The New Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 370, 31 October 1849, Page 2

The New Zealander.

Be just anrl fear not: Let all the ends Uiou aims't at, be thy Country's, 'lhy God's, and Truth's.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1849.

Wesley an Missionary Society. — The Anniversary services of the New Zealand District Auxiliary to this Society, as announced in our last, were held on Sunday and Monday, and were attended by numerous and respectable congregations, including not only members and hearers of the Wesleyan body, but also catholic minded persons connected with the various other Protestant denominations. In the Auckland Chapel, the Rev. John Whiteley, a long known and well known missionary in this country, preached on Deuteronomy eh. xi, v. 29, taking occasion to make an apt application of the truths suggested by his sub ject, to the circumstances of the world gene- j rally, and of this colony in particular •. — and in the evening, the Rev. James Buller, from Wairoa, preached on Judges eh. v, v. 23. At half past six o'clock on Monday evening, the Annual Meeting was held in the same place. Dr. Philson, of the sSlh Regiment, occupying the chair. The meeting was addressed by the Chairman, the Rev. Messrs. Whiteley, John Wvtsford, James Buller, and John Warren : the famous native chief Tamati Waka, (Tiiomvs Walker), Hone White (a Native preacher), and Dr. Bennett. Some native converts from the Tonga Islands were on the platform, where we also noticed Captain Buck, of the John Wesley. The addresses of the several speakers were evidently listened to with deep and sustained attention ; and special interest was excited by the details — alternately harro\ving and cheering — which Mr. WATSFORngave respecting the scene of his labours in cannibal Feejee, and by the short but strikingly characteristic and impressive speech in which Tamati Waka told — (in Maori, translated to the meeting by Mr. Whiteley), — what he was before the Gospel reached him — how he at first resisted its influence, but afterwatds yielded to its power, and abandoned his former ways — how he felt and acted when i\\ o of his friends were shot while they were preaching the Gospel at a heathen Pa, — how when Here arose in war, he " came cheerfully to the help of the Pakeha, because of Christianity" — and how he is determined to live and die a Christian. . . .The Resolutions, in addition to the usual topics on such occasions, embraced a strong protest against the introduction of " Exiles " into the colony, on the ground of the injury to missionary progress, and to the moral and religious interests of the aborigines, which would almost inevitably result from it ; and an explicit declaration cf adherence to the great principle of scriptural education, as opposed to that of a merely secular character, which in some ultraliberal quarters finds warm and plausible apologists. We hope, however, to give in our next, a fuller report Of the proceedings. The Meeting was closed at half past nine o'clock, — to the regiet, we are informed, of not a few who would willingly have devoted a little moie time to a gratifying celebiation which occurs ...1.. - ' „ /lonnpinllv „„ il • i ,

thus have had the pleasure of hearing other respected missionaries who were present, hut had not an opportunity of speaking .... The collections at the sermons an # l the meeting amounted to £33 — being, we believe, a larger sum than was raised here on any similar occasion hefore. We trust that the services have given a salutary and permanent impulse to the work of evangelization and its constant concomitant, civilization, which will operate after any immediate excitement produced by the occasion shall have passed away, and in which all; of whatever denomination, who regard human progress as more important than sectarian aggrandisement will rejoice, fn a distinctively religious journal it wouM be appropriate to dwell at large upon some of the reasonings urged, the facts stated, and the hopes animated, in those high relations which peculiarly and pre-eminently belong to them in their more direct bearing upon the concerns of eternity ; as it is, however, we may, for the present, content ourselves with thus very briefly indicating some of their aspects with reference to time, and to the interests of our colony. It is one of the instances of the adaptation of Christianity to the wants and circumstances of mankind, that in every country and in every social condition it has such aspects ; and when we look abroad through the world, we recognize as one of its triumphs that this truth is acknowledged andactedupon even by men who deny its divine origin and authority. The sceptical philosophers of the world, however little they may reverence the Gospel in its true and essential character, yet read in the records of history, abounding proofs that Christianity — though it entered the" field of civilization long after Paganism had, with more or less success cultivated it, — has steadily acquired and maintained an indisputab'e superiority. As an acute writer in a late number of the British Quarterly Review observes — '• Take the Christian nations as one section of the human family, and the heathen as another, and the fact at once stands out that though the latter are by far the oldest in civilization, and statistically the strongest, and intellectually no- ; thing inferior, yet now the Christian nations stand in the relation of masters and teachers to most of the others ; the fact is established without a single exception or qualification, that Christianity possesses the mastery of the human race, and that Paganism uniformly yields to its progress." The missionary enterprise is daily enlarging and consolidating the basis on which this conclusion rests, and constraining the most rigidly philosophical propagandists of theories of human advancement by other instrumentalities, to own (in the words of the same writer) " that, to destroy Christianity, were it possible, would be no boon to mankind, but on the contrary, a decided lapse backward towards barbarism."

