The New=Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 386, 26 December 1849, Page 2

The New=Zealander.

Isc just and fetir nots Let all the" ends thon aims't at, be thy Country's, Thy Cod's, and Truth's. w'iTdn'eTd AY," ]Te C~E m¥e¥~2 6~," ~i "8 4 9

By the Government Brig, -which arrived on Saturday, we have received intelligence from the South which, although not as recent as we might have anticipated, is of course news here. The latest dates of the papers which have reached are, Wellington, Nov. 28 ; Nelson, Oct. 27 ; and Otago, Nov. 10. The Lieutenant Governor had undertaken a journey southward, with a view of finding a route to Port Cooper, from which he was induced to return by a melancholy and fatal accident to one of his party. After leaving the "Wairau, having traversed the Kaparatehau district, his Excellency ascended the great snowy mountain which forms the principal peak of the Kaikoras, and attains an elevation of at Jeast 9000 feet. The ascent was laborious and dangerous, "the sides of the mountain, particularly towards the summit, being broken into almost perpendicular precipices of several hundred feet in height, divided from each other "by narrow projecting ledges of rock, while the difficulty of ascent was still faither increased by the great depth of snow which lay on the ground, and the loose nature of the soil, which gave way beneath the tread, rendering the footing of the travellers very precarious." After thirteen hours toil, they had nearly reached the top, hut it was then so late that they were obliged to return to a spot where they might frnd shelter for the night. In the descent, they had to cross a nearly perpendicular face of the hill, down which hung a bed of frozen snow ; and Wiiiemu lloeta, a native attendant, lost his footing, and fell down a precipice, pitching from one projecting ledge of rocks to another, to the bottom of thp abyss — a depth of about sixteen hundred feet, where his dead body could be seen in a sort of ravine, but where it was impossible to get at it. He ■was a very intelligent well disposed Maori, and was amongst the friendly natives who joined the attacking'party against Rangihaeata, at Horokiwi, where he was wounded, a ball passing through his neck. The Lieutenant Governor himself narrowly escaped a similar fate, having also lost his footing, and only saved himself by thrusting his iron shod staff into the snow, and clinging to it until lw could regain his feet. Another of the nitives had a still narrower escape, having actually fallen about fifteen yards, when he .succeeded in laying hold of a rock, by which he was preserved. The gloom produced by the doalh of llacta, and the uncertainty a<i to crossing the rivers while the snow was melting, induced

