The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 408, 13 March 1850, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

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

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1 85 0.

Every school-boy has read the story of Robert the Bruce and the Spider ; — how, when the illustrious Scottish patriot, after his disastrous defeat in Ayrshire, was wandering a desolate fugitive in the wild hills of Carrick— all but resolved to abandon the cause in which he had unsuccessfully risked and suffered so muchhe was stimulated to another effort by the perseverance of a spider, which he saw — as he lay on a heap of straw in a hut which afforded him a temporary shelter — trying to swing itself by a thread from one rafter to another, until after twelve failures, the little creature succeeded in its thirteenth attempt to'reach the desiied spot. It is undoubtedly, a great descent from The Bruce to ourselves, and from achieving the freedom of Scotland to rendering the streets °^ Auckland passable in bad weather j but tteh c excellency of a moral lesson appears in nothing more strikingly than in its applicability to a variety of cases which, notwithstanding any diversity of circumstances, it includes in the comprehensiveness of its one and living principle. We and others have, in almost every form of appeal and remonstrance, urged upon our Authorities the performance of their duty, in relation to our shamefully neglected streets ; — a duty so simple, so obvious, and so easy of execution, that, we can well imagine the surprise with which some of our readers at home will learn that the case is so bad, that we, who as some of them know, are not habitual fault-finders, deem it necessary to take such | repeated and formal notice of the matter. We can only tell them, in explanation, that no experience they may have acquired in wading through the deepest quag-mire passages in the miserable villages owned by Irish absentee landlords, can give them an adequate idea of the condition of some of the leading streets of the capital of New Zealand, during our winter months, — say, from May to October. We have no Municipal authorities here to look after these things ; but, we have a Government which, pending the introduction of more popular institutions, is supposed to do so. The thing, however, is not done. High street — one of our most important thoroughfares, leading to the Post Office, the Custom House, and the Wesleyan Chapel — which was last winter in a state beggaring all description, has indeed been partially repaired ; (we say partially, because the upper end of it, which also needs repair, has not been touched ;) but other scarcely less important thoroughfares, as West Queen street, and Wyndham streets, remain with their gulphs gaping as widely as ever. We are not Sphynx enough to solve the enigma of the conduct of our Authorities in this matter. Living amongst us, they cannot be ignorant of the extent to which it keeps up an irritation in the public mind, — an irritation felt not merely by the men of business, who must plunge through the abysses of mud, but also and especially, by the females and children of our families, whom it shuts up within doors, — ah influence which, we need not say, the veriest tyro in statesmanship knows he should not disregard. It is cot properly a

political question ; and yet it is made one. It is within our own knowledge that persons who arrived here from England during the lastwinter, were told, before they set foot on New Zealand ground, that they might judge of the system of public administration under which they were coming, by the condition of the streets of the capital. In one aspect the observation was absurd : in another, it was not undeserving the attention of the administrator of our affairs. If the complaint be a paltry cavil, then, in the name of common sense, stop the mouths of the paltry cavillers, by remedying the acknowledged evil of which they complain. If, on the other hand, there be some " state reason " for refusing or delaying to acquiesce in public opinion in this matter, let it be disclosed, and we can all judge of its cogency. We have been led to set this subject once more before the view of our Authorities, by the condition of our streets during the rains of the last few days, and the improvement, so favourable to their being permanently repaired, which the intervals of dry weather have exhibited. On Saturday and Sunday, we had a disagreeable foretaste of what we may apprehend during the approaching winter, if no remedial steps be adopted. But before the actual on-set of winter, there will be time enough to take advantage of the fine autumnal weather with which this country is usually favoured, to place our principal streets in, at all events, a moderately passable state.

We are much gratified to observe from some of the English papers last received, that the scheme of an " Ocean Penny Postage " is gaining ground in public opinion at home, and that there is reason to expect that during the Session of Parliament which, no doubt, has already commenced, it will be brought before the Legislature under circumstances favourable to its consideration and ultimate adoption. The proposal to convey letters to and from the colonies at an uniform charge of only one penny for the ocean service, whatever the distance traversed may be, has something captivating in its combination of magnificence and simplicity : — the stern £. s. d. utilitarian, however, will ask, What benefit will result from it ? and — Is it practicable with out an immense loss of money ? These enquiries Were Urged and urged again with reference to Rowland Hill's Penny Postage plan at home ; and the triumphant success of that plan has more than answered them there. The first scarcely needs a reply indeed, for the moral, social, intellectual, commercial and poI litical advantages of ready and cheap intercommunication are too obvious to need proof ; — the second may, we are convinced, be safely answered in a prompt affirmative. There would be as is now the case in England, a vast increase of correspondence ; clandestine and private conveyance would be checked ; and there would be less " dead-letter loss " arising from the inability or unwillingness of individuals to pay the postage. We have not seen Elihu Burritt's detailed calculations on this point, but can easily receive the assurance of London journalists that he satisfactorily demonstrates that there would be no pecuniary loss connected with a plan which he aptly characterizes as — " An Ocean Penny Postage, to make home every where, and all nations neighbours." For the following outline of the working of the scheme, we are indebted to a London contemporary :—": — " The plan may be explained in a few words. The postal services on a letter are divided into three items. The first comprises collection, receiving, and posting ; the second, conveyance from one place to another ; the third, and most expensive, is distribution. It is proposed to substitute for the heavy postage now charged on colonial letters, a maximum of three-pence —that is, a penny for the inland service, a penny for transmission from port to port, and a penny for colonial service. The special feature of the project, and that which gives it its present title is, an uniform charge for sea conveyance, between port and port, whatever the distance, of one penny. We cannot of course compel foreign states to alter their demands for carrying letters inland, after they have leached shore— but, wherever the British mail now touches, it is possible to arrange that its charge shall be no more than one penny for inland service, and one penny for ocean service, — and, in case the destination of the letter is to one of our own colonies, one penny more, for delivery to the party addressed." The details illustrative of the feasibility of the plan are applied, chiefly, we perceive to our American colonies. Were the advantages restricted to them, we should still wish the project all prosperity. But such is not the case. Irregular, unsatisfactory, and wholly inexplicable (except on the supposition of gross ignorance, or grosser negligence on the part of the St. Martin 'sle Grand authorities) asourNew Zealand postal arrangements now are, we may ourselves anticipate benefit from the scheme. In any case, we heartily wish it support and success.