Foot Path Ordinance. — We have before expressed our gratification at the proclamation of several of the most important foot paths in the town as within the protective provisions of this useful Ordinance, and our desire that its regulations may be enforced impartially and strictly. There is one Street, however which is in such a state as to render the infliction of the penalty for trespassing on the path an obvious and serious hardship. We allude to that marked No. 5 in the proclamation, and there defined as extending " from the General's Guard House, along the southern side of Victoria Quadrant, to a point opposite the north-east fence of the lot on which the Wesleyan Chapel and School stand." A considerable portion'of the road in this locality is occupied by a large mound of earth and rubbish, so as to render it quite impassable for horses, and there is no alternative for a person with a horse at Princes street or its neighbourhood, wanting to go to Bank Street, where there are several public stables, but either to trespass on the footpath or to go round a considerable distance. Yet we are informed the i vigilance of the police has been especially manifested in summoning trespassers on this path, where, of all those named in the Gazette most allowance should be made, until the obstruction shall be removed. We happen to know of one case of especial hardship. An industrious carter named Hovaird, living at the rear of our printing office, was summoned for trespassing on this path, which was the only one by which he could without delay and inconvenience take his horse to his stable, — Jjae Shetland -street, end of Bank-street being evidently wholly inaccessible ; and, although the Resident Magistrate did not enforce the penalty, he was mulcted in costs amounting to ss. Bd., — no insignificant sum to a working man. We are aware that the path in question is one which for public accommo - dation it is very necessary to watch over, as on the Sabbath especially it is much used by families on their way to and from the several places of worship in the town j and during the last winter much annoyance was endured in consequence of the wretched state in which parts of it were permitted to remain. But this only strengthens the argument for the opening of the centre of tlie street, so as to remove the temptation to trespass which, under eireu mst.an c^s undoubtedly exists.

New Zealand Flax. — Since our last reference to the process for preparing the Phormium Tenax employed by Mr. Holman, of Wangari, we have heard further statements which justify the favonrable opinion we were led to form of the applicability of his ])lan to the production at least of an article of a certain quality, — such, however, as is sure to obtain ready sale at a remunerating price. As a brief outline of the process we may mention that the green flax is subjected to the operation of bruising and scraping in a simply but effectively constructed mill, on the flax wheel of which are two drums having wires and scrapers fixed in them, and 1 2 sets of teeth in each drum : — the flax is laid between a revolving wheel and a block placed under it ; two men sit one at each drum and feed the mill by the hand, — the two workers being able to clean about 2OOlbs. of flax, and lOOlbs. of available " refnse" in the day. After being thus operated on in the mill, the flax is tied up in small bundles (about one pound each) and placed in running water for a number of days varying according to the temperature of the season and the quality of the article itself ; it is then in a condition fit for the market. Our description of the mill can scarcely convey an adequate idea of the machinery, but we are informed that Mr. Holman has prepared an accurate model of it which, in the course of a few days, he will submit to view in this town. Further examination, especially by those who have practical knowledge on the subject, will be necessary to deteimine what the merits of his plan may be, in itself and as compared with the plans of other inventors and experimentalists. The opportunity for this will be fully offered, however. It is to be noticed to Mr. Holman's credit that he maintains no secrecy as to his process, but manifests entire willingness to communicate and explain it.

Auckland Sacred Harmonic Society. — It will be seen by our advertising columns that the first Public Rehearsal of this Society will take place this evening in the Mechanics' Institute, and that a selection of pieces has been made for the occasion which, we need not tell our musical readers, includes some of the finest gems of some of the greatest composers. What the performance is likely to be we have no means of stating from our own knowledge ; but we have heard very favourable anticipations expressed respecting it, and we believe there is no doubt that much praiseworthy diJigence has been exercised in bringing the Society to its present state. The effort is one deserving of all encouragement, and we shall be glad to find it so conducted as to be worthy of, and to secure the patronage of the public in general, as well as that of his Excellency Sir George Grey, who is announced as the Society's " Patron ".

Wesleyan District Meeting. — The Annual Meeting of the Ministers of the Wesleyan Church in this District of New Zealand commenced its session in this town on Monday. There are present, in addition to the Ministers of Auckland and its vicinity, the Rev. John Whiteley, of Kawhiaj Rev. James Wallis, of Waingaroa : Rev. John Hodbs, of Hokianga; Rev. Jimes Buller, of Kaipara; Rev. George Buttle, of Waipa ; Rev. Gideon Smales, of Aotea ; and Rev. John Warren, of Wairna.