his Excellency to come back to Wellington, where he arrived on the night of the 20tli of November. Some interesting observations were made during the expedition. On the east side of the mountain, about two thousand feet below the surface, was found a fine valley with plenty of timber and water, affording great encouragement to any future attempt to reach the summit. It was believed that no serious obstacles existed to an overland communication between Wairau and Port Cooper ; indeed the natives say, there is a good road between the lower ranges. "At an elevation of six thousand feet above the sea, were found remains of large totarra trees, (many of them charred), some of which belonged to trees originally live feet in diameter, affording proof of the former existence of extensive forests before the upheaval of those mountains, which must have taken place at a comparatively recent period. No vegetation now exists on this spot save a few mosses and lichens." It would seem that the earthquakes of last year had expended their greatest violence in the Kaparatehau district, where numerous deep rents and chasms have been made, one rent being between eleven and twelve miles long. " A considerable area also, about two hundred yards in length and several yards in breadth, was sunk to a deptli of between three and four feet. Some of the hills two hundred feet in elevation, were rent vertically, and large portions dislodged, and even on some of the main ridges connected with the range of snowy mountains, chasms were noted which showed the violence of the agencies that had been in operation." The Spectator, which devotes much space to our report of the debate in the last Legislative Council, on the Crown Titles Hill, discusses, and expresses disapprobation of the proposition made by some hon. members here, that the provisions of the measure should extend to the Southern Province. Our contemporary says, — " An Auckland Council, under the present constitution, can no longer give the law to New Zealand. Besides, the most cursory glance at the Returns printed for the information of the Council show that no analogy can possibly exist between the land claims in the respective Provinces, so that any measure absolutely required for the quieting of titles in the Northern, would be perfectly inapplicable in the Southern Province." After referring to several of the extraordinary facts disclo -d in the Returns, the Spectator concludes, — " .. c whole amount of land granted gives a propoi tion of forty-four acres to each adult male o the European population in the Auckland f 1 „-- trict. It would be in vain to seek fo - parallel to such a state of things i" J ' - southern Province ; and therefore it v.^uld be ridiculous to attempt to apply the provisions of an Ordinance which is intended to cure those disorders, to a Province where they do not exist." Mr. Edward Gibbon Wakefiei.t) again appears in his self constituted office of counsellor-in-chief or dictator to the colony. The Independent of Norember 7, has two letters from him, one of which was addressed to a gentleman in the Wellington settlement, the other to one of the Directors of the New Zealand Company, — both traversing nearly the same ground, lie predicts that next year the wishes of the colonists for self-government will certainly be gratified, and recommends meanwhile an active system of agitation, holding up to imitation the conduct of the Company and the Whigs from 1843 to 1846, whe \ they " made plenty of noise," and suggesting to the Southerns,— the objects of his special care,— to j "kick up row enough," — a suggestion, which we need not say, the Settlers' Constitutional Association is heartily disposed to act upon. He gives at some length his views of Governor Grey's motives for withholding representative institutions from the Southern Province, founded on letters from New Zealand, of which he says that, although « they are so confidential as respects the writers that I must not show them or mention names, you may rest assured that the apology is Governor Grey's own, and that it comes as directly and intentionally from him to me, as if he had written to me himself." The following paragraph, which we quote as it stands, contains the substance of the statements which Mr. Waicefikld amplifies, and sharply comments upon in other parts of these communications :—: — " His (Governor Grey's) case is as follows. lie thought the Southern settlements perfectly fit for representative government, and ( anxiously' wished that they should have it. But he was as decidedly of opinion that giving representation to the penny-an-acre Land Sharks of the North would uproar the universal peace. They were not colonists, but mere speculators in land-sharking ; and they would be sure to use legislative authority for the purpose of getting vast estates from the natives at a nominal price. This is the one idea of active minds in the North ; and their first object in making laws would be to realize that idea. Therefore, come what might, Gkey would not establish representation in the North. But then, how could he, withholding it from those amongst whom he is condemned to live chiefly, bestow it on the distant South, which lip only visits occasionally ? By doing so, he would make his own house too hot to hold him. Come what might then, he would not do it. But he hoped that Lord G rey WouWi Short of officially asking that it should

be (lone by the Home Government, he ' has urged them to do it.' The urgency, I suppose, was that of hi its in private letters : but he insists that he has done all he could, (meaning, of course, all he could short of risking some collision with the Office hurtful to himself) to induce them to take the right step, which he could not take, but they easily might. But they have been deaf to his suggestions. And so the end is that he has been compelled — ' most reluctantly compelled' — to set up a Nominee Council for the South and postpone representation for years. This is bis own case. It is not very creditable to him, since it shows him sacrificing convictions and high duty to selfish personal considerations." Mr, Wakefield seems to have scarcely a good word or a good hope for us poor Northerns. — In one of these letters he says, " I have never ceased expecting war again in the North. That it should happen is in the nature of things. We all thought so in 1845 and 1816. My °letters by the Cornelia, lead me to think that very serious disturbance in the will probably be reported by the next arrival — almost certainly ere long." Happily, in the enjoyment of our unbroken tranquility, we can in this Province afford to smile at these lugubrious vaticinations, — which, however, would no doubt be received as oracular by many of our friends at home. Mr. Wakefield confirms the report of his intention to take up his residence in this colony. He says, " I had quite made up my mind to leave England for New Zealand next (last) September, if fiee government had then been obtained for the Colony. As it is, I remain here to help in the proceedings by which I may confidently expect we shall have a New Zealand Government Act next Session ; but this is my only motive for remaining. Next year, at all events, I shall proceed to the Colony with a large party of relations and friends." On the day (the ICth of October) appointed at a meeting of the Resident Land Purchasers and holders of Compensation Scrip for re-se-lecting and exchanging sections, there was a numerous attendance at the New Zealand Company's Office. The principal exchanges were of country sections for town sections in Wellington belonging to the Company. The celebrated chief Tk Rauparaiia died at Otaki, on the 27th of November, in the 75th year of his age. The preparation of Flax continued to engage much attention. The demand for Flax prepared by the new process much exceeded the supply ; and Mr. Joseph Rhodes, in a letter published in the Independent, complains that Ins endeavours to get the Native * about the coast to prepare it in large quantities pioduced little effect. At Otaki, he states, they universally rejected the offer of £10 per ton on the spot, or £15 in town, declaring their determination not to work up any Flax under two pence per pound, or £18 Bs. per ton, being he adds, " more than it is worth in Sydney." The same journal mentions, however, that Mr. D. Wallace had forwarded to Hobart Town a sample of Flax prepared by himself by the new process, and was informed in reply that the article so prepared is wo.th £20 per ton. An Association (of which Mr. Alzdorf was the founder) was in process of formation under the I title of "The Wellington New Zealand Flax | Company." The establishment of a Paper Mill formed part of the scheme. We observe that Father O'Rhlly, (whose controversy with the Rev. T. Buddlk on some of the points at issue between the Papacy and the Churches of the Reformation, occupied a considerable space in our columns a year or two since,) has again entered the polemical arena by publishing an Answer to an Article in the New Zealand Evangelist for September, referring to Transubstanliation. A reply to Mr. O'Reilly is advertised as amongst the contents of the Evangelist for November. The report of the murder of Charley of Porirua, and other natives, which we copied ' some time since from the Wellington papers, now turns out to have been entirely without j foundation. Charley is alive and well at Otaki. We have no news of any importance from Nelson. At Otago, the " Pilgrim Fathers" were put in a ferment by Mr. E.G. Wakkfiblii's manifesto addressed to Mr. Petre, which we published a short time since. Public meetings had been held at Dunedin to consider it, at which Captain Cargill (as in duty bound) stoutly defended the New Zealand Company. It would seem that the great majority agreed with him in the opinion that it would not be for the benefit of the settlers that the Company should be dissolved ; and a committee was appointed to co-operate with the Wellington " Constitutional Association." It is difficult, however, to ascertain the actual facts of the proceedings, as the local journal, (the Olago News) and the Otago officials are at drawn daggers, — thwarting and anathematizing each other, so that the public cannot even get the Resolutions adopted at the public meeting.

A Gentleman residing in this neighbourhood who has lately travelled through some of the most interesting parts of the country, has obligingly placed in our hands an account of his tour, written for the gratification of his friends at horne — with permission to select

from it such extracts as may be likely to prove acceptable to oar readers. We this day insert the first portions which we have marked for publication, and shall draw further upon the manuscript' for one or two future numbers. The name of the writer, (were we at liberty to mention it) would secure attention here 5 but the narration itself affords sufficient evidence that it proceeds from an observer wh) knows both what and how to observe. While, of course, we do not pledge ourselves to every opinion incidentally expressed in it, we can. assure our readers at a distance that in all relating to fads and descriptions it is entirely trustwoithy. m^ mamm .

Coroner's Inqukst. — An Inquest was held yesterday at the Masonic Hotel, by Dr. Davies, Coroner, on the body of William Miller, Gunner, 11. A., who had been accidentally drowned while bathing at Point Bntomart on Sunday last. From the evidence adduced, the jury found a verdict of — " Drowned from a stroke of the sun whilst bathing/"

&sg" The B.uid of 11. M. 58tli Regiment, by the psrm'ssion of Lieut. Col. VVynyarJ, will pcifonn in tli j Ground< in fio.it of fie old Governm-nt House on to-uioiTow evening, from four till six o'clock.

Overture Op. "Li Barcarolle " Auber Melanin O|». "Li Figlia del Jl°!;imcnfo'' Donizetti Duetto.. Op. *' IjUc'ui df Limtnerinoor".. .. Doiizetti Ana... 1 ' Pro Peucfi'ei" Stabnt Mnter.. «.R<>ssini Waltz '• Lbs Bcnii'es di Vicnne". . Metiernich Q'i»»ilril!e " The Chinese " Jullien P Iktt " TliH Aunen ".,.., S'ruusß Song "X ithleen Mnvournecn 1 ' Crouch Snnj;... "The Binlti of the blue Missile" .. Ro'lwe^

rUORRAMME.