A Government Gazette was published on Saturday last. It contains the reports received by the Commissioner of Crown Lands from the Wardens of the Hundreds of Panmure and Auckland respectively. It is stated that, in the Faamure Hundred, the Crown Lands

amount to 1,697 acres, and that the number of Depasturing Licenses for the current year is 38, held by owners or occupiers of land, under Crown Grant, or as Pensioners, amounting in the aggregate to 3,939 acres. It was resolved to erect a Pound without delay, — Mr. James Cleary to be Pound -Keeper ; and Mr. James Hamlin, Ranger.... ln the Auckland Hundred, the Return of Crown Lands was 2,968 acres, which the Wardens considered " calculated to carry 400 head of great cattle, or 2000 sheep. Bye- Laws are shortly to be published. The Gazette also contains the Tabular Returns, — furnished by Dr. Davjes, Colonial Surgeon, — of the number of patients treated in the Colonial and Gaol Hospitals during the year 1849. There were in the Colonial Hospital, one hundred and ninety* seven internal patients, of whom one hundred and five were aboriginal Natives. Of their total, one hundred and seventy-five were " discharged cured," the other twelve died, The " Colonial Hospital Externals" numberred eight hundred and twenty-two ; and the Gaol Hospital patients, one hundred and thirty, — making a grand total of eleven hundred and forty-nine.

We devote a considerable portion of our space to-day to the publication of a document issued by the Government, which embodies in a very comprehensive and satisfactory form a large amount of valuable statistical information respecting the Southern Province of the Colony. It is a digest or summary, prepared by the Colonial Secretary, of a Book which embodies, in a series of forty -three Returns, the statistics of New Munster from 1841 to 1848. The Returns are classified under the headings of 1. Population : 2. Occupation or profession of the inhabitants : 3. Production, Consumption, and Accumulation : 4. Interchange : 5. Revenue and Expenditure : and 6. Moral Condition. Assuming that these Returns are at least substantially accurate, the Tables are an important contribution to the history of the progress of the Colony, and the " Memorandum" which will be found in our other columns is worthy of preservation for future reference.

The first number oi the New Zealand (Quarterly) Magazine having reached us only yesterday we can do no more in our present publication than acknowledge its receipt. Should there be no arrival of news to occupy our columns we shall in our next give a Notice of its contents, and some Extracts.

Agricultural and Horticultural Show. — We remind our readers that the Auckland and New Ulster Agricultural Society's Show will be held this day at Mr. Robertsons Rope Works, Mechanics' Bay. We trust that the attendance of visitors will be such as to manifest a wide-spread interest in the objects, and efforts of an Association which on so many grounds deserves support and encouragement. We understand that, in addition to the other attractions, the excellent Band of the 58th regiment, by the permission of Colonel Wynyard, (readily granted on all such occasions) will be present and perform during the day,

At the Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday Capt. Winter, of the Eagle schooner, was finally examined on the charge of stabbing one of his sailors, Alexander White, as stated in our previous numbers. He was committed for trial at the next session of the Supreme Court. White is now considered out of daoger.

The Band of H. M. 58th Regiment, by the permission of Lieut.-Col. Wynyard, C.8., will perform in the Grounds in front of the old Government House on to-morrow evening from half -past four till half-pftst six o'clock.

PROGRAMME!. Overture 0p.. ...... " Norma ".......... , ...Raper Melange Op. " The Crusaden" Benedict Cavatina 0p.. ..... •' Scaramuccia" Ricci Cavatina Op.. " I Capuletti c Montechi" Bellini Waltz *' The Venetian" Labitzky Quadrille..." The Phantom Dancers" Jullien Polka "The Agnes" Brown Song " My Beautiful Rhine" Song.... "The Blue Bells of Scotland" ....