of London. It was thought however, that the constituency would again elect him, — thus endeavouring to coerce the House of Lords into acquiescence in the measure. The Bill for legalizing marriage with a deceased wife's sister, had been read a second time in the House of Commons by a majority of 177 to 143. In the Upper House it was not unlikely to share the fate of the " Jews' Bill." Mr. Cobden's motion in favour of submitting

inter-national disputes to arbitration was> a fter a long debate, rejected by 176 to 79. Lord Brougham brought forward on the 18th of June, certain resolutions condemnatory of compensation being given to those engaged in the rebellion in Canada. They were rejected, but only by a majority of 3, the votes being 99 and 96 The "Protection of Women " bill was read a third time, and passed, in the House of Lords, on the 14th of June. Mr. D 'lsraeli had given notice of a motion on the " State of the Nation," for the 2nd of July. The almost inexhaustible ingenuity of the Irish " Patriot " Convicts and their law advisers, had created a necessity for a new piece of legislation. Mr. Smith OBrien and his I fellows, instead of thankfully receiving the commutation of sentence which spared their lives, rejected the boon, denying that there was any power in the law to force them to accept the condition (transportation) in place of ■being hanged. The legal objection had some technical strength, it not being quite clear whether the Act 6 George in, which extended certain English laws to Ireland, gave that prerogative to the Crown. Under these circumstances, Lord Campbell had brought in a Declaratory Bill, authorising the Sovereign to commute capital sentences for high treason, which was immediately carried through the House of Lords, the standing orders having been suspended for that purpose. In the House of Commons, it met with some opposition, but from only about twenty-five members. The crest-fallen heroes — unable to get themselves either hanged or set at liberty — are now most probably on their way to, if not arrived at, Van Diemen's Land, by the man of war schooner Swift, 6 guns, which was to sail from England on the Ist July. The British revenue returns, and the annual returns of criminal offenders, furnish matter for grave thought. In the revenue, for the first five months of 1 849, as compared with the corresponding period of 1847, there is a decrease in the Customs of £134,758 ; Excise, £133,951 ; Stamps. £480,836; Post Office, £22,000; Taxes. £82,987 ; Income Tax, £49.550. The Criminal Returns exhibit the following continued increase in crime •. — in 1815, the number of offenders was 24,303; in 1846, 25,107 ; in 1847, 28,833 ; in 1848,30,349. Cholera had proved very fatal both in England and Ireland. It was said, however, to be on the decline in the latter part of June. An important meeting, convened principally by members of the Colonization Society, had been held in London on the 27th of June, for the purpose of " taking steps to draw the earnest attention of Government to the necessity of approximating, by means of steam, the colonies of the Southern Pacific and the mother country," Earl Talbot presided. Appeals to Government and Parliament were resolved on ; and a conrmittee of twenty -six noblemen and gentlemer of whom eight were members of Parliameh., was appointed to carry the resolutions into effect. The " Australian and Indian Steam Navigation Company," whichu ndoubtedly had caused delay in the commencement of steam communication between England and Australia, was defunct, — proceedings having been taken under the "Joint Stock Companies Winding-up Act," to give the shareholders a legal discharge from any claim against them. Another meeting had been held, in Willis's Rooms, on the 20th of June, to promote the system, lately recommended by the Colonization Society, of sending out religious instructors in emigrant ships. The Earl of Harrowby presided, and amongst those who took part in the proceedings were Lord Nelson, Lord Robert Grovernor, the Bishop of Oxford, the Hon. P. Scott, and the Rev. Alfred Stephen, son of the Chief Justice of New South Wales, who, it was stated, was about to proceed oui with the pastoral charge of an emigrant ship for Sydney. We perceive that he arrived there by the Sea on the 29th ult. and was to take charge of St. Paul's Church, Chippendale, and to act as Corresponding Secretary to the Colonization Society. William Hamilton, who had fired at the Queen on her birth-day, had been tried and sentenced to seven years transportation. Her Majesty expressly desired that he should not be flogged. Trade was buoyant in England, and money plentiful. The Times, in its City Article of the 28th June, says, " The English funds, supported by the general influx of money from all quarters, continue to manifest increased firmness." A large wool sale was to commence about the middle of July.

The intelligence from the Continent is important, including accounts serious of insurrectionary outbreaks in Paris and other parts of France, and the probable — if not certain — capture of Rome by the French army. The announcement of General Oudinot's intention to proceed with the attack on Rome, caused a lively sensation in Paris. Within the Assembly, the Red Republican party carried their dissatisfaction so far as to propose the impeachment of the President of the Republic and his late Ministers. This, however, was negatived by an overwhelming majority. The members of the " Mountain" then published a proclamation, declaring the President and the Ministers without the pale of the Constitution,

and calling on the people to rise. An insurrection followed,in which 15,000 or 20,000 persons took part, and it was attempted to erect barricades, and revive the scenes of the Revolution. The Government, however, took prompt and efficient measures, the mob was dispersed by the military under General Changarnier, the ringleaders were arrested, and Paris was declar ed in a state of siege. Six Socialist journals were suspended, and military posts, established in their offices. At the dates tranquillity had been restored. The disaffection had extended into the provinces, and at Lyons, Toulon, Bordeaux, &c, there were similar demonstrations. The most serious proceedings took place at Lyons, where the fighting continued during the whole of the 14th. On the evening of that day the insurgents were defeated, with a loss of 150 killed, and 800 made prisoners. At Rheims 60 were killed before order was restored. The last news from the departments was perfectly reassuring. General Oudenot commenced his attack on Rome on the 13th of June, having previously addressed a hypocritical letter, full of professions of friendship, to the President of the Roman Republic, to which the Triumvirate turned a deaf ear. It was not until the 20th that the French could get their guns sufficiently close to the walls to effect a breach ; and then notice was given that, unless the city was surrendered within twelve hours, it would be stormed, even if its total destruction should be the consequence. The Sydney Herald of the Ist says — " Our papers come down no later than this, but we are informed that before the Sea left Plymouth information had been received that Rome had been captured, and that nearly all the buildings and works of art which had for centuries been the glory of Europe were destroyed." If this be true, alas, for what was so long proudly calied " The Eternal City" ! In the Paris correspondence of the Times, June 27, it is said — " It was rumoured last night in certain political circles that the English Government have ten dered its advice ro the French Cabinet, to endea vour, even at the last moment, to come to some arrangement with the Roman Government, without proceeding to any further hostilities. It was also stated this day, in the same quarter, that the Government has remonstrated, though in a friendly manner, against the bombardment of Rome. I merely mention the fact of such a rumour being in existence in a reputable quarter, without, however, being enabled to confirm its correctness from still higher sources."

The mail steamer Niagara had arrived at Liverpool on the 24th of June, bringing New York dates to the 13th, and Halifax to the 16th of that month. There was little political or commercial news. The prevalence of cholera, was the subject of most universal interest in the United States. Ex-President Polk was reported to be on the point of death with it. The flood at New Orleans remained unchecked ; the water continuing to rise, and all attempts to stop its inroads abandoned. There was no news of any importance from California ; but the Lexington had arrived on the 10th at New York, from San Francisco, bringing 1218 pounds of gold.

We copy articles respecting California, which will be read with interest, if it were only on account of the almost romantic character of some of the statements and descriptions in them. The writers seem to have realized more of the advantages and less of the sufferings of Californian adventure than many other goldseekers have experienced. We subjoin here the most recent intelligence which has reached us. It will be found substantially similar to what we have from time to time published and commented on.

{From the Colonial Timet, Oct. 3.) By the Eliza, we have papers from San Francisco to the 30th May, and from Honolulu to the 7th July, The news in these papers is not of any fjre»t importance, a* they are principally filled with European intelligence. Great dissatisfaction wm expressed at the conduct of the United States Government, by the Ctliforniant, for haying kaddled them with revenue laws without making provision for a Provincial Government. In the meantime the Californians have formed a Government forthemielves— and indicate that " the people of California will rise at one man, and express their indignation in terms not to be mistaken or unheeded by the next Congress, nor by the people of the United States."— The people of California have passed an Act to amend the Revenue Law. The amended law enacts a duty of 1£ per cent, on auction salesauctioneers to give security of 5000 dollar*, and have a license,— merchants and dealers are also to be licensed and to pay qua-terly in advance 40 to 50 dollars.—Hawkers and pedlers aie to be licensed at SO dollars monthly paid in advance, and the license to be renewed monthly ; under penalty of forfeiting all goods and wares found in their possession.— Tavero homes to pay 50 dollars quarterly in advance, with bond of 500 dol'ati to keep an orderly house ; under fine of 250 dollars for first offence, and second forfeiture of license.— Billiard Tables to pay a license of fifteen dollars monthly, and subject to heavy penalties. The gold washings are reported ai not being very profitable, but employment for artizans and labouters continued as last reported. The Indians are very troublesome, aad the trade with them almost entirely broken up.

(From the Sydney Herald, Oct. 3.) By the Deborah, which arrired late last night, ire have news from California to the 20th July. Gold •till continued to be found in abundance. Immense numbers of people were pouring into the country from all parts of the world. Thirteen thousand persons had arrived from America alone. The state of society is described as most awful. There is no law. The people hare declined to acknowledge the Authority of tha United States' officers. Murders, robberies, and ottw

crimes are of daily occurrence. The only piper we were able to obtain from the re«el contains no extractable matter ; but we shall no doubt be able to give further information to-morrow, ai lereral persons who went away from here early iv the year hare returned to Sydney.

Robbery in Qotcbw Street.— On Sunday mominj lait, about J 1 o'clock, the office of Mr. J. S. Polack in Lower Queen-street was feloniouilj entered, a n d a pocket-book containing two Commissariat Bills amounting to £481 10s 4d. Wat taken away. Mr. Polack was himielf at E|>->om when the robbery was discovered by Mr. Jarrii, clerk to Mr. Nathan, who had occasion to call at the olfic*. The bills haying been specially endorsed to Mr. PoUck are of no ralue to any other person. At all erenti, a communication has been made to the Treasury Department at home to stop the payment of them. We obierve that a reward is offered for their restoration, on the delirery of them to Mr. Polack or Mr. Hart. It ii supposed that the thief on discovery that they were valueless may bare thrown them away. We hope, however, that the penon who has committed » crime which happily is not common in this town will be detected and brought to